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. (See cut songs below.) ....... This is a rare November 1960 playbill from the Pre-Broadway engagement of the new CY COLEMAN, N, RICHARD NASH and CAROLYN LEIGH musical comedy "WILDCAT" at the Erlanger Theatre in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (The production would open December 16th, 1960 at the Alvin Theatre in New York City and run for 171 performances.) ..... The musical starred LUCILLE BALL (shown in the cover photo) in her only Broadway starring role and featured KEITH ANDES, EDITH KING, PAULA STEWART, CLIFFORD DAVID, DON TOMKINS, HOWARD FISCHER, SWEN SWENSON, CHARLES BRASWELL, AL LANTI, BILL LINTON, BILL WALKER, RAY MASON and H. F. GREEN ..... CREDITS: Music by CY COLEMAN ("Wildcat", "Little Me", "Seesaw", "I Love My Wife", "On the Twentieth Century", "Barnum", "City of Angels", "The Will Rogers Follies"); Book by N, RICHARD NASH; Lyrics by CAROLYN LEIGH ("Peter Pan", "Wildcat", "Little Me", "How Now, Dow Jones"); Sets designed by PETER LARKIN; Costumes designed by ALVIN COLT; Entire Production Directed and Choreographed by MICHAEL KIDD; Produced by MICHAEL KIDD and N. RICHARD NASH ..... DETAILS: The 20 page playbill measures 6" X 9" inches and includes full production credits, cast list, synopsis of scenes, list of musical numbers and an extensive bio of LUCILLE BALL but with the exception of the front cover, no cast photos ..... CUT SONGS: The list of musical numbers includes "Angelina" and "Far Away From Home" which were cut out-of-town and "That's What I Want For Janie" which was cut shortly after the Broadway opening ..... CONDITION: With the exception of minor edge wear, this 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.
