Thesemusicalcomedieswerefarcesbyinlarge,partofaboisterouseraofChicagotheatre.(Footnote:ThroughoutthispageI'veusedthespelling"theatre"whichwasusedindiscriminatelyduringtheperiodcovered-asitistoday.Somesay"theater"istheacceptedAmericanspellingasopposedtotheBritish"theatre."AlotofhooeythatisasfarasI'mconcerned.)Theywerethesitcomsoftheday,butwithlotsofmusicandlotsofcast.Theymaybeofinteresttotheatrehistorians,butwhateverthecase,thispagegivesaglimpseintotheshowsthatoneactressandsinger,howeverobscureshemaybenow,wasinvolvedin.Thereweremanylikeher,somewhomayhavedoneonlyafewshows,otherswhowentontovaudevilleandtheirownpersonalorpublicfame.
Generallyacceptedasabigflopalthoughsomereviewerslikedit.Weakplotevidentlybutalavishproductionof5scenes,some44speakingrolesandachorusofarounda100people.Acomedysetin1809revolvesaroundNapoleon’sfavoriteactress,Mile.Mars.FirstsceneissetinthedressingroomoftheComedieFrancaise,thenontoCompeigne,Napoleon’ssummerresidence,thestagerepresentinganislandinthemiddleofthelakeinmoonlight.ThethirdactissetintheGrandoperaHouse,Paris,andthenthereisa“ReturnfromElba”inthefinaltableau.
TheshowopenedinPhiladelphiaonOctober28,1903andendedinChicagoMay7,1904aftersevenmonthsontour.ItwasonBroadwayfor43performancesbeforesettingoutonawesterntourthattookitasfarasLosAngles.TheyloveditinMissoula.ItwasanexpensivepropositionforZiegfeldandwasgenerallynotwellreceivedbythereviewers.
BooksonAnnaHeldandZiegfeldmentionshowintermsoftheirrelationship.PortionsareonGoogleBooks.ThesearetheWorldcatlistings:
"BenjaminBarclay,thebreakfastcerealtycoonfromBattleAx,Michigan(thegreatKellogginterestswerecenteredinBattleCreek),takeshisnieceDorothyFairfax,onavoyagetoTheForbiddenLandofTibet.AhandsomeyoungEnglishman,TomWilkinson,accompaniesthem.TheirpartyistakenprisonerandtolditwillbereleasedonlyifWilkinsonconsentstomarryMinaDoma,daughteroftheTibetanpotentate.Kinkaboo,executiveheadoftheAmalgamatedAssociationofAsiaticRobbers,smugglesamachineintoprison.Thecontraptionallowsthegrouptoescape."(Footnote:Bordman,Gerald,Norton,Ricard,AmericanMusicalTheatreOxfordUniversityPress,2010,page235.)
1904lookedtobeagrimyearforChicagotheatremanagersfollowingthedeadlyfireattheIroquoisattheendofDecemberof1903inwhichatleast603peoplelosttheirlives.Pessimisticmanagerswereastonishedwhen,withthearrivalofsummer,theyweredrawingbiggeraudiencesthantheyhadbeenduringthewinterandspring.TheDearborncompanywasdoingwellwithRichardCarle'sTheTenderfoot,whichFranceswoulddoinarevivalinafewyears.ThecompanychangedthenameoftheDearbornTheatretotheGarrickandputTheForbiddenLandintotheworkstoopenattheIllinoisTheatre.ItopenedonJuly4,1904,runningforaboutsixweekstothemiddleofAugustandthenontour,playinginBloomington,Illinois,St.Paul,Minnesota,Kansas,NebraskaandotherhousesintheMidwest.
Franceswascastas"Motema"andtheChicagoTribunereviewerseemedtolikethething:"Thepleasantpeculiarityoflastnight'sperformance,moreover,wasthatinspiteoftheapparentthinnessoftheentertainmentitwasnotabore."Thefullreviewisherewithagooddealmoredescriptionoftheplayandthecastlist.
WhenthemusicalopenedattheLaSalleTheatreonTuesday,September13,1904theboththeInterOceanandtheTribunereviewerswereamazedatwhathappenedattheendofthefirstact.Whenthecurtainfellitroseagain,theusherscamedowntheislewithbouquetsofflowerswhichwerehandedouttothecastmembersbyname,theaudiencegoingwildwithapplause.
TheshowopenedattheLaSalleonNovember21,1904andranforfivemonths,closingMarch12,1905.
