The Pink Lady (musical)

The Pink Lady, 1911 poster by Hamilton King

The Pink Lady is an Edwardian musical comedy composed by Ivan Caryll, which ran for a very successful 312 performances on Broadway in 1911 before becoming an ongoing favorite of regional producers in the Midwest.[1][2] The story and lyrics by C.M.S. McLellan, about an antiques dealer, were adapted from a French farce, The Satyr, by Georges Berr and Marcel Guiltemand[3][4]

The musical premiered at the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York, running for 312 performances from March 13, 1911 to December 9, 1911.[5] In the title role of Claudine, Hazel Dawn was nineteen years old when the show opened. She played the violin during the show.[6] Others in the cast included Maurice Hegeman as Dr. Mazou, Alice Dovey as Angele, Florence Walton as Minette, and Ida Adams as Desirée, and the production was directed by Herbert Gresham and choreographed by Julian Mitchell.[5] The run set the record for receipts and attendance at the theatre and soon toured successfully. The show was so popular that its costume designs inspired some ladies' fashions.[7]

After a brief London run at the Globe Theatre from April 11, 1912, the musical returned to the New Amsterdam for a further 24 performances from August 26, 1912 to September 14, 1912.[8]

Unlike most Edwardian musicals, wrote the New York Times critic, the show's "fun is developed logically out of its situations, and so are its songs. In the second act, for instance, not a musical number occurs which does not carry the plot along further, instead of halting it, and yet no songs in the piece were more persistently applauded than these."[3]

  1. ^ Kenrick, John. "Who's Who in Musicals: Ca-Cl". Musicals101.com. Retrieved 2013-09-13.
  2. ^ Reside, Doug (2012-04-23). "Musical of the Month: The Pink Lady". The New York Public Library. Retrieved 2013-09-13.
  3. ^ a b "'The Pink Lady' Gay and Amusing – Its Fun Is Developed Logically Out of Its Situations and So Are Its Songs" (PDF). The New York Times. March 14, 1911. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  4. ^ ""The Pink Lady" Is Shown. New Musical Comedy Tells of Adventures of a Dealer in Antiques" (PDF). New York Times. February 11, 1911. Retrieved September 13, 2013.
  5. ^ a b "The Pink Lady": Original Production, Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved August 16, 2023
  6. ^ "American Girls in Paris – Work Harder and Are More in Earnest Than Any Others, Says Hazel Dawn, Newcomer in Musical Comedy". New York Times. 1911-03-19. Retrieved 2013-09-14.
  7. ^ Smith, Cecil Michener and Glenn Litton (1981). Musical Comedy in America. Psychology Press. p. 97. ISBN 0878305645.
  8. ^ "The Pink Lady: 1912 revival, Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved August 16, 2023