''The Billionaire'' 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 ...

in three acts with music by Gustave Kerker, and both book and lyrics by

Harry B. Smith Harry Bache Smith (December 28, 1860 – January 1, 1936) was a writer, lyricist and composer. The most prolific of all American stage writers, he is said to have written over 300 librettos and more than 6000 lyrics. Some of his best-known works ...

. The show was written with the backing of producers

Klaw and Erlanger Klaw and Erlanger was an entertainment management and production partnership of Marc Klaw and Abraham Lincoln Erlanger based in New York City from 1888 through 1919. While running their own considerable and multi-faceted theatrical businesses ...

and was made specifically for the talents of

Jerome Sykes Jerome Sykes (June 24, 1868 - December 29, 1903) was an American stage actor, singer and comedian. He was perhaps best known for his performances as Foxy Quiller in two theatrical productions. His brother Albert S Sykes was also an actor. Syke ...

who portrayed "The Billionaire", John Doe. The action of the musical begins in

Nice, France Nice ( , ; Niçard dialect, Niçard: , classical norm, or , nonstandard, ; it, Nizza ; lij, Nissa; grc, Νίκαια; la, Nicaea) is the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes departments of France, department in France. The Nice urban unit, agg ...

during

Carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival typi ...

where the billionaire Sykes meets a young American girl, Pansy Good (portrayed by Nellie Follis), studying to be an actress. Impressed with her talents, he buys her Doe's Theatre in New York City and establishes her as a star. Later, Doe attempts to ride a horse in a race at the Longchamp Racecourse in Paris, but is too fat to succeed. Pansy rides the horse instead and wins the race. ''The Billionaire'' premiered on Broadway at Daly's Theatre on December 29, 1902, where it ran for a total of 104 performances; closing on March 28, 1903 The production was later remounted for a 8 more performances at the Grand Opera House the following April.

Herbert Gresham Herbert Gresham (1852, London - February 23, 1921) was an English-born American theatre director, choreographer, and actor. Life and career Herbert Gresham was born in London in 1852. He began his career as an actor as a member of Augustin Daly's ...

directed the production and

Ned Wayburn Ned Wayburn ''(né'' Edward Claudius Weyburn; 30 March 1874 – 2 September 1942) was an American choreographer. Career Wayburn was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Elbert Delos Weyburn and Harriet Landon Beach. Ned Wayburn spent much of ...

choreographed the show. The costumes were designed by F. Richard Anderson, and the sets were designed by

Ernest Albert Ernest Albert, born Ernest Albert Brown, (August 15, 1857 – March 25, 1946) was an American painter, illustrator, muralist, and scenic designer. He was a prolific scenic designer, first in St. Louis and Chicago and then on Broadway. He is conside ...

.Dietz, p. 137-138 Others in the cast included May Robson as Mrs. Peppercorn,

Sallie Fisher Sallie Fisher (August 10, 1880 June 8, 1950) was an American stage and vaudeville actress who appeared in the 1916 silent ''The Little Shepherd of Bargain Row''. Early years Fisher "was born on a ranch in Wyoming" but moved with her family to ...

as Flora, and

Marie Doro Marie Doro (born Marie Katherine Stewart; May 25, 1882 – October 9, 1956) was an American stage and film actress of the early silent film era. She was first noticed as a chorus-girl by impresario Charles Frohman, who took her to Broadway, whe ...

as Rosalba. After the New York run, the musical toured the United States; ultimately closing in Chicago after Sykes caught pneumonia in that city and died on December 29, 1903.

Critical assessment

Theatre historian

Gerald Bordman Gerald Martin Bordman (September 18, 1931 – May 9, 2011) was an American theatre historian, best known for authoring the reference volume ''The American Musical Theatre'', first published in 1978.Simonson, Robert (12 May 2011)Gerald Bordman, Th ...

stated, "A conventional show, ''The Billionaire'' met with immediate success in New York, although it was quickly forgotten after its final curtain call. The run-of-the-mill songs Kerker and Smith ground out covered the requisite range— pretty songs, coon songs, semi-classical, sentimental, and topical."Bordman & Norton, p. 219

References

Bibliography

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Billionaire, The 1902 musicals Broadway musicals Musicals set in France Musicals set in New York City Musicals set in Paris Musicals by Harry B. Smith Musicals by Gustave Kerker