1903 RARE WIZARD OF OZ BROADWAY MUSICAL THEATER PROGRAM L. FRANK BAUM

Description: 1903 RARE WIZARD OF OZ BROADWAY MUSICAL THEATER PROGRAM L. FRANK BAUM Dorothy takes Manhattan:Rare 1903 program from the original Broadway production ofThe Wizard of Oz Original and complete program book from the original Broadway production of the first musical stage adaptation of The Wizard of Oz at the Majestic Theatre, New York City, week of July 13, 1903. Printed wraps, 10 x 8 in., approx. 20 pages, illustrated. Faint horizontal fold, and light handling wear (a tiny, inconsequential edge tear top front cover and left side of back cover), and a few other small creases. See pics. A rare survival from the original New York production of the musical based on L. Frank Baum's iconic tale. Buoyed by the runaway success of his book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz upon its publication in 1900, Baum decided to collaborate with his friend, the composer Paul Tietjens, on a musical stage version. The author approached producer Fred R. Hamlin, who in turn contacted director Julian P. Mitchell. While Hamlin and Mitchell were both enthusiastic about the possibilities of the project, Mitchell in particular had misgivings about the work Baum and Tietjens had already completed. With Baum's reluctant approval, Mitchell completely overhauled the script, adding new characters and at times departing considerably from the book. The Wicked Witch of the West, for example, disappeared entirely from the musical, while Toto, Dorothy's beloved pet dog, was changed to the character of a cow(!) named Imogene. Some of Tietjens' songs were discarded, while Mitchell added new musical numbers by other songwriters. All three of Dorothy's other companions--the Cowardly Lion, the Tin Woodsman, and the Scarecrow--managed to survive in the transition from book to stage. (A thorough discussion of the various character and plot alterations, additions, and omissions may be found in the Wikipedia article on the musical.) Despite radical changes such as these, the show proved to be a smash success. The Wizard of Oz premiered at the Grand Opera House in Chicago on June 16, 1902, ran for twelve weeks, made a short midwestern tour, and returned to Chicago for retooling. It finally debuted on Broadway at the Majestic Theatre on January 21, 1903, and proved to be one of the biggest draws of the season, running for 293 performances. That September, two traveling companies (one featuring members of the original cast and scenery from the New York production, the other with a replacement cast and scenery from the Chicago production) began extended tours that lasted for several years and brought Baum's unforgettable characters to life for millions of Americans. The present program dates from the beginning of the third month of the show's Broadway engagement. The program listing itself runs to four pages and, with dozens of personnel, gives some idea of the scope of the production. Among the cast members documented are Anna Laughlin (Dorothy Gale); Edwin J. Stone (Imogene the Cow, "Dorothy's playmate"); Jeanette Lowrie (Cynthia Cynch, the Lady Lunatic, a Munchkin maiden"); Edith Hutchins ("The Witch of the North, a friend in need"); Bessie Wynn (Sir Dashemoff Daily, Poet Laureate); Joseph Schrode (Army of Pastoria); Owen Westford (Pastoria II, ex-king of the Emerald City); Lotta Faust (Tryxie Tryfle, prospective Queen of the Emerald City); Harold Morey (General Riskitt); Fred A. Stone (The Scarecrow, "looking for brains"); Arthur Hill (the Cowardly Lion); David C. Montgomery (Nick Chopper, the Tin Woodman, "looking for a heart"); Ida Doerge (the Poppy Queen); Bobby Gaylor (Oz, the Wonderful Wizard, "Past Master of Magic, ruler of the Emerald City, and Potentate of the Land of Oz"); and scores of others, including a large complement of Munchkins. Though Baum had hoped to have W. W. Denslow, the illustrator of the original book, design the sets, Denslow is credited only with "character costumes" (a separate credit for "fancy costumes" is given to Mrs. Edward Siedle), perhaps the result of Mitchell's extensive reconception of the show. Instead, the design of each scene is credited to one of three "painters": Fred Gibson, Walter W. Burridge, or John Young.

Price: 20000 USD

Location: Springfield, Illinois

End Time: 2024-11-23T06:20:58.000Z

Shipping Cost: 5.8 USD