''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