Shirley Booth "BUTTER AND EGG MAN" Missouri Theatre, Kansas City 1927 Playbill

Description

This is a rare April 24th, 1927 playbill from the National Players' production of the GEORGE S. KAUFMAN play "THE BUTTER AND EGG MAN" at the Missouri Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri. (The Original Broadway production opened September 23rd, 1925 at the Longacre Theatre in New York City and ran for 243 performances.) ..... The ensemble cast included SHIRLEY BOOTH (pictured in the third scanned image), DOUGLAS COSGROVE, MAURICE FRANKLIN, MAUREEN OLSON, LORA ROGERS, JOHN HOLDEN, LEWIS SHORES, VICTOR TOOT, RALPH MOREHOUSE, ROSE KEANE, GERTRUDE DOOLEY, EDWARD LEITER and GEORGE EDWARDS ..... Historic Note: This legendary theatre was originally known as the Century and renamed the Missouri Theatre when it was acquired by the Shubert Organization in 1923. Among the first productions to play the Missouri Theatre was "I'll Say She Is" starring the FOUR MARX BROTHERS (then known as Julius, Leonard, Arthur and Herbert), playing three weeks in December 1923 and January 1924. The National Players, the theatre's resident stock company presented five seasons of quality legitimate theatre until the 1927-28 season. In its last years as the Missouri, the Shubert family subleased the theater to a burlesque troupe, not booking any conglomerate-based performances after 1928 until the theater's closure in 1932. One of the most popular burlesque stage stars began her career at the Missouri during that time. According to GYPSY ROSE LEE's autobiography, "Gypsy", she appeared in her first burlesque skit at the Missouri Theatre in Kansas City in 1929. Gypsy's vaudeville troupe, Rose Louise and her Hollywood Blondes, were to appear as the "legitimate act" in the show, until producers saw Rose Louise and asked her to perform in a burlesque skit. She changed her name and the rest is history. (Reprinted in part from the follytheater.com website.) ..... CREDITS: Book by GEORGE S. KAUFMAN; Art Direction by WILLIAM RUGE; Staged by RALPH MOREHOUSE; Produced by THE NATIONAL PLAYERS, INC. ..... DETAILS: The eight page playbill measures 6" X 9" inches and includes full production credits, cast list, synopsis of scenes and schedule of upcoming attractions, but no cast bios. Includes a wonderful photo of SHIRLEY BOOTH (third scanned image) ..... CONDITION: With the exception of minor staining to the cover and light 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.
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