''The Vamp'' is a
musical comedy
Musical theatre is a form of theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, movemen ...
with music by
James Mundy
James Mundy (June 28, 1907 – April 24, 1983) was an American jazz tenor saxophonist, arranger, and composer, best known for his arrangements for Benny Goodman, Count Basie, and Earl Hines.
Mundy died of cancer in New York City at the age of 75 ...
; lyrics by
John La Touche; and a
musical book by La Touche and
Sam Locke which is based on a story by La Touche. The musical opened 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 ...
on November 10, 1955 at the
Winter Garden Theatre
The Winter Garden Theatre is a Broadway theatre at 1634 Broadway in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City. It opened in 1911 under designs by architect William Albert Swasey. The Winter Garden's current design dates to 1922, when ...
where it ran for a total of 60 performances until it closed on December 31, 1955. The production was directed by
David Alexander, choreographed by
Robert Alton
Robert Alton (2 January 1902 – 12 June 1957) was an American dancer and choreographer, a major figure in dance choreography of Broadway and Hollywood musicals from the 1930s through to the early 1950s. He is principally remembered today as the ...
, used set and costume designs by
Raoul Pène Du Bois, and conducted by musical director
Milton Rosenstock Milton Rosenstock (June 9, 1917, New Haven, Connecticut - April 24, 1992, New York City) was an American conductor, composer, and arranger.
Career
Trained at the Juilliard School, he was highly active as a musical director for Broadway music ...
.
The cast was led by
Jack Waldron as Myron H. Hubbard,
Bibi Osterwald
Margaret Virginia "Bibi" Osterwald (February 3, 1920 – January 2, 2002) was an American actress.
Life and career
Osterwald was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, the daughter of Dagmar (Kvastad) and Rudolf August Osterwald, a hotel owne ...
as Bessie Bisco,
Steve Reeves
Stephen Lester "Steve" Reeves (January 21, 1926 – May 1, 2000) was an American professional bodybuilder, actor, and philanthropist. He was famous in the mid-1950s as a movie star in Italian-made sword-and-sandal films, playing the protagon ...
as Muscle Man and Samson,
Paul Lipson
Paul R. Lipson (December 23, 1913 - January 3, 1996) was an American stage actor.
Early life
Lipson was born in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Abraham Lipson and Elizabeth Richtol, and grew up in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. He attended The Ohio S ...
as Barney Ostertag,
Jack Harrold
Jack Harrold (June 10, 1920 – July 22, 1994) was an American operatic tenor and voice teacher. Admired for his comedic skills, he specialized in the tenor buffo repertoire. He had a particularly long association with the New York City Opera fro ...
as Bluestone,
Carol Channing
Carol Elaine Channing (January 31, 1921 – January 15, 2019) was an American actress, singer, dancer and comedian who starred in Broadway and film musicals. Her characters usually had a fervent expressiveness and an easily identifiable voice, ...
as Flora Weems,
David Atkinson as Oliver J. Oxheart, and
Malcolm Lee Beggs
Malcolm Lee Beggs (1907 – December 10, 1956) was an American stage, television and film actor.
Biography
The son of actor/director Lee Beggs and stage actress Doris Singleton, he began performing professionally on the stage at the age of 5. He ...
as Stark Clayton.
Alton, Channing, and Rosenstock all received
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...
nominations for their work on the show.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Vamp
1955 musicals
Broadway musicals