Louisiana Purchase (musical)

Louisiana Purchase is a musical with music and lyrics by Irving Berlin and book by Morrie Ryskind based on a story by B. G. DeSylva. Set in New Orleans, the musical lightly satirises Louisiana Governor Huey Long and his control over Louisiana politics.[1] An honest U.S. senator travels to Louisiana to investigate corruption in the Louisiana Purchase Company; the company's lawyer attempts to divert him via the attentions of two beautiful women, but the senator maintains his integrity and ends up marrying one of them. In 1941 it was adapted for the film Louisiana Purchase directed by Irving Cummings.

Louisiana Purchase
1996 Cast Recording
MusicIrving Berlin
LyricsIrving Berlin
BookMorrie Ryskind
BasisA story Buddy De Sylva
Productions1940 Broadway
1941 Film
1996 Broadway

The show opened at the Shubert Brothers' Imperial Theatre, New York City on May 28, 1940 and ran for 444 performances. It was produced by Buddy De Sylva, who also wrote the story, and staged by Edgar MacGregor. The musical orchestrations were by Robert Emmett Dolan and N. Lang Van Cleve, with the ballets by George Balanchine and the musical staging and dances by Carl Randall. On June 19, 1996, a concert version with the complete score was recorded at Carnegie Hall (during four performances), including three additional songs cut from the original album.

Songs

Casts

Original Broadway (1940)Film Adaptation (1941)New York Concert (1996)
Jim TaylorWilliam GaxtonBob HopeMichael McGrath
Marina van LindenVera ZorinaJudy Blazer
Senator Oliver P. LoganberryVictor MooreGeorge S. Irving
Madame Yvonne BordelaiseIrène BordoniTaina Elg
Emmy-LouApril AmesPhyllis RuthAlet Oury
BeatriceCarol BruceDona DrakeDebbie Gravitte
AlphonseCharles La TorreKeith Byron Kirk
Colonel Davis D. Davis Sr.Robert PitkinRaymond WalburnJohn Wylie
Colonel Davis D. Davis Jr.Ray MayerMichael Morotta
Lee DavisNick Long Jr.James Ludwig
Dean Joseph T. ManningRalph RiggsAndrew TombesMerwin Goldsmith
Police Captain WhitfieldEdward H. RobinsDonald MacBrideRick Crom
Sam LiebowitzJohn EliotEmory ParnellMerwin Goldsmith
SecretaryGeorgia CarrollIris MeredithErin Dilly

References

Sources

  • Suskin, Steven (2000) "Showtunes", 3rd ed. Oxford University Press; ISBN 0-19-512599-1

External links