''Garrick Gaieties'' is a

revue A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own dur ...

with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart, the first successful

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 ...

by this songwriting team. It debuted in 1925 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 ...

and was the first of three ''Garrick Gaiety'' revues, which were subsequently produced in 1926 and 1930. The show parodied current subjects, such as the

New York City Subway The New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the government of New York City and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, an affiliate agency of the state-run Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). Opened on October 2 ...

system and the

Theatre Guild The Theatre Guild is a theatrical society founded in New York City in 1918 by Lawrence Langner, Philip Moeller, Helen Westley and Theresa Helburn. Langner's wife, Armina Marshall, then served as a co-director. It evolved out of the work of the W ...

(producer of the show). The ''Garrick Gaieties'' is remembered as "bringing Rodgers and Hart their first major recognition." Their hit song "

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

" was introduced in this revue.

Productions and history

The revue first opened on

at the Garrick Theatre on May 17, 1925, as a 2-performance benefit for the

. The reviews were favorable, and Rodgers and others persuaded the Theatre Guild to continue the production, which re-opened on June 8, 1925 and ran until November 28, for 211 performances.Hyland, William. ''Richard Rodgers'' (1998), Yale University Press, , pp. 29- 33 Several writers contributed the material for the sketches, including

Edith Meiser Edith Meiser (May 9, 1898 – September 26, 1993) was an American author and actress, who wrote mystery novels, stage plays, and numerous radio dramas. She is perhaps best known for bringing adaptations of Sherlock Holmes stories to radio in the ...

Sam Jaffe Shalom "Sam" Jaffe (March 10, 1891 – March 24, 1984) was an American actor, teacher, musician, and engineer. In 1951, he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in '' The Asphalt Jungle'' (1950) and ap ...

, Benjamin Kaye,

Morrie Ryskind Morris "Morrie" Ryskind (October 20, 1895 – August 24, 1985) was an American dramatist, lyricist and writer of theatrical productions and movies, who became a conservative political activist later in life. Life and career Ryskind was born in ...

and Howard J. Green. Directed by

Philip Loeb Philip Loeb (March 28, 1891 – September 1, 1955), was an American stage, film, and television actor, director and author. He was blacklisted under McCarthyism and committed suicide in response. Early life Philip Loeb was born March 28, 1891, ...

with musical staging 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 direction before turning to writing. From 1 ...

, the cast included

Romney Brent Romney Brent (born Romulo Larralde; 26 January 1902 – 24 September 1976) was a Mexican actor, director and dramatist. Most of his career was on stage in North America, but in the 1930s he was frequently seen on the London stage, on television ...

, June Cochrane,

Sterling Holloway Sterling Price Holloway Jr. (January 4, 1905 – November 22, 1992) was an American actor and voice actor who appeared in over 100 films and 40 television shows. He did voice acting for The Walt Disney Company, playing Mr. Stork in ''Dumbo'', Ad ...

Libby Holman Elizabeth Lloyd Holman (née Holzman; May 23, 1904 – June 18, 1971) was an American socialite, actress, singer, and activist. Early life Elizabeth Lloyd Holzman was born May 23, 1904, in Cincinnati, Ohio, the daughter of a lawyer and stockbrok ...

, Philip Loeb, Edith Meiser, Sanford Meisner, Betty Starbuck and

Lee Strasberg Lee Strasberg (born Israel Strassberg; November 17, 1901 – February 17, 1982) was an American theatre director, actor and acting teacher. He co-founded, with theatre directors Harold Clurman and Cheryl Crawford, the Group Theatre in 1931 ...

