''Castles in the Air'' is a

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...

comedy, with a book and lyrics by

Raymond Wilson Peck Raymond Wilson Peck (July 3, 1874 - March 16, 1950) was a writer, lyricist, and composer. He was the president of The Lambs from 1945 to 1947. Biography He was born in Jackson, Mississippi on July 3, 1874. He joined The Lambs in 1910 and served on ...

and music by

Percy Wenrich Percy Wenrich (January 23, 1880 – March 17, 1952) was an American composer of ragtime and popular music. Personal life and career Born in Joplin, Missouri to Daniel Wenrich and Mary Ray, he left for Chicago in 1901 where he attended classe ...

(additional lyrics by R. Locke). The story concerns two young men, Monty Blair and John Brown, who mistake an exclusive Westchester resort for an inn. They decide to pretend to be nobility, and Monty introduces John as a Latvian prince. Evelyn's uncle Philip decides to teach her a lesson about social climbing by taking her to Latvia, intending to expose John as an impostor. The plan backfires, though, because John really is a prince. The musical opened on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

in the

Selwyn Theatre Selwyn may refer to: Institutions * Selwyn College, Auckland, is a multicultural, co-educational high school in Auckland, New Zealand * Selwyn College, Cambridge, one of the University of Cambridge colleges, UK * Selwyn College, Otago, hall of resi ...

on September 6, 1926. It moved to the Century Theatre on December 6, 1926. The production was directed by Frank S. Merlin and choreographed by John Boyle and Julian Mitchell. It starred

J. Harold Murray J. Harold Murray (born Harry Rulten, February 17, 1891 – December 11, 1940) was an American baritone singer and actor. For more than a decade, during the Roaring Twenties and the Depression Thirties, he contributed to the development of musi ...

as John and

Vivienne Segal Vivienne Sonia Segal (April 19, 1897 – December 29, 1992) was an American actress and singer. Early years Segal was born on April 19, 1897, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was the elder daughter of Jewish parents Bernhard Segal, a physician, ...

as Evelyn. On June 29, 1927, a production opened in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, at the Shaftesbury Theatre.Castles in the Air
The Guide to Musical Theatre, accessed February 20, 2010

Roles and original cast

*Monty Blair – Bernard Granville *John Brown –

*Evelyn Devine –

*Philip Rodman – Stanley Forde *General Slodak – Walter Edwin *Count Draga –

Richard Farrell Richard Farrell (30 December 1926 – 27 May 1958) was a New Zealand classical pianist. Musical career Early life Thomas Richard Farrell was born in Auckland in 1926 to Thomas and Ella Farrell, and spent most of his young years in Wellingto ...

*Lieutenant – Edward Gorman *Kemlar – William Hasson *The Queen Regent – Thais Lawton *Mme. Joujou Durant – Claire Madjette *The Chancellor – Gregory Ratoff *George Sedgwick – Allen Waterous *Annie Moore – Joyce White *Amos – Robert Williamson

Musical numbers

;Act 1 *I Don't Blame 'Em – Annie Moore and Boys *Love's Refrain – Mme. Joujou Durant and Ensemble *Lantern of Love (Lyrics By R. Locke and Raymond W. Peck) – Evelyn Devine and Ensemble *The Singer's Career, Ha! Ha! – Mme. Joujou Durant and Philip Rodman *The Other Fellow's Girl – Monty Blair, Sextette and Ensemble *If You Are in Love with a Girl – John Brown and Ensemble *The Sweetheart of Your Dream – Evelyn Devine *I Would Like to Fondle You – Annie Moore, Monty Blair, Sextette and Ensemble *The Rainbow of Your Smile – John Brown ;Act 2 *Baby – Monty Blair and Ensemble *Latavia – John Brown and Ensemble *Land of Romance – Evelyn Devine *My Lips, My Love, My Soul! – John Brown and Evelyn Devine *The Latavian Chant – Annie Moore and Ensemble ;Act 3 *Girls and the Gimmies – Monty Blair, Sextette and Ensemble *Love Rules the World – Mme. Joujou Durant and John Brown

References

External links

* 1926 musicals Broadway musicals Musicals set in the Roaring Twenties {{musical-theat-stub