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The Belle of New York is a musical comedy in two acts, with book and lyrics by Hugh Morton and music by Gustave Kerker, about a Salvation Army girl who reforms a spendthrift, makes a great sacrifice and finds true love. It opened on Broadway at the Casino Theatre on 28 September 1897, but ran for only about two months. It subsequently transferred to London in 1898, where it was a major success, running for 674 performances, becoming the first American musical to run for over a year in the West End.
Dramatis Personæ
| ICHABOD BRONSON | (President of the Young Men's Rescue League and Anti-Cigarette Society of Cohoes) | Mr. Dan Daly |
| HARRY BRONSON (his Son, a Young Spendthrift) | Mr. Harry Davenport | ||
| KARL VON PUMPERNICK (a Polite Lunatic) | Mr. J. E Sullivan | ||
| "DOC" SNIFKINS (the Father of the Queen of Comic Opera) | Mr. Geo. K. Fortesque | ||
| "BLINKY BILL" MC.GUIRE (a Mixed-Ale Pugilist) | Mr. Frank Lawton | ||
|
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| COUNT RATSI RATTATOO COUNT PATSI RATTATOO |
} } |
(Twin Portuguese Brothers) | { { |
Mr. William Sloan Mr. William Gould |
| BILLIE BREEZE (a Sailor) | Mr. Edwin W. Hoff |
| MR. TWIDDLES (Harry Bronson's Private Secretary) | Mr. Frank Turner |
| MR. SNOOPER (a Newspaper Reporter) | Mr. Lionel Lawrence |
| MR. PEEPER (a Photographer) | Mr. D. T. MacDonald |
| WILLIAM (a Butler) | Mr. Albert Wallerstedt |
| VIOLET GRAY (a Salvation Lassie) | Miss Edna May |
| FIFI FRICOT (a Little Parisienne) | Miss Phyllis Rankin |
| KISSIE FITZGARTER (a Music Hall Dancer) | Miss Mabel Howe |
| CORA ANGÉLIQUE (the Queen of Comic Opera) | Miss Helen Dupont |
| MAMIE CLANCY (a Pell Street Girl) | Miss Paula Edwards |
| PATSY PINNE (a Soubrette) | Miss Hattie Moore |
| BETTY "THE BAT" | Miss Martha Franklin |
| MYRTLE MINCE QUEENIE CAKE BIRDIE SEED GLADYS GLEE DOROTHY JUNE MARJORIE MAY LITTLE MISS FLIRT |
} } } } } } } |
(Cora's Bridesmaids) | { { { { { { { |
Miss Sylvia Thorne Miss Robe Witt Miss Grace Spencer Miss Irene Bentley Miss Emily Sanford Miss Ella Snyder Miss Robe Witt |
Synopsis of Scenery
| ACT I | Scene 1 | The Dining Room of Harry Bronson's House on Riverside Drive, New York. |
| Scene 2 | The Conservatory of Harry Bronson's House. | |
| Scene 3 | Pell Street, New York, on the Chinese New Year's Eve. | |
| ACT II | Scene 1 | Smyler's Candy Store, Broadway, New York |
| Scene 2 | The Interior of the Grand Central Station, New York. | |
| Scene 3 | On the Lawn of the Casino at Narragansett Pier. |
ACT I
- No. 1 - Introduction and Opening Chorus - "When a man is twenty-one, let him drink hot rum, let him drink it hot and cold..."
- No. 2 - Song - Cora & Chorus - "When I was born, the stars stood still and blink'd their eyes with wonder..."
- No. 4 - Song and Dance - Mugg & Bill, with Chorus - "When little Sister Kissie gets a-jumping..."
- No. 6 - Song - Fifi and Chorus - "To be the toy of a bold bad boy, I really do think I should like it..."
- No. 7 - March and Chorus - Members of the Young Men's Rescue League, with Song - Ichabod - "With stately tread..."
- No. 8 - Song - Harry & Chorus - "Where'er you stray the wide world through, you'll find today this maxim true..."
- No. 9 - Song - Fifi & Bridesmaids - "Ze American girl she walk like zis in a haughty mannaire..."
- No. 10 - Song - Ichabod - "Pretty girl, my fancy turns to you. Listen and I'll tell you what I'll do..."
- No. 11 - Chorus - "Pretty little China girlie, velly velly nice, when she got a long way off, Ching! Ching! ..."
- No. 12 - Song - Violet & Chorus - "I find it very difficult to make young men religious..."
- No. 13 - Song - Blinky Bill & Chorus - "There's a great little girl in a queer little gown who's the pride of the Salvation Army..."
- No. 16 - Finale Act I - "Your life, my little girl, in the future shall be sunny..."
ACT II
- No. 17 - Entr'act and Opening Chorus - "Oh, Sonny, Sonny, Sonny, can't you work a little fast..."
- No. 18 - Duet - Fifi and Harry - "When we are married ... Why, what will you do? ... I will be tender and I will be true..."
- No. 21 - Entrance of Brass Band, and Song - Violet - "I hope I do not shock my late converted flock..."
- No. 22 - Song - Violet and Chorus - "I'm weary of being so prim and sedate, I want to be racketty, clicketty, clacketty..."
- No. 23 - Duet - Billy and Mamie - "Get on your pumps, mame, I'm goin' ter take yer spieling..."
- No. 24 - Song - Ichabod - "Meet me on the beach, boys, down at Narragansett; we'll go out and have a little swim..."
- No. 25 - Chorus - "For the twentieth time we'll drink, we'll drink..."
- No. 27 - Song - Violet - "At ze naughty Folies Bergere my feet zey fly up in ze air..."
- No. 28 - Finale Act II - "For in the field of moral endeavour no competitor can shake a stick at us..."
Supplementary Number
- No. 29 - Song - Snifkins and Female Chorus - "We're going to have a wedding here today..."
Nos. 3, 5, 14, 15, 19, 20 and 26 are reprises or interpolated numbers, not included in the vocal score.
- External Links
- The Belle of New York at Wikipedia
- The Belle of New York at The Guide to Musical Theatre
- Vocal Score at IMSLP
Page modified 2 February 2017