''The Dream Girl'' is an

operetta Operetta is a form of theatre and a genre of light opera. It includes spoken dialogue, songs, and dances. It is lighter than opera in terms of its music, orchestral size, length of the work, and at face value, subject matter. Apart from its s ...

in three acts with music by

Victor Herbert Victor August Herbert (February 1, 1859 – May 26, 1924) was an American composer, cellist and conductor of English and Irish ancestry and German training. Although Herbert enjoyed important careers as a cello soloist and conductor, he is be ...

and book by

Rida Johnson Young Rida Johnson Young (February 28, 1875 – May 8, 1926) was an American playwright, songwriter and librettist.IBDBRida Johnson Young Retrieved November 21, 2007 In her career, Young wrote over thirty plays and musicals, and over 500 songs. She ...

(who also wrote the lyrics) and

Harold Atteridge Harold Richard Atteridge (July 9, 1886 – January 15, 1938) was an American composer, librettist and lyricist primarily for musicals and revues. He wrote the book and lyrics for over 20 musicals and revues for the Shubert family, including seve ...

. Based on the 1906 play ''The Road to Yesterday'', by

Beulah Marie Dix Beulah Marie Dix (December 25, 1876 – September 25, 1970) was an American screenwriter of the silent and sound film eras, as well as a playwright and author of novels and children's books. She wrote for more than 55 films between 1917 an ...

and

Evelyn Greenleaf Sutherland Evelyn Greenleaf Sutherland (September 15, 1855 – December 24, 1908) was an American journalist, author and playwright. Early life A sixth-generation Bostonian, Sutherland was born on September 15, 1855, in Cambridge, Massachusetts to James a ...

, its satiric story concerns reincarnation. Additional music was written by

Sigmund Romberg Sigmund Romberg (July 29, 1887 – November 9, 1951) was a Hungarian-born American composer. He is best known for his musicals and operettas, particularly ''The Student Prince'' (1924), ''The Desert Song'' (1926) and ''The New Moon'' (1928). Earl ...

. The piece was Victor Herbert's last musical composition, and the work was produced posthumously on Broadway in 1924.

Production

''The Dream Girl'' opened at the Ambassador Theatre on Broadway on August 20, 1924, and ran for 117 performances. It starred

Fay Bainter Fay Okell Bainter (December 7, 1893 – April 16, 1968) was an American film and stage actress. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for ''Jezebel'' (1938) and has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Early life Bainter wa ...

, George LeMaire and Walter Woolf and was staged by

J. C. Huffman Jesse C. Huffman (1869–1935) was an American theatrical director. Between 1906 and 1932 he directed or staged over 200 shows, mostly for the Shubert Brothers. Many of them were musical revues, musicals or operettas. He is known for ''The Passi ...

Roles and original cast

*Ken Paulton - Edward Basse *Will Levison - John Clarke *Elspeth -

*Cristoforo - Edmund Fitzpatrick *Wilson Addison - George LeMaire *Bobby Thompkins - Frank Masters *Elinor Levison - Alice Moffat *Aunt Harriet -

Maude Odell Maude Odell (also spelled Maude O'Dell and sometimes known as Tillie Doremus or Maude Odell Doremus) (November 10, 1870 – February 27, 1937) was an American actress. She was one of the United States' best-known stage actresses of the early 20t ...

*Mr. Gillette - William Oneal *Nora - Clara Palmer *Dolly Follis - Wyn Richmond *Jimmie Van Dyke - Billie B. Van *Malena - Vavara *Jack Warren - Walter Woolf

Musical numbers

;Act I *Making a Venus - Bobby Thompkins, Malena, Models and Boys *All Year Round (Music by Sigmund Romberg) - Jack Warren and Chorus *Dancing Round - Elspeth and Chorus *(My) Dream Girl (I Loved You Long Ago) - Jack *Old Songs - Maidens and Quartette ;Act II *Maiden, Let Me In - Will Levison and Boys *Gypsy Life - Malena and Chorus *Stop, Look and Listen - Elspeth, Jimmie Van Dyke and Bobby *(The) Broad Highway - Jack and Chorus *My Hero - Elspeth and Jack *I Want to Go Home (Music by Sigmund Romberg)- Elspeth ;Act III *Bubbles - Dolly Follis and Chorus *Make Love in the Morning - Jimmie and Dancers *Saxophone Man - Bobby, Dolly and Chorus *Dream Girl - Elspeth, Jack and Company

References

External links

''The Dream Girl'' at the IBDB database
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dream Girl, The English-language operettas Broadway musicals Operas 1924 operas Operas by Victor Herbert Operas based on plays Operas by Harold Atteridge Plays by Rida Johnson Young Musicals by Victor Herbert