MusicalComedyOriginalBroadway
Opening Date
Oct 12, 1950
Closing Date
May 03, 1952
Performances
644
MusicalComedyOriginalBroadway
External Links
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ABOUT THIS PRODUCTION

Theatres
Imperial Theatre
(Oct 12, 1950 - May 03, 1952)
Setting
The play is laid in two mythical countries. One is called Lichtenburg. The other is the United States.
Comments
This play was suggested by the 1949 appointment of Washington hostess Perle Mesta as Ambassadress to Luxembourg; however, the program announced "neither the character of Mrs. Sally Adams nor Miss Ethel Merman resemble any person living or dead."
Media
See all 15 photos
Theatre Owned / Operated by Select Operating Corporation and The Shubert Organization
Produced by Leland Hayward
Music by Irving Berlin; Lyrics by Irving Berlin; Book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse; Musical Director: Jay Blackton; Music orchestrated by Don Walker; Dance arrangements by Genevieve Pitot and Jesse Meeker; Additional orchestrations by Joe Glover; Vocal arrangements by Jay Blackton; Piano Arrangements by Helmy Kresa
Directed by George Abbott; Dances and Musical Numbers Stage by Jerome Robbins
Scenic Design by Raoul Pène Du Bois; Costume Design by Raoul Pène Du Bois; Miss Merman's dresses by Mainbocher; Assistant to Mr. Du Bois: Willa Kim, Mason Arvold and Waldo Angelo
General Manager: Herman Bernstein; Company Manager: Carl Fisher
Production Stage Manager: Robert Griffith; Stage Manager: Don Hershey; Assistant Stage Mgr: Fred Hearn, Stowe Phelps and Harold Prince
Music Contractor: Sol Gusikoff
Press Representative: Leo Freedman, Abner D. Klipstein and Robert Ullman; Advertising: Blaine-Thompson and Fred Golden; Asst. to the Choreographer: June Graham and Donald Saddler; Master Carpenter: Pete Feller
Ethel Merman
Mrs. Sally Adams
Paul Lukas
Cosmo Constantine
Oct 12, 1950 - Feb 02, 1952
Rae Abruzzo
Singer
Jeanne Bal
Secretary to Mrs. Adams
 
Singer
Aristide Bartis
Singer
Muriel Bentley
Principal Dancer
Ralph Chambers
Senator Gallagher
Owen Coll
Supreme Court Justice
 
Grand Duke Otto
William David
Henry Gibson
 
Court Chamberlain
Trudy Deluz
Singer
Ollie Engebretson
"Potato Bug"
Shellie Farrell
Dancer
Richard Fjellman
"Potato Bug"
Lydia Fredericks
Singer
Nina Frenkin
Dancer
Nathaniel Frey
Singer
Estelle Gardner
Singer
William Hail
Butler
 
Singer
Patricia Hammerlee
Dancer
Pat Harrington
Congressman Wilkins
Fred Hearn
Dancer
Barbara Heath
Dancer
Alan Hewitt
Pemberton Maxwell
Norma Kaiser
Dancer
 
Principal Dancer
Allan Knolls
Dancer
E. A. Krumschmidt
Hugo Tantinnin
Henry Lascoe
Sebastian Sebastian
Kenneth Le Roy
Dancer
Virginia Le Roy
Dancer
Ralph Linn
Dancer
Albert Linville
Singer
Geoffrey Lumb
The Secretary of State
Ruth McVayne
Singer
Douglas Moppert
Dancer
Russell Nype
Kenneth Gibson
Lily Paget
A Maid
 
Singer
Arthur Partington
Principal Dancer
 
Dancer
Noella Peloquin
Singer
Robert Penn
Singer
Stowe Phelps
Clerk
Tommy Rall
Principal Dancer
Tom Reider
Singer
John Sheehan
Singer
Stanley Simmonds
Singer
Lilia Skala
Grand Duchess Sophie
Ray Stephens
Singer
Galina Talva
Princess Maria
Bobby Tucker
Dancer
Kirsten Valbor
Dancer
Jay Velie
Senator Brockbank
William Weslow
Dancer
Helene Whitney
Singer
Standby: Elaine Stritch (Mrs. Sally Adams)
Understudies: Rae Abruzzo (A Maid, Grand Duchess Sophie), Jeanne Bal (Princess Maria), Lydia Fredericks (Mrs. Sally Adams), Nathaniel Frey (Congressman Wilkins, Hugo Tantinnin), William Hail (Senator Gallagher), Fred Hearn (Senator Brockbank), Albert Linville (The Secretary of State, Grand Duke Otto), Ruth McVayne (Secretary to Mrs. Adams), Robert Penn (Henry Gibson, Court Chamberlain), Stowe Phelps (Kenneth Gibson), Tom Reider (Cosmo Constantine), Stanley Simmonds (Sebastian Sebastian) and Ray Stephens (Pemberton Maxwell)

Imperial Theatre (Oct 12, 1950 - May 03, 1952)

Cast

Richard Eastham
Cosmo Constantine
Feb 04, 1952 - May 03, 1952
Jane Carlyle
Singer
Joy Carroll
Singer
Crandall Diehl
Dancer
Dolores Goodman
Dancer
Eric Kristen
Dancer
Gene Myers
Dancer
Robert Patterson
Singer
Edward Pfeiffer
Dancer
Will Scholz
Singer
Standby: Nancy Andrews (Mrs. Sally Adams)
Understudies: Lydia Fredericks (Secretary to Mrs. Adams), Robert Patterson (The Secretary of State, Supreme Court Justice), Will Scholz (Sebastian Sebastian, Hugo Tantinnin) and Stanley Simmonds (Grand Duke Otto, Congressman Wilkins)
music by Irving Berlin; lyrics by Irving Berlin
Act 1
Sung By
Mrs. Sally Adams
The Company
The Hostess With the Mostes' on the Ball
Mrs. Sally Adams
Washington Square Dance
Mrs. Sally Adams and Company
Lichtenburg
Cosmo Constantine and Singers
Can You Use Any Money Today?
Mrs. Sally Adams
Marrying For Love
Cosmo Constantine and Mrs. Sally Adams
The Ocarina
Princess Maria, Dancers, "Potato Bug" and Company
It's a Lovely Day Today
Kenneth Gibson and Princess Maria
It's a Lovely Day Today (Reprise)
Kenneth Gibson, Dancers and Company
The Best Thing For You (Would Be Me)
Mrs. Sally Adams and Cosmo Constantine
Act 2
Sung By
Lichtenburg (Reprise)
Cosmo Constantine and Singers
Something To Dance About
Mrs. Sally Adams, Principal Dancers and Company
Once Upon a Time Today
Kenneth Gibson
They Like Ike
Congressman Wilkins, Senator Gallagher and Senator Brockbank
You're Just in Love
Mrs. Sally Adams and Kenneth Gibson
The Best Thing For You (Would Be Me) (Reprise)
Mrs. Sally Adams and Cosmo Constantine
It's a Lovely Day Today (Reprise)
Kenneth Gibson and Princess Marie
Mrs. Sally Adams (Reprise)
The Company
Finale
The Company and Mrs. Sally Adams

Tony Award®

Stage Technician

1952 Winner
Carpenter: Pete Feller

Best Original Score

1951 Winner
Music by Irving Berlin

Best Actress in a Musical

1951 Winner
Ethel Merman

Best Featured Actor in a Musical

1951 Winner
Russell Nype

Theatre World

Award

1951 Recipient
Russell Nype
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