''Mexican Hayride'' 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 ...

with a book by

Herbert Fields Herbert Fields (July 26, 1897March 24, 1958) was an American librettist and screenwriter. Biography Born in New York City, Fields began his career as an actor, then graduated to choreography and stage director, stage direction before turning to ...

and

Dorothy Fields Dorothy Fields (July 15, 1904 – March 28, 1974) was an American librettist and lyricist. She wrote over 400 songs for Broadway musicals and films. Her best-known pieces include "The Way You Look Tonight" (1936), "A Fine Romance" (1936), "On th ...

and music and lyrics by

Cole Porter Cole Albert Porter (June 9, 1891 – October 15, 1964) was an American composer and songwriter. Many of his songs became standards noted for their witty, urbane lyrics, and many of his scores found success on Broadway and in film. Born to ...

. The show 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 1944.

Production

Produced by Michael Todd, out of town tryouts began at the Shubert Theatre, Boston on December 29, 1943. The production opened on Broadway on January 28, 1944 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 ...

, moved to the

Majestic Theatre Majestic Theatre or Majestic Theater may refer to: Australia * Majestic Theatre, Adelaide, former name of a theatre in King William Street, Adelaide, built 1916, now demolished *Majestic Theatre, Launceston, a former cinema in Tasmania designed by ...

on December 18, 1944 and closed on March 17 1945 after 481 performances. The production was staged by

Hassard Short Hubert Edward Hassard Short (15 October 1877 – 9 October 1956), usually known as Hassard Short, was an actor, stage director, set designer and lighting designer in musical theatre Kenrick, JohnWho's Who in Musicals: Short, HassardMusicals101.co ...

, who also was the lighting designer, with choreography by

Paul Haakon Paul Haakon (September 7, 1911 – August 16, 1992), born Paul Haakon Løngreen Nilson Panduoro, was a Danish ballerina and Broadway dancer. Life and career Early life Haakon was born on September 7, 1911, in Fredericia, Denmark. He studied ...

, set by George Jenkins and costumes by Mary Grant. Various segments were separately directed. Dan Eckley directed the opening dance; Lew Kesler directed the songs "Girls" and "Abracadabra"; and Virginia Johnson and Dan Eckley directed the dance "Good-Will Movement"."'Mexican Hayride' listing"
sondheimguide.com, accessed January 11, 2011 The cast featured Bobby Clark (Joe Bascom),

June Havoc June Havoc (born Ellen Evangeline Hovick; November 8, 1912 – March 28, 2010) was a Canadian American actress, dancer, stage director and memoirist. Havoc was a child vaudeville performer under the tutelage of her mother Rose Thompson Hovick, ...

(Montana), George Givot (Lombo Campos)

Wilbur Evans Wilbur Whilt "Wib" Evans (August 5, 1905 - May 31, 1987) was an American actor and singer who performed on the radio, in opera, on Broadway in films and early live television. Biography Evans was born in Philadelphia, the son of Walter Percy and ...

(David Winthrop) and

(Paul). In 2011, LOST MUSICALS™, aka The Lost Musicals Charitable Trust 1069268, presented 'Mexican Hayride' in London's

Sadler's Wells Theatre Sadler's Wells Theatre is a performing arts venue in Clerkenwell, London, England located on Rosebery Avenue next to New River Head. The present-day theatre is the sixth on the site since 1683. It consists of two performance spaces: a 1,500-seat ...

. Ian Marshall Fisher directed, Michael Haslam Music Director, cast included Louise Gold, Graham Bickley, Michael Roberts.

Plot overview

After successfully fighting a bull in

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

, Montana, a lady bullfighter, is about to throw the ear to David, the American chargé d'affaires. When she spots the fugitive, Joe, she angrily throws the ear at him, as he is her brother-in-law. Since he has caught the ear, he becomes a hero and an honored guest. Joe joins with a speculator to form a national lottery. Mexican authorities go after them and they are forced to flee. They show up in various disguises, as mariachi players, as tortilla vendors, or as an Indian woman. They are finally snared and Joe has to return to the U.S. to face trial. Montana and David are reunited.

Songs

;Act I * Entrance of Montana – Principals, Girls and Boys * Dance – Girls and Boys * Sing to Me, Guitar – Lolita, Ensemble and Musical Trio * The Good-Will Movement – David and Ensemble * I Love You – David * There Must Be Someone for Me – Montana * Carlotta – Lolita and Ensemble * Girls – Boy and Girls ;Act II * What a Crazy Way to Spend Sunday – Girls and Boys * Abracadabra – Montana and Boys * Dance – Girls, Boys and the Mariachi Players * Count Your Blessings – Montana and boys * Toreador Ballet – Paul and Ensemble

Reception

''Life Magazine'' called the musical "Broadway's flashiest and most opulent show of the moment" but wrote that "despite its colossal aspects, it ends up as a showcase for the talents of two performers: loping, braying Bobby Clark and hoydenish, streamlined June Havoc. Clark clowns his way through the part of a U.S. confidence man...Miss Havoc, in the role of an American girl who becomes one of Mexico's most famous bullfighters, emerges as a personality more engaging than her better-known sister, Gypsy Rose Lee. Both she and Clark are wonderful enough to make audiences forgive 'Hayride' its sleazy book and a Cole Porter score that is a sad reminder that the composer of 'Night and Day' seems, at least temporarily, to have written himself dry." "The production was lavish, with a large cast and a delectable chorus line. One critic felt that the production itself was the star."Greenspan, Charlotte
"Chapter:Librettos Instead of Lyrics"
''Pick Yourself Up: Dorothy Fields and the American Musical'', Oxford University Press US, 2009, , pp. 117-118 The ''Journal-American'' reviewer wrote:"Broadway in general, and the drama critics in particular, can continue their custom of writing the word 'fabulous' in front of the name of Mike Todd. For the truth is that last night the fabulous Todd produced a musical comedy so funny, so tuneful, so beautiful, that you could hardly believe your ears and eyes." Ward Morehouse, writing in ''The New York Sun'' said, "'Mexican Hayride' joins the town's super hits; Mr. Todd has outdone himself."''The New York Sun'', January 29, 1944 Louis Kronenberger, writing in ''New York Newspaper PM'' put it this way, "'Mexican Hayride' is the big straight musical show with the first-rate comic that Broadway, this season, has waited for and needed." John Chapman, writing in the ''New York Daily News'' summed it up this way, "'Mexican Hayride' is the first $5.50 musical in a dozen years, and I think it will pay off for Mr. Todd. Its one defect—a few moments of slowness in the first act—is soon forgotten, and the rest is pleasure. And the show is clean."''New York Daily News,'' January 29, 1944

Recording

cast recording A cast recording is a recording of a stage musical that is intended to document the songs as they were performed in the show and experienced by the audience. An original cast recording or OCR, as the name implies, features the voices of the sho ...

of the original production is available. It was originally issued in 1944 on Decca ecca A-372

Film

The film version of ''

Mexican Hayride ''Mexican Hayride'' is a 1948 film starring the comedy team of Abbott and Costello. The film is based on Cole Porter's Broadway musical ''Mexican Hayride (musical), Mexican Hayride'' starring Bobby Clark (comedian), Bobby Clark. No songs from th ...

'' (1948) became a vehicle for

Abbott and Costello Abbott may refer to: People *Abbott (surname) *Abbott Handerson Thayer (1849–1921), American painter and naturalist * Abbott and Costello, famous American vaudeville act Places Argentina * Abbott, Buenos Aires United States * Abbott, Arkansas ...

and used no

songs from the musical.

References

External links

Sources

* New York Theatre Critics' Reviews, 1944, Vol. V, Number 24. * Mantle, Burns, ed., ''The Best Plays of 1943-1944'', Dodd, Mead and Company, New York, 1944, pp. 451-452 {{DEFAULTSORT:Mexican Hayride (musical) 1944 musicals Broadway musicals Bullfighting Plays set in Mexico Musicals by Cole Porter Musicals by Herbert Fields