Bordmandescribestheplaylikeso:“TheIsleofBongBongwassetonLordPercy’shuntingestateinthetheatricallyvoguishPhilippines.InordertocourtMarjoryGray,theyoungAmericansecretaryofhisuncle,LordPercychangesplaceswithhisvalet.Atthesametime,theSultanofthefloatingislandofBongBongcomesashoretocourtthethricewidowedMrs.Rensselaer-Rensselaer.(ed.FrancesKennedy.)Awizard,abandit,pirates,andahungryoffstagelionplaceobstaclesinthelovers’way.Everythingendshappily,withtheSultanconsentingtoanchorhisislandnearcivilization.Theshowhadfunwithothermusicalsoftheeraandwithlocalfigures,AtonepointBongBong’srulerspeakskindlyofhis‘sometimeneighbor,theSultanofSulu.(Footnote:TheSuluarchipelagoisachainofislandsinthePhilippineswhichhasbeenruledoverthecenturiesbyaSultan,theSultanofSulu.Therewasa1902musicalcomedybythatname.NothingtodowithStarTrek'sCommanderHikaruSulu.)InthefirstactMarjorysingslovinglyof‘MyIllinois,’mentioninginpassing‘ClarkStreetticketscalpers’andtheWhiteSox.”(Footnote:Bordman,op.cit.page243.)
TheshowranforthreemonthsattheLaSalleandthePowerstheatres,fromMarch14toJune17th.PerhapsthebestreviewanddescriptionoftheplayintheInterOcean;theTribunereviewerlikedtheshowdespiteitslackofplot.WithanewcasttheshowbegantouringwithaperformanceinDetroitinSeptemberandwouldcontinuethatseasonandagaininthe1906-1907seasontouringlargelyintheMidwest.
TheYankeeRegent-1905SheetMusiccoverAhandsomeChicagobarberismaderegentoftheGermanprincipalityofWienerbecauseheisthe32ndcousin,twiceremoved,ofPrincessOlive.OlivemustchoosebetweentheChicagobarberandaprince,orabdicate.ShechoosesthehandsomeAmericanandtheylivehappilyeverafter.(Footnote:Bordman,op.cit.page247,andreviewsintheTribuneandtheInterOcean.)
TheYankeeRegentopenedattheLaSalleonAugust12,1905andclosedDecember1st.Inthespringof1907itwasrevivedwithanewcastandwentontheroadtouringextensivelyintheMidwestandasfarasCalifornia,evenreturningtoChicagotoplayattheGarrickfortwoweeksinthesummer.TheshowfinallygroundtoahaltinSeptemberof1908inFortDodge,Kansaswhentheleadingladygotappendicitis,theshowwasoutofmoneyandallbutthreemembersofthecastwerestrandedthere.(Footnote:"YankeeRegent'Co.isStranded,"TheCourier(Waterloo,Iowa),September15,1908,page2.)
America'snewfoundpassionforbaseballcorrespondedwithitsdisdainfortheumpires.Thisplaywastheamongthefirst,orpossiblythefirst,thattookthatcontempttothestage.JohnnyNolan,thecharacter,makesacontroversialcallwhichinspiredsomuchvenomthathehadtofleeallthewaytoMorocco.Whiletherehefallsinlovewithafemaleathletewhilehe'sofficiating,ofallthings,afootballgame.(Footnote:Katz,Jeffery,PlieBall!:BaseballMeetsDanceonStageandScreen,2016,Onlinepreviewatbooks.google.com.,page41.AndBordman,op.cit.page253.)
ThedayafterTheYankeeRegentclosedTheUmpireopenedonDecember2,1905attheLaSalleandranfor304performancestoJuneof1906,havingsetarecordinAprilforthelongestrunningplayinChicagotheatrehistorywhenitpassed204inAprilof1906.(Footnote:"SomeLongRunsinChicagoHouses,"ChicagoTribune,April8,1906,page79)WhetheritwentontourIhaven'tbeenabletodetermine,butlikelyitdidwithanothercast.
ThankstotheUniversityofCaliforniaSantaBarbara'sCylinderAudioArchiveyoucanlistentoa1906renditionofthesongrecordedbyEdwardM.Favor:
OpeningtoapackedhouseinChicago,themusicaloffered“uncommonlygoodentertainment”withsongsaroundastoryabout“…-twolocketshavewanderedintostrangehandsandtheirrecoverybytherightpeopleisessentialtothesetwopeoplegettingmarried,awaiterdisguiseshimselfasanEnglishknightandwithhiswaitressbridegoestoCorsicaonhisweddingtour.”ThereismuchmoredescriptionofthestoryintheChicagoTribunereviewbyW.L.Hubbardonthiswebsite.
