Description
I'm currently listing a large number of playbills from out-of-town tryouts prior to the Broadway runs. Many are from early performances when revisions were common and include song titles that were cut before opening in New York ....... This is a rare May 20th, 1940 "Playgoer" playbill from the Pre-Broadway engagement of the IRVING BERLIN and MORRIE RYSKIND musical comedy "LOUISIANA PURCHASE" at the Forrest Theatre in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (The production would open May 28th, 1940 at the Imperial Theatre in New York City and run for 444 performances.) ..... The musical starred WILLIAM GAXTON, VERA ZORINA, VICTOR MOORE and IRENE BORDONI (all shown in the cover photo) and featured RALPH RIGGS, CAROL BRUCE, NICK LONG, JR., GEORGIA CARROLL, JOHN ELIOT, ROBERT PITKIN, RAY MAYER, EDWARD H. ROBINS, APRIL AMES, JOHN PANTER, CHARLES LA TORRE, HUGH MARTIN, RALPH BLANE, JO JEAN ROGERS, PHYLLIS ROGERS, DON CORTEZ, JAMES PHILLIPS and a cast of 100 ..... CREDITS: Music and Lyrics by IRVING BERLIN ("The Cocoanuts", "Music Box Revues", "As Thousands Cheer", "This is the Army", "Annie Get Your Gun", "Miss Liberty", "Call Me Madam", "Mr. President"); Book by MORRIE RYSKIND based on a story by B. G. De SYLVA; Sets and Costumes designed by TOM LEE; Choreographed by GEORGE BALANCHINE and CARL RANDALL; Production staged by EDGAR MacGREGOR; Produced by B. G. DeSYLVA ..... DETAILS: The sixteen page playbill measures 5 1/4" X 7 3/4" inches and includes full production credits, cast list, synopsis of scenes, list of musical numbers and bios of each of the leading actors but with the exception of the front cover, no cast photos ..... CONDITION: With the exception of light edge wear, this rare playbill is in excellent condition and will make a wonderful addition to the collection of any musical theatre aficionado or historian. This item will be carefully packaged in a protective, carded sleeve and backed by stiff cardboard.
