''Love O' Mike'' is a musical comedy in two acts and a prologue with book by Thomas Sydney, lyrics by Harry B. Smith, and 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 ...

. The show was produced by

Elisabeth Marbury Elisabeth "Bessie" Marbury (June 19, 1856 – January 22, 1933) was a pioneering American theatrical and literary agent and producer who helped shape business methods of the modern commercial theater, and encouraged women to enter that industry. ...

and

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 ...

at the Shubert Theatre, and opened January 15, 1917. The musical director was Frank Tours and the music was orchestrated by Frank Saddler. The show was staged by J. H. Benrimo; scenic design by Robert McQuinn; and costume design by Faibsey. It had three runs. The closing date of the first run is not known. It played at the

Maxine Elliott Theatre Maxine Elliott's Theatre was originally a Broadway theatre at 109 West 39th Street in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. Built in 1908, it was designed by architect Benjamin Marshall of the Chicago-based firm Marshall and Fox, ...

from March 19, 1917, until June 30, 1917, and then at the Casino Theatre from August 27, 1917, until September 29, 1917. It is considered to have run for 233 performances. Although the opening night leading actors were George Baldwin, Jack Bohn, Helen Clarke, Lillian Devere, Alan Edwards, Gloria Goodwin, and Rollin Grimes, Jr., Gerald Boardman says “Playgoers glancing at the program probably paid little attention to the names of several bit players – names like Luella Gear,

Peggy Wood Mary Margaret Wood (February 9, 1892 – March 18, 1978) was an American actress of stage, film, and television. She is best remembered for her performance as the title character in the CBS television series ''Mama'' (1949–1957), for which sh ...

, and

Clifton Webb Webb Parmelee Hollenbeck (November 19, 1889 – October 13, 1966), known professionally as Clifton Webb, was an American actor, singer, and dancer. He worked extensively and was known for his stage appearances in the plays of Noël Coward, in ...

, that would soon command their own glamour.”Boardman, Gerald, “Jerome Kern: His Life and Music,” Oxford University Press, New York, 1980, p. 139.

Songs

Prologue * "Drift with Me" Act 1 * "Tell Me" * "It Wasn't Your Fault (It Wasn't My Fault)" (lyrics by Herbert Reynolds) * "Don't Tempt Me" * "We'll See" * "I Wonder Why" Act 2 * "Moo Cow" * "Life's a Dance" * "A Lonesome Little Tune (Simple Little Tune)" * "Hoot Mon" * "It's in the Book (Look in the Book)" * "LuLu"

References

{{reflist 1917 musicals Broadway musicals Original musicals