Rodgers and Hammerstein "PIPE DREAM" Helen Traubel / John Steinbeck 1955 Flyer

Description

This is a rare single page advertising handbill (flyer) promoting ticket sales for the Original Broadway production of the RICHARD RODGERS and OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II musical "PIPE DREAM" at the Sam S. Shubert Theatre in New York City. (The production opened November 30th, 1955 and ran for 246 performances.) ..... Based on the JOHN STEINBECK novel "Sweet Thursday", the musical starred HELEN TRAUBEL, WILLIAM JOHNSON and JUDY TYLER and featured MIKE KELLIN, G. D. WALLACE, MILDRED SLAVIN, RUFUS SMITH, JOHN CALL, GUY RAYMOND, STEVE ROLAND, DON BLACKEY, NICOLAS ORLOFF, WARREN KEMMERLING, WARREN BROWN, KENNETH HARVEY, RUBY BRAFF, TEMPLE TEXAS, JACKIE McELROY, LOUISE TROY, PAT CREIGHTON, SANDRA DELVIN, JOSEPH LEON, KAZIMIR KOKICH, PATRICIA WILSON, RUTH KOBART, DON WEISSMULLER, ANNABELLE GOLD, JENNY WORKMAN and MARILYN BRADLEY
..... Side note: "Pipe Dream" received nine Tony nominations, but won only one (Alvin Colt's "Best Costume Design"). The musical lost out for "Best Musical" to "Damn Yankees", the only other show nominated in that category. The two main characters in "Pipe Dream" had sadly truncated careers. WILLIAM JOHNSON died of a heart attack on March 16th, 1957 at the age of 40 and JUDY TYLER died the same year after going to Hollywood to appear with Elvis Presley in "Jailhouse Rock".
Just three days after filming was completed, she
was tragically killed along with her husband in a car crash in Billy the Kid, Wyoming on July 3rd, 1957. She was only 24. (Reprinted in part from the Rodgers and Hammerstein website.)
..... CREDITS: Music by RICHARD RODGERS; Book and Lyrics by OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II based on the JOHN STEINBECK novel "Sweet Thursday" (Rodgers and Hammerstein collaborated on "Oklahoma!", "Carousel", "The King and I", "Me and Juliet", "South Pacific", "Flower Drum Song" and "The Sound of Music" among others); Sets designed by JO MIELZINER; Costumes designed by ALVIN COLT (Tony Award winner); Choreographed by BORIS RUNANIN; Production Staged by HAROLD CLURMAN; Produced by RICHARD RODGERS and OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II ..... DETAILS: Advertising handbills (heralds) were distributed or inserted into the playbills of other productions to help generate ticket sales for upcoming shows and events. This single page, two-sided handbill measures 6" X 9" inches and includes wonderful graphics and production credits on the front and excerpts from several New York reviews, photos of the two creators and a ticket order form on the backside ..... CONDITION: This rare handbill 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.