Subsequent productions

There were two sequels, also titled ''Garrick Gaieties''. They were produced on Broadway by the

with direction by Philip Loeb at the Guild Theatre, and opened, respectively, on May 10, 1926, June 4, 1930, and, in a return engagement for 10 performances, October 16, 1930. Sterling Holloway appeared in all of the sequels, and Edith Meiser appeared in all but the final one. Notable performers included

Imogene Coca Imogene Coca (born Emogeane Coca; November 18, 1908 – June 2, 2001) was an American comic actress best known for her role opposite Sid Caesar on ''Your Show of Shows''. Starting out in vaudeville as a child acrobat, she studied ballet and wishe ...

and

Rosalind Russell Catherine Rosalind Russell (June 4, 1907November 28, 1976) was an American actress, comedienne, screenwriter, and singer,Obituary ''Variety'', December 1, 1976, p. 79. known for her role as fast-talking newspaper reporter Hildy Johnson in the H ...

. Ruth Tester sang, "Sing Something Simple". The music and lyrics for the 1926 Gaieties was written by Rodgers and Hart and introduced their famous song "

Mountain Greenery "Mountain Greenery" is a popular song composed by Richard Rodgers, with lyrics by Lorenz Hart for the musical '' The Garrick Gaieties'' (1926). It was first performed on stage by Sterling Holloway. Lyrics The lyrics display Hart's characteristic u ...

". The music and lyrics for the 1930 version were written by many, including Marc Blitzstein,

Vernon Duke Vernon Duke ( 16 January 1969) was a Russian-born American composer/songwriter who also wrote under his birth name, Vladimir Dukelsky. He is best known for " Taking a Chance on Love," with lyrics by Ted Fetter and John Latouche (1940), "I Can' ...

Ira Gershwin Ira Gershwin (born Israel Gershovitz; December 6, 1896 – August 17, 1983) was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs in the English language of the 2 ...

, and Johnny Mercer.

Sketches and musical numbers

The opening number, "Soliciting Subscriptions" was a spoof of the Theatre Guild's "serious pretensions", along with the following song, "Gilding the Guild". Ryskind wrote skits including a satire of President and Mrs.

Calvin Coolidge Calvin Coolidge (born John Calvin Coolidge Jr.; ; July 4, 1872January 5, 1933) was the 30th president of the United States from 1923 to 1929. Born in Vermont, Coolidge was a History of the Republican Party (United States), Republican lawyer ...

, and a parody of the Scopes Trial, which was dropped from the show after

William Jennings Bryan William Jennings Bryan (March 19, 1860 – July 26, 1925) was an American lawyer, orator and politician. Beginning in 1896, he emerged as a dominant force in the History of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, running ...

died on July 25, 1925. Libby Holman's solo, "Black and White" was later dropped. Sterling Holloway and June Cochrane introduced the song "Manhattan", as its "easygoing strolling melody and ingeniously rhymed lyric related all of the everyday pleasures to be found in New York". The "wittily unsentimental" "Sentimental Me" was praised by the critics and was a hit money-maker as well.

Songs

''Note:'' music by Rodgers and lyrics by Hart except as noted. ;Act 1 *Soliciting Subscriptions *Gilding the Guild *Butcher, Baker, Candle-Stick Maker (Lyrics by Benjamin M. Kaye, Music by Mana Zucca) *An Old-Fashioned Girl (Lyrics by Edith Meiser) *April Fool *Stage Managers' Chorus (Lyrics by Hart and Dudley Digges) *The Joy Spreader ;Act 2 *Rancho Mexicano (Music by Tatanacho) *Ladies of the Box Office *Mr. and Mrs. *

*The Three Musketeers *Do You Love Me (I Wonder)? *Black and White * "Sentimental Me (And Poor Romantic You)" was also in the revue although not listed in the Internet Broadway Database.Sentimental Me
lorenzhart.org, accessed April 7, 2009

References

*Hischak, Thomas S. ''The Rodgers and Hammerstein Encyclopedia'' (2007), Greenwood Publishing Group,

Notes

External links

Internet Broadway database listing, all productions

{{DEFAULTSORT:Garrick Gaieties, The 1925 musicals Broadway musicals Revues Musicals by Rodgers and Hart