''Yes, Yes, Yvette'' is a

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 Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), charac ...

in three acts with lyrics by

Irving Caesar Irving Caesar (born Isidor Keiser, July 4, 1895 – December 17, 1996) was an American lyricist and composer primarily for theater who wrote lyrics for numerous song standards, including " Swanee", " Sometimes I'm Happy", " Crazy Rhythm", ...

and music by Philip Charig and

Ben Jerome Benjamin M. Jerome (1881 – March 29, 1938), also known by the stage name Ben Jerome, was an American composer, arranger, lyricist, songwriter, pianist, and conductor. In his early career he worked in New York City as a Tin Pan Alley composer of p ...

. James Montgomery and

William Cary Duncan William Cary Duncan, sometimes given as William Carey Duncan, (6 February 1874, North Brookfield, Massachusetts – 21 November 1945, North Brookfield, Massachusetts) was an American playwright, lyricist, editor, writer, and educator. He is best re ...

co-authored the musical's book which was based on Montgomery's 1916 play ''Nothing But the Truth'' which was in turn based on Frederic S. Isham's 1914 novel '' Nothing But the Truth''. Producer

Harry Frazee Harry Herbert Frazee (June 29, 1880 – June 4, 1929) was an American theatrical agent, producer, and director, and owner of Major League Baseball's Boston Red Sox from 1916 to 1923. He is well known for selling Babe Ruth to the New York Yanke ...

envisioned the work as a follow-up to the 1925 hit musical ''

No, No, Nanette ''No, No, Nanette'' is a musical with a book by Otto Harbach and Frank Mandel based on Mandel's 1919 Broadway play ''My Lady Friends''; lyrics by Irving Caesar and Harbach; and music by Vincent Youmans. The farcical story centers on three coup ...

'', a work which he had brought to the stage, and the work was billed as a companion piece to ''Nanette''. Many of the cast members from ''Nanettes successful Chicago production also starred in ''Yvette''.Dietz, p. 407

Performance history

''Yes, Yes, Yvette'' premiered in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

at the Four Cohans Theatre on December 5, 1926. Like its predecessor ''No, No, Nanette'', the musical was warmly received by Chicago audiences but not by New York City ones, and had a much longer stage life in the Windy City. The premiere cast included

Jeanette MacDonald Jeanette Anna MacDonald (June 18, 1903 – January 14, 1965) was an American soprano and actress best remembered for her musical films of the 1930s with Maurice Chevalier (''The Love Parade'', ''Love Me Tonight'', ''The Merry Widow (1934 film) ...

as Yvette Ralston,

Lynne Overman Lynne Overman (September 19, 1887 – February 19, 1943) was an American actor. In films he often played a sidekick. Early life and career Born in Maryville, Missouri,Aaker, Everett (2013). George Raft: The Films'. Jefferson, NC: McFarland ...

as Robert Bennett, Herbert Corthell as S. M. Ralston, Leo Henning as Dick Donnelly, Jere Delaney as Mr. Van Dusen, Arnold Lucy as Bishop Doran, Leslie Stiles as J. P. Clark, Grace Studiford as Mrs. Ralston, Amy Revere as Ethel Clark,

Helen Lynd Helen Merrell Lynd (March 17, 1896 – January 30, 1982) was an American sociologist, social philosopher, educator, and author. She is best known for conducting the first Middletown studies of Muncie, Indiana, with her husband, Robert Stau ...

as Mabel Terry, and Madelyn Killeen as Sabel Terry. After several months of performances in Boston and Philadelphia, ''Yes, Yes, Yvette'' 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 Stre ...

at the

Sam H. Harris Theatre The Sam H. Harris Theatre, originally the Candler Theatre, was a theater within the Candler Building, at 226 West 42nd Street, in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1914, the 1,200-seat theater was designed ...

on October 3, 1927. A flop in New York, it played for just 40 performances at that theatre, closing on November 5, 1927.Dietz, p. 406-407 The Broadway cast starred Jeanette MacDonald as Yvette Ralston,

Jack Whiting Jack Whiting may refer to: * Jack Whiting (actor) (1901–1961), American actor, singer and dancer * Jack Whiting (cricketer) (1894–1975), English cricketer {{hndis, Whiting, Jack ...

as Robert Bennett, Charles Winninger as S. M. Ralston, Roland Woodruff as Dick Donnelly, Joseph Herbert as Mr. Van Dusen, Arnold Lucy as Bishop Doran, Frederick B. Manatt J. P. Clark, Virginia Howell as Mrs. Ralston, Brenda Bond as Ethel Clark, Helen Lynd as Mabel Terry, and Dorothy Waterman as Sabel Terry. Sammy Lee choreographed the Broadway production.

Plot

''Yes, Yes, Yvette'' takes place on

Presidents' Day Presidents' Day, officially Washington's Birthday at the federal governmental level, is a holiday in the United States celebrated on the third Monday of February. It is often celebrated to honor all those who served as presidents of the United S ...

Palm Beach, Florida Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. Located on a barrier island in east-central Palm Beach County, the town is separated from West Palm Beach, Florida, West Palm Beach and Lake Worth Beach, Florida, ...

References

Bibliography

* *{{cite book, chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LRmGDwAAQBAJ&dq=Yes,+Yes,+Yvette+Dietz&pg=PA407, title=The Complete Book of 1920s Broadway Musicals, publisher=

Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group is an American independent academic publishing company founded in 1949. Under several imprints, the company offers scholarly books for the academic market, as well as trade books. The company also owns ...

, year=2019, isbn=9781538112823, first=Dan, last= Dietz, chapter=Yes, Yes, Yvette 1926 musicals Broadway musicals Musicals set in Florida Musicals by Irving Caesar Musicals by Phil Charig