Anna Wynne O'Ryan (1877 – July 1928) was an American

librettist A libretto (From the Italian word , ) is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major ...

. She collaborated on several plays, including the 1922 musical, '' Just Because''. According to Cait Miller at the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...

, the play "may well have been the first full-length

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 Stre ...

musical authored entirely by women".

Early life

O'Ryan was born in 1877 in New York to parents Anna and Francis O'Ryan. Her father was an immigrant from Ireland who taught "the classics" at Seton Hall University. She had a brother named

John F. O'Ryan John Francis O'Ryan (August 21, 1874 – January 29, 1961) was a Manhattan, New York City attorney, politician, government official and military officer. He served as commander of the 27th Division during World War I. He later served as a memb ...

, who became a commander of the 27th Division during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. O'Ryan studied

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 23 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

. She also wrote books and taught "literary subjects". She was a member of the New York Pen and Brush Players, a group of writers and painters.

Career

She directed the Prairie Street Players in Rochester. She and her father wrote ''Plays from American History''. O'Ryan collaborated with Helen Smith Woodruff, Madelyn Sheppard, and

Annelu Burns Annelu Burns (November 12, 1889 – July 11, 1942) was an American lyricist and violinist from Selma, Alabama. She wrote lyrics for songs, theater productions, and films. She frequently wrote songs together with Madelyn Sheppard, a musician and c ...

on the 1922 musical, '' Just Because''. She wrote the book for the original version of the musical that was copyrighted in 1919. While the play was being readied for production in New York, O'Ryan rewrote parts of the book, and rewrote the comedy lyrics on behalf of the lyricist, Annelu Burns. After theater productions took place, the musical received praise. In 1925, O'Ryan married

Colonel Colonel ( ; abbreviated as Col., Col, or COL) is a senior military Officer (armed forces), officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, a colon ...

James Crooke McLeer in New York City. About a year after their marriage, her husband died. Around July 14, 1928, Anna died with her mother in their home in New York, from

asphyxiation Asphyxia or asphyxiation is a condition of deficient supply of oxygen to the body which arises from abnormal breathing. Asphyxia causes generalized hypoxia, which affects all the tissues and organs, some more rapidly than others. There are ...

due to a gas stove. Their bodies were found about four days after their deaths by her brother.

Selected works

*''The Courtship of Then and Now'' *''The Courtship of Then, Now, and Tomorrow'' *''The Birth of a Frankenstein'' (1915) *''The Universal Mother'' (c. 1918)

one-act play A one-act play is a play that has only one act, as distinct from plays that occur over several acts. One-act plays may consist of one or more scenes. The 20-40 minute play has emerged as a popular subgenre of the one-act play, especially in writi ...

, co-written by

John Murray Anderson John Murray Anderson (September 20, 1886 – January 30, 1954) was a Canadian theatre director and theatre producer, producer, songwriter, actor, screenwriter, dancer and lighting designer, who made his career in the United States, primarily in ...

*''A Case of Kidnapping'' (c. 1920) *''Whats in a Name?'' (c. 1920), musical comedy, co-written by John Murray Anderson and

Jack Yellen Jack Selig Yellen (Jacek Jeleń; July 6, 1892 – April 17, 1991) was an American lyricist and screenwriter. He is best remembered for writing the lyrics to the songs "Happy Days Are Here Again", which was used by Franklin Roosevelt as the theme ...

*''Just Because'' (1922), musical, co-written by Helen S. Woodruff and Madelyn Sheppard *''A Moving Picture'' (c. 1924), burlesque *''The Fool and the Blind Man'' (c. 1926), play

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:ORyan, Anna Wynne 1877 births 1928 deaths American librettists 20th-century American women writers Deaths from asphyxiation Women librettists