Description: This is a rare January 14th, 1923 program (playbill) from the Post-Broadway engagement of the FLOURNOY E. MILLER, AUBREY LYLES, NOBLE SISSLE and EUBIE BLAKE musical comedy "SHUFFLE ALONG" at the Olympic Theatre in Chicago, Illinois. (The Original Broadway production opened May 23rd, 1921 at the 63rd Street Music Hall in New York City and ran for 484 performances before going on the road.) ..... The ensemble cast included EUBIE BLAKE, FLOURNOY MILLER, AUBREY LYLES, NOBLE SISSLE, PAUL FLOYD, EDITH SPENCER, LOTTIE GEE, ROGER MATTHEWS, RICHARD COOPER, ARTHUR PORTER, JAMES WOODSON, ROBERT SHIELDS, "ONION" JEFFREY, MATTIE WILKS, W. H. HANN, C. WESLEY HILL, MILES WILLIAMS, BILLY ANDREWS, CHARLES DAVIS, BOB WILLIAMS, INA DUNCAN, I. H. BROWNING, BURNS, W. H. BERRY, TOM WOODS, ADELAIDE HALL, BLANCHE CALLOWAY, the HAPPY HONEYSUCKLES, the SYNCOPATING SUNFLOWERS and the JAZZ JASMINES, including sixteen year-old JOSEPHINE BAKER, who made her professional stage debut in the touring cast of "Shuffle Along" ..... Side note: The four writers, FLOURNOY MILLER, AUBREY LYLES, NOBLE SISSLE and EUBIE BLAKE were vaudeville veterans who first met in 1920 at an NAACP benefit held in Philadelphia. After finding a small source of funding, "SHUFFLE ALONG" toured through New Jersey and Pennsylvania. However, with little funding, it was difficult to pay travel and production expenses, and the cast rarely got paid. When the show opened in New York, about a year later, the production owed $18,000. In the end, however, the show turned a substantial profit. The musical was a big hit with audiences due to its jazzy musical styles, which were a modern, edgy contrast to the mainstream song-and-dance shows that audiences had seen on Broadway for two decades. The musical introduced the hits, "I'm Just Wild About Harry", "Love Will Find a Way" and "In Honeysuckle Time". The show also contributed to the desegregation of theaters in the 1920's, giving many black actors their first chance to appear on Broadway. Once the show left New York, it toured for three years and was the first black musical to play in white theaters across the United States ..... CREDITS: Music and Lyrics by EUBIE BLAKE ("Shuffle Along", "Andre Charlot's Revue of 1924", "Lew Leslie's Blackbirds", "The Chocolate Dandies") and NOBLE SISSLE; Written and Conceived by FLOURNOY E. MILLER and AUBREY LYLES; Directed by WALTER BROOKS; Produced by THE SHUFFLE ALONG COMPANY, INC. ..... DETAILS: This twenty page playbill measures 5 1/4" X 7 3/4" inches and includes beautiful cover graphics, full production credits, cast list, synopsis of scenes, list of musical numbers and wonderful vintage advertising, but no cast photos or bios ..... CONDITION: With the exception of light edge wear, this rare 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.
Price: 400 USD
Location: Cannon Beach, Oregon
End Time: 2024-11-08T02:51:00.000Z
Shipping Cost: 9.95 USD
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Item Specifics
Restocking Fee: No
Return shipping will be paid by: Buyer
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 30 Days
Refund will be given as: Money Back
Industry: Theater
Product: Programs / Playbills
Genre: Broadway Musicals
Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
Original / Reproduction: Original - U.S.
Date: 1920 - 1929
