Jubilee
A Musical Comedy in Two Acts
Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter
Book by Moss Hart
Tryouts began September 21, 1935 at the Shubert Theatre, Boston
Opened October 12, 1935 at the Imperial Theatre, NYC
Ran for 169 performances
Produced by Sam H. Harris and Max Gordon
Directed by Monty Woolley
Entire production surpervised, staged, and lighted by Hassard Short
Choreography by Albertina Rasch
Costumes by Connie De Pinna, Irene Sharaff
Set Design by Jo Mielziner
Orchestrations by Robert Russell Bennett
Musical Direction by Frank Tours
Synopsis
The Royal Family of a fictional European country use the threat posed
by an impending revolution as an excuse to abandon the throne and pursue
their private dreams. The King meets up with party-giver extraordinaire
Eva Standing; the Queen chases after swimmer-turned-actor Charles Rausmiller
(a.k.a. Mowgli); the Prince woos songstress Karen O'Kane; and the Princess
wins the admiration and attention of playwright/composer/actor Eric Dare.
When the revolutionary threat is revealed to be a hoax, the family
members are forced to return to power, but they manage to incorporate their
newfound friends into their royal lives.
Cast
Mary Boland (Queen)
Melville Cooper (King)
June Knight (Karen O'Kane)
Derek Williams (Eric Dare)
May Boley (Eva Standing)
Charles Walters (Prince James)
Margaret Adams (Princess Diana)
Mark Plant (Mowgli)
Jack Whitney (1st Tourist), Montgomery Clift (Prince Peter),
Jackie Kelk (Prince Rudolph), Richie Ling (Lord Wyndham),
Jane Evans (Mrs. Watkins), Olive Reeves-Smith (Laura Fitzgerald),
Charles Brokaw (A Sandwich Man, Cabinet Minister), Ralph Sumpter
(Professor Rexford), Dorothy Fox (The Beach Widow), Leo Chalzell
(Keeper of the Zoo, Cabinet Minister), Don Douglas (Lifeguard),
Albert Amato (Announcer), Harold Murray (Master of Ceremonies),
Jack Edwards (The Drunk), and Ted Fetter (The Usher)
Musical Numbers
Act One
- Overture - Orchestra
- "Our Crown" - Entire Company [alternate title: "National
Anthem"]
- "We're Off to Feathermore" - Queen, King, Princess
Diana, Prince James
- "Why Shouldn't I?" - Princess Diana
- "Entrance of Eric" - Ensemble and Eric
- "The Kling-Kling Bird on the Divi-Divi Tree" - Eric
- "When Love Comes Your Way" - Eric and Diana [originally
written for Nymph Errant]
- "What a Nice Municipal Park" - 1st Tourist and Ensemble
- "When Me, Mowgli, Love" - Mowgli
- "Gather Ye Autographs While Ye May" - Ensemble
- "My Loulou" - Ensemble
- "Begin the Beguine" - Karen
- "Cabinet Music" [instrumental]
- "Good Morning, Miss Standing" - Eva, King, and Ensemble
- "My Most Intimate Friend" - Eva
- "A Picture of Me Without You" - Prince James and Karen
- "Ev'rybod-ee Who's Anybod-ee" - Ensemble
- "The Judgement of Paris"
- "The Entrance of Paris" [instrumental]
- "Hera's Dance" [instrumental]
- "Pallas Athene" [instrumental]
- "Aphrodite's Dance" - Ensemