''La Belle Paree'' was a musical

revue A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own duri ...

that launched the legitimate theatre career of

Al Jolson Al Jolson (born Eizer Yoelson; June 9, 1886 – October 23, 1950) was a Lithuanian-American Jews, Jewish singer, comedian, actor, and vaudevillian. He was one of the United States' most famous and highest-paid stars of the 1920s, and was self-bi ...

. The book was by Edgar Smith, music by

Jerome Kern Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in over ...

and Frank Tours and lyrics by

Edward Madden Edward Madden (July 17, 1878 – March 11, 1952) was an American lyricist. Early life Madden was born in New York City and graduated from Fordham University. After graduation, he wrote material for many singers including Fanny Brice and ...

. Billee Taylor provided additional music and lyrics, and M. E. Rourke and Frederick Day provided additional lyrics. It premiered 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 1911. The musical is set in Paris, France.

Production

''La Belle Paree'' was staged between 20 March 1911 and 10 June 1911 at the

Winter Garden Theatre The Winter Garden Theatre is a Broadway theatre at 1634 Broadway in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. It opened in 1911 under designs by architect William Albert Swasey. The Winter Garden's current design dates to 1922, when ...

in New York, running for 104 performances. At first it was staged along with various companion pieces, including an overture, a one-act opera set in China, called ''Bow-Sing'', an exotic dance sequence called ''Tortajada and Her Sixteen Moorish Dancing Girls in a Spanish Ballet'', and an afterpiece. After opening night, the show was trimmed and reorganized, and the companion pieces were soon dropped. The show was produced by

Lee Shubert Lee Shubert (born Levi Schubart; March 25, 1871– December 25, 1953) was a Lithuanian-born American theatre owner/operator and producer and the eldest of seven siblings of the theatrical Shubert family. Biography Born to a Jewish family, the so ...

and

Jacob J. Shubert Jacob J. Shubert (c. 1879 – December 26, 1963) was an American theatre owner/operator and producer and a member of the famous theatrical Shubert family. Biography Born in Vladislavov, in the Suwałki Governorate of Congress Poland, a part o ...

, staged by

J. C. Huffman Jesse C. Huffman (1869–1935) was an American theatrical director. Between 1906 and 1932 he directed or staged over 200 shows, mostly for the Shubert Brothers. Many of them were musical revues, musicals or operettas. He is known for ''The Passi ...

and William J. Wilson, and choreographed by Wilson. The production was briefly revived in September of the same year and then toured from September to November.

Show

The

Shubert Brothers The Shubert family was responsible for the establishment of the Broadway district, in New York City, as the hub of the theater industry in the United States. They dominated the legitimate theater and vaudeville in the first half of the 20th cen ...

engaged

for his first Broadway appearance in ''La Belle Paree'', which was the first show to play at their new Winter Garden Theatre. The piece concerned Bridgeeta McShane, a wealthy American widow visiting Paris for her health, who meets a number of suitors and eccentric characters, including Erastus Sparkler, played by Jolson. Jolson soon converted this supporting role into a star vehicle, and he would make a dozen further Broadway appearances (often at the Winter Garden) in his varied career. The first performance was overlong and dragged in places, continuing until almost 1:00 am, and some of the audience left before the end. The reviews were mixed, and Jolson was disappointed with his own performance. Jolson was scheduled late in the program, as ''La Belle Paris'' followed most of the companion pieces. Jolson played a phony "colored aristocrat", the boyfriend of Bridgeeta's Black maid, played by Mayhew. He wore

blackface Blackface is a form of theatrical makeup used predominantly by non-Black people to portray a caricature of a Black person. In the United States, the practice became common during the 19th century and contributed to the spread of racial stereo ...

, and together they sang

coon song Coon songs were a genre of music that presented a stereotype of black people. They were popular in the United States and Australia from around 1880 to 1920, though the earliest such songs date from minstrel shows as far back as 1848, when they w ...

''Paris is a Paradise for Coons'', about the freedoms African-Americans supposedly enjoyed living in Paris rather than in "Yankee Land". They also sang another song together, Jolson gave a monologue and sang a third song during the evening. Many of the critics had already left before Jolson came on, to make their publication deadlines, but the critics that mentioned Jolson and Mayhew, including ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'', praised them. During the second performance, Jolson interrupted the performance to talk to the audience about the poor reviews, and then asked them if they would rather hear him sing. When they agreed, Jolson launched into a series of his own numbers. This time the reviews were very positive, and the show played for the rest of the season to solid audiences.

Full cast

Featured players were: *

as ''Erastus Sparkler'' * Arthur Cunningham as ''Bridgeeta McShane'' * Barney Bernard as ''Isadore Cohen'' * Bessie Frewen as ''Margot'' * Dorothy Jardon as ''La Duchesse'' * Edgar Atchison-Ely as ''Henri Dauber'' * Florence Tempest as ''Toots Horner'' *

Grace Van Studdiford Grace Van Studdiford (''née'' Quivey; January 8, 1873 – January 29, 1927) was an early twentieth-century American opera singer and actress. She never recorded for gramophone but made a few motion pictures. Her Broadway roles are limited as ...

as ''Mimi'' * Grace Washburn as ''Marcelle'' * Harold A. Robe as ''The Marquis de Champignon'' * Harry Fisher as ''George Ramsbotham'' * Hess Sisters as ''Russian Dancers'' * Ida Kramer as ''A Grisette'' *

Jean Aylwin Jean Aylwin (10 October 18851964), also known as Jean Isabella Griffin Aitkin, was a Scottish actress and singer, often billed as "The Lady Harry Lauder". Aylwin was best known for creating character roles in successful Edwardian musical comedie ...

as ''Madame Clarice'' * Katherine McDonald as ''Fifine'' *

Kitty Gordon Kitty Gordon (born Constance Minnie Blades; 22 April 1878 – 26 May 1974) was an English stage and silent film actress. Career Constance Minnie Blades was born in Folkestone, Kent, to Col. Blades of the Royal Artillery. Her first professional s ...

as ''Lady Guff Jordon'' * Lee Harrison as ''Ike Skinheimer'' * Lew Quinn as ''A Cook Guide'' *

Marion Sunshine Marion Sunshine (born Mary Tunstall Ijames, May 15, 1894 – January 25, 1963) was an American actress and songwriter. During her youth she worked in many films and Broadway musicals, as well as vaudeville and variety shows. In the 1930s she wa ...

as ''Susie Jenkins'' * May Allen as ''Juliette'' * Milberry Rider as ''A Cocher'' *

Mitzi Hajos Mitzi Hajos (April 27, 1889 – June 1, 1970), sometimes written as Mizzi Hajos, was a Hungarian-born American stage performer, specializing in comic and musical roles. Early life Magdalena "Mitzi" Hajos was born in 1889 (some sources give 1891, ...

as ''Fifi Montmartre'' * Mlle. Dazie as ''La Sylphide'' * Paul Nicholson as ''Jack Ralston'' * Ray Cox as ''Susan Brown'' * Ray Dodge as ''Buck Lyons'' * Stella Mayhew as ''Eczema Johnson'' * Sylvia Clark as ''A Flower Girl'' * Violet Bowers as ''Fifine'' * Yvette as ''A Violinist''

References

Citations Sources * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Belle Paree 1911 musicals Broadway musicals Vaudeville Revues Musicals set in Paris Musicals by Edgar Smith