''Peggy-Ann'' 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 music by

Richard Rodgers Richard Charles Rodgers (June 28, 1902 – December 30, 1979) was an American Musical composition, composer who worked primarily in musical theater. With 43 Broadway musicals and over 900 songs to his credit, Rodgers was one of the most ...

, lyrics by

Lorenz Hart Lorenz Milton Hart (May 2, 1895 – November 22, 1943) was an American lyricist and half of the Broadway songwriting team Rodgers and Hart. Some of his more famous lyrics include " Blue Moon", " The Lady Is a Tramp", "Manhattan", "Bewitched, Both ...

and 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 ...

, based on the 1910 musical '' Tillie’s Nightmare'' by Edgar Smith.

Production

The musical opened on Broadway at the

Vanderbilt Theatre The Vanderbilt Theatre was a New York City Broadway theatre, designed by architect Eugene De Rosa for producer Lyle Andrews. It opened in 1918,Lew Fields Lew Fields (born Moses Schoenfeld, January 1867 – July 20, 1941) was an American actor, comedian, vaudeville star, theatre Management, manager, and Theatrical producer, producer. He was part of a comedy duo with Joe Weber (vaudevillian), Joe We ...

(Herbert's father) and Lyle D. Andrews. Staged by Robert Milton, with musical staging by Seymour Felix, it starred

Helen Ford Helen Ford (born Helen Isabel Barnett; June 6, 1894, Troy, New York–January 19, 1982, Glendale, California) was an American actress. Biography Ford's father was a manufacturer in Troy, and she was considered a musical prodigy as a child. S ...

as Peggy-Ann, Lester Cole,

Lulu McConnell Lulu McConnell (April 8, 1882 – October 9, 1962) was an American comic actress who performed in vaudeville, Broadway musicals, radio, and television. She was best known as a panelist on the comedic radio show '' It Pays to be Ignorant'', and for ...

, and Betty Starbuck. In London, the musical opened in the West End at Daly's Theatre on July 29, 1927 and ran for 130 performances. Directed by Lew Fields,

Dorothy Dickson Dorothy Dickson (July 25, 1893 – September 25, 1995) was an American-born, London-based theater actress and singer, and a centenarian. Biography and Career Dickson is known mostly for her rendition of the Jerome Kern song "Look for the S ...

starred as Peggy-Ann.Green, Stanley. ''Encyclopedia of the Musical Theatre'' (1980), Da Capo Press, , p. 332 The musical was considered daring for its time: there was no opening chorus and no songs for the first 15 minutes. The plot, told in one long dream, focuses on Peggy-Ann’s dream fantasies. She is the niece of the owner of a boarding house in New York and the fiancée of a local boy. She escapes from a hum-drum life through dreams of herself as a wealthy adventuress, with a yacht and a husband.

Songs

*"Hello" *"A Tree in the Park" *"Howdy Broadway" (Howdy to Broadway) ;Act 1 *"A Little Birdie Told Me So" *"Charming, Charming" *"Where’s That Rainbow?" ;Act 2 *"We Pirates from Weehawken" *"In His Arms" *"Chuck It!" *"I'm So Humble" * "Havana" * "Maybe It’s Me" *"Give This Little Girl a Hand" *"The Race (Peggy, Peggy)"

Critical response

The ''Time'' review praised the "Gilbertian satire, Broadway slapstick, attractive dancers... the charm of the music." However, according to Merle Secrest, none of the songs "stood the test of time", except, possibly, "Where’s That Rainbow?". This may be why, according to Armond and L. Marc Fields, ''Peggy-Ann'' is not remembered as one of the outstanding musicals of the 1920s. ''The New York Times'' reviewer wrote that the creators "have brought freshness and ideas to the musical-comedy field."Overview of Peggy-Ann
lorenzhart.org, accessed April 8, 2009

References

External links

*
Internet Broadway Database listing, ''Tillie's Nightmare''
{{Authority control 1926 musicals Broadway musicals Musicals by Rodgers and Hart New York City in fiction Musicals set in the Roaring Twenties