Wish You Were Here (musical)

Wish You Were Here is a musical with a book by Arthur Kober and Joshua Logan, lyrics and music by Harold Rome. It is based on Arthur Kober's 1937 play, Having Wonderful Time.

The musical premiered on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre on June 25, 1952, and ran for 598 performances. Joshua Logan also directed the original Broadway production. Wish You Were Here is notable for its use of a real swimming pool on stage, a significant technical feat for the time.

The plot revolves around the experiences of a group of vacationers at Camp Karefree, a summer resort in the Catskill Mountains during the 1950s. The central storyline follows Teddy Stern, a young woman dealing with romantic complications, and the other campers as they navigate relationships, anxieties, and the general atmosphere of summer leisure. The score includes songs such as the title song, "Wish You Were Here," and "Ballad of an Unsuccessful Salesman." The musical is known for its lighthearted tone and its depiction of social dynamics within a specific cultural context of mid-20th century American summer vacations.