You Never Know (musical)

You Never Know
Sheet music cover (cropped)
Music	Cole Porter and Robert Katscher
Lyrics	Cole Porter
Book	Rowland Leigh
Basis	By Candlelight by Siegfried Geyer and Karl Farkas
Productions	1938 Broadway 1973 Off-Broadway 1991 Pasadena

You Never Know is a musical with a book by Rowland Leigh, adapted from the original European play By Candlelight, by Siegfried Geyer and Karl Farkas, with music by Cole Porter and Robert Katscher, lyrics by Cole Porter, additional lyrics by Leigh and Edwin Gilbert, directed by Leigh, and songs by others.

The show was written not long after the riding accident that left Porter semi-crippled, and is considered one of the flops he wrote before his return to prominence with Kiss Me, Kate.

The show was first produced in Europe with a small cast, but the Shubert Brothers (who produced it for Broadway), did not want to produce it with no chorus or large stage numbers. They hired Porter and other composers to write extra material, and when it premiered on Broadway in 1938 it was no longer a chamber musical, but a typical 1930s "big musical".

Maria, maid to Mme. Baltin, impersonates her mistress while carrying out an assignation with the Baron de Romer's valet Gaston, whom she believes to be the Baron himself. The Baron discovers the pair, but, being a good sport, he assumes the role of his servant in order to assist Gaston in his romantic pursuit. When Mme. Baltin discovers her maid's deceit, she is less of a good sport and exposes the masquerade. All ends happily, though, as the foursome sup by candlelight. Other characters include the Baron's gregarious friend Ida Courtney and Mme. Baltin's cheating husband, Henri, the dry goods king of France.

Produced by John Shubert, the Broadway production, opened on September 21, 1938 at the Winter Garden Theatre, where it ran for 78 performances, after tryouts in New Haven, Boston, Washington, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Indianapolis, among others. The cast featured Clifton Webb, Lupe Vélez, Libby Holman, Toby Wing (later replaced by June Havoc), and Rex O'Malley.