TheThreeTwins-1908-1909SheetMusiccoverBeforetheopeningattheWhitneythecastperformedout-of-townrehearsalsinPeoria.AmonthlatertheChicagoSundayTribunedidadelightfulfeatureonthecastanditstravel:"OntheRoadWithaComicOperaCompany:
Itwasasmashhitandproducedthepopularsong,“CuddleUpaLittleCloser,”whichwouldbesungthroughtheyearsbyDorisDay,BingCrosby,andDeanMartintonameafew.Anotherfavoritesongwas“YamaYamaMan.”Francessangthesong“BooHoo!TeeHee!”withherco-starBessieMcCoyandachorusofgirls.ShewaslovedinNewYork,especiallyher“weepingscene”ofwhichareviewerintheNewYorkEveningWorldDailyMagazinewrote,“ItistobehopedthatMissFrancesKennedywillneverbecuredofcrying.Asaweepingwifesheisajoy.Thepartmaybehardonherface,butherfacecertainlyknowsitsstagebusiness.”(Footnote:NYEveningWorld,June17,1908,page15.)ItislikelyherinthispicturewithBessieMcCoyduringthe"BooHoo!TeeHee!"song.
TheTenderfoot-The1909RevivalSheetmusiccoverto"MyAlamoLove":Lyricsto"GibsonGirls"Here’satypicalgirlyoucannotfailtorecognize!Slender,willowy,too,Tallandbillowytoo,Intellectualforeheadandapairofdreamyeyes;Shouldersthatareslopingandawaistthat’sratherslim,Handsandfingersshapelyascanbe;Daintylittletootsiesandanankleneatandtrim,Airy,fairy“GibsonGirls”arewe![Refrain]Everythingweseeappearstoboreus!Includingallthechappieswhoadoreus!Tho’theystruggleandtheytryToattractourlazyeyeTheirearnesteffortsonlyseemtoboreus![Dance]Airyfairy“GibsonGirls”arewe.
FrancestookontheroleofFloraJaneFibby,anauthoress,foraonemonthrevivalattheColonialTheatreofRichardCarle’shitfromthe1903-1904seasonwhichplayedattheDearbornTheatre;theDearbornbecametheGarrickin1903duringthatrunofthemusical.TherevivalopenedonJune1,1909andclosedJuly24th.
Flora,inacttwosings“GibsonGirls”witheightyoungladieswhoareinthecastas“GibsonGirls.”Thelyricsareprovidedhere.
A1903descriptionofthemusicalread,“RichardCarle,thelibrettist,hastakenhisownmeasureinthepartofProfessorZacharyPettiboneofSt.Johnsbury,VT.,atravelingtutorforapartyofyoungladies.Theprofessor,whileatdinner,isneatlylassooed(sic)bycowboys,anddancesunderthestressofrevolvershots.Hehasalargeshareinthecomedy,butfigureslittleintheplot,whichconcerns,chiefly,acavalryColonel(EdmundStanley,thetenor,)andaTexasheiress(MissMayDeSousa).GilbertGregoryhasbeenprovidedforinthepartofSergeantBarkeroftheTexasRangers.ThelifeofthisTexasborderanditsmixedpopulationarereliedupontofurnishmaterialthatisnewtomusical“shows.”Mexicans,cowboys,soldiers,Indians,andsenoritaspeopletheplay,makingeffectivecostumingpossible.HarryL.Heartz,composerof“MissSimplicity,”haswrittensometwentymusicalnumbers.”(Footnote:ChicagoInterOcean,April3,1903)
Boththeposterandthesheetmusiccoverarefromtheearlier,1903-4production.
Wasevidentlygreatfundespitelackinginplot,whichmostmusicallycomedieswere.SetitBrittanyinthe18thcenturyitinvolvesFrankDanielsastheimpecuniousMarquisdeSt.Gautlerwhowantshissontomarryhiswealthyward,Mile.DenisedelaVire.Theson,naturally,wantsBabette,thedaughterofthemillerPoquelinwhobrokeoffherengagementtoaParischefonthedayofhermarriage.But,astheNewYorkTimeswrites,“…theplothasnothingtodowiththeshow,andisnotpermittedtointerferewiththefunforamoment.”(Footnote:NYTimes,Nov9,1909.PlotsummaryfromtheTimesandtheBuffaloSundayMorningNews,November14,1909.)
