Production
Produced by Mike Todd, 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, moved to the Majestic Theatre (Broadway), Majestic Theatre on December 18, 1944 and closed on March 17 1945 after 481 performances. The production was staged by Hassard Short, who also was the lighting designer, with choreography by Paul Haakon, set by George C. Jenkins, George Jenkins and costumes by Mary Grant Price, 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"Plot overview
After successfully fighting a bull in Mexico, 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 (Cole Porter song), 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 EnsembleReception
''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, CharlotteRecording
A cast album, cast recording of the original production is available. It was originally issued in 1944 on Decca [Decca A-372].Film
The film version of ''Mexican Hayride'' (1948) became a vehicle for Abbott and Costello and used no Cole Porter songs from the musical.References
External links
*Sources
* New York Theatre Critics' Reviews, 1944, Vol. V, Number 24. * Burns Mantle, 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