TheRedPetticoat-1912-1913SmallflyerfortheBostonperformance.TheRedPetticoat,JeromeKern’sfirstfullscore,bookbyRidaJohnsonYoungwhobecamefamousforherNaughtyMarietta,openedatDaly’sTheatreonBroadwayonNovember13,1912andclosedattheBroadwayTheatreonthe4thofJanuary,1913after61performances.ThemusicalwasalyricversionofMs.Young’sflopofthepreviousyear,Next.Frances,intheroleof“SageBrush”Kate,openedtheshowsinging“Sing,Sing,YouTetrazzini,Sing”withthechorus.(Footnote:Program-MusicalNumbersintheShubertTheatreprogram."Sing,Sing,YouTetrarzzini,Sing".....Regan,Kate,andChorus.AndProgram-Cast.)TwomonthsonBroadwaytheshowhittheroadtoBrooklyn,BostonandthenwesttoChicagointheAmericanMusichallinMarch,endinginBuffaloattheendofMarch.TheChicagoTribunereviewercalledit“FetchingandFunny”andprovidedadescription:
Francesopenedthefirstactwiththechorussinging"Sing,Sing,YouTetrazzini,Sing"andwhilethisaudioisn'ther,itsprettyfunalthoughIhavenoideawhatitmeansintheshow,butitnodoubtreferstoLuisaTetrazzini(1871-1940),aninternationallyfamouscoloratruasoprano.
OnceagainFranceswouldworkwiththaticonofmusicalcomedyandvaudeville,JoeHoward,inwhatwasprettymuchaflop.JoeHowardhadleasedtheWhitneyTheatreatVanBurenandWabashandrenameditJoeHoward'sComedyTheatre.TheshowopenedOctober3,1913andranuntilThanksgivingwhenitwentontheroadforafewperformancestothesouth.SophieTuckerwantedtodotheshowbutwithdrewduringtheearlyrehersalsoverherprominenceintheshow.(Footnote:ChicagoTribune,August26,1913,page10.)
IdiscoveredlittleastowhatthisshowwasaboutexceptabriefdescriptionthatJoeHoward'scharactergetsmarriedinNewJerseybutreturnstoBroadwaywherehisex-wifestillisaround.A"theatro-legalshark"assureshimhecouldhaveasecondwifeinJerseybutnotinNewYork."Thusdoman'slawsaddtothegayety(sic)ofmusicalcomedy."(Footnote:ChicagoTribune,October4,1913.)
ReviewersinChicagoandontheroadweregenerallykindonlytothesingingandgayetyofthecast,butotherwiseitwasa"hodge-podgeofeveryoldthing..."(Footnote:KansasCityGlobe,December1,1913.)Theproblemevidentlywaswiththelibrettofor,whilethesongswerenottobecomepopular,theyweremanyandevidentlyenthusiastic.Theshowhadanout-of-townpremiereinGary,IndianaonOctober1st.ThepressaroundthecountrywasmoreinterestedintheParisdesignedhatthatEmmaCarusworeintheproductionthaninthemusicalitself.
FrancesKennedymusthaveknownhimfairlywellhavingworkedwithhimearlierinTheIsleofBong,BongandTheUmpire.
Joe,evidentlyalwaysstretchinghimselfthin,filedforbankruptcyinthesummerof1917owingMabelMcCane5grand,SophieTuckeragrand,andtheShubertsanother5thousand.Hewouldbebackthough.
Arevivalwithnewcastcameoutandtouredinthewinter1914-1915season,drawingappreciationfromthereviewersforthewayit“…goeswithabangandarush,puttogethertoamusethemuchlyabusedtheater-goingpublic.”(Footnote:TheMichiganDaily,AnnArbor,January17,1915,page4.TheofficialnewspaperoftheUniversityofMichigan.)TheChicagoreviewersoftheoriginalcasttheyearbeforealsolikedthemusic,butPercyHammondintheTribunecouldn’thavebeenmorescathing:“TheprogramattheLaSallesaysthatthelibrettoofSeptemberMornwaswrittenbyMr.ArthurGillespie.Irefusetobelievethathewroteit.Irefusetobelievethatanyonewroteitorthatitexists.Itissobadthatitisincredible.”(Footnote:[ChicagoTribune,Dec23,1913])ThereviewerintheInterOceancouldn’tfigureoutwhatwasgoingonbutlikedthemusic.
TheElopers-1914Sheetmusiccovertothesong"Ev'ryRoadistheRightRoad."AnotherplaythatlastedaboutthreemonthsopenedattheComedyTheatreat64E.VanBurenonJune27,1914,movedtotheLaSalleonJuly19thatthesametimeFrancesreplacedthelead,ClaraPalmer.(Footnote:Cullen,op.cit.saysthe17thbutheiswrong.–TheadintheChicagoTribuneonthe27thsays“StartsTonight.”)InhisreviewoftheopeningintheChicagoTribunePercyHammondwrote,“Amongthefewfactsthataretobehererecordedabout‘TheElopers’isthatitisoftheChicagotypeofmusicalcomedy,containingmorejigthanjest,withplentyofprettyandalertgirlsintightsandtuneseasyenoughforanyonetowhistle…Inisfirstactfourcouplesplantogetmarried,andinitslastactthatplansucceeds.(Footnote:PercyHammond,“SingingandDancingattheComedyTheater,”ChicagoTribune,June29,1914,page16.(UnfortunatelytheChicagoInterOcean,whichgenerallyhadgreatcoverageofChicagotheatre,wentoutofbusinessin1914.))
That’saboutallI’vebeenabletogleanastowhattheplaywasabout,butHammonddoesparaphraseonejokefromtheplaythat’sfunnyaswellaslikelytypical:“WasGeorgeWashingtonanhonestman”queriesthesoubrette.“Theysayhewas,”Mr.Phillipsanswers,“buttheyalwaysclosethebanksonhisbirthday.”
ThelibrettowastheposthumousworkofArthurGillespie,whohaddoneSeptemberMorn,andG.F.Stoddard.ThemusicwasbyHugoFrey,lyricsbyFrederickHerendeen.Amongthesongswere“Kuck-ooClock,”“OvertheSeas,”“Ev’ryRoadistheRightRoad,WhentheRightGirlisAlong,”[RecordingareintheUCSantaBarbaralibraryandtheLibrariesofCanadainOttawabutnotonline.]“Oh,YouTangoBand,”“Twilight,”“YouJustYou,”“WhistleIt.”ThesheetmusicfortheseareattheBaylorUniversity’sFrancesG.SpencerCollectionofPopularMusic.
Curiously,duringtherunthetheatremanager,HarryCort,elopedwithoneofthecastmembers.AndthenG.F.Stoddard,aco-authoroftheplay,elopedwithPeggyPendleton,amemberofthechorus.(Footnote:Variety,July31,1914,page10.)
OnceagainworkingwithDaveLewisFranceswasaheadlinerwhenthisshowopenedforthefirsttimeinBuffaloattheTeckonNovember22inwhatwasbilledasarevuewithtwoacts,eightscenes,and125players.(Footnote:Ad.BuffaloCommercial,November20,1915:"OpensHereMondayNight""FirstTimeonAnyStageoftheNewMusicalReviewof125Players""EntireCompanyGoingtoTheAmericanMusicHall,Chicago.")TheNewYorkEveningWorldreportedonNovember2ndthattheShubertbrothersproductionhadbeeninrehearsalfornineweeksandwasalmostreadytoopenattheLyricinPhiladelphiabutthetheatreevidentlywasn’tfinishedwithrenovationssoitopenedinBuffalo.FollowingBuffaloithadperformancesinDetroitandPittsburgbeforeitlandedinChicagointherefurbished,andrenamed,ChicagoTheatre,formerlytheAmericanMusicHall,onDecember29th.Itplayedthereuntilthe22ofJanuarythenontoSt.Louis,Indianapolis,Muncie,Indiana,Cincinnati,Dayton,OhioclosingtherethesecondweekinFebruary.
Songs,ofwhichtherewerereportedly34orsodependingonwhichnewspaperyouread,include"Drip,DripWenttheWaterfall,”"IrishHeart,”"I'llClingtoYou,"“OntheLakeShoreLimited,””TheAutomatCabaret,”“I’llbeTruetotheRed,WhiteandBlue,”“That’stheWhyWe’reinthePlay,”and“MyLadyoftheLake.”
WhiletheshowissetinNewYorkandChicagoithadadefiniteChicagoflavor:Francesplays“Mrs.LincolnBoulevard.”Others,besidesherandDaveLewis,areMercedesLorenze,AnnaWheaton,EddieCoe(inblack-faceperthereviewintheBuffaloCourier),HarryCoote,LuellaGear,MurielWindow,andRobertKeane.(Footnote:BuffaloEnquirerreview,op.cit.)LucilleTodd,BobbyWatson,MarySpellmeyer,WilliamReynolds,JamesT.Duffy,GilbertGregory.ThevaudevilleteamofBurtGreenandIreneFranklin,husbandandwife,joinedthecastinChicagoasaheadlinerhavingdesertedtheirvaudevilletour.(Footnote:“AfterthePerformance,”IndianapolisStar,December26,1915,page15;Obituary,BurtonGreen,NewYorkHeraldNovember18,1922,page9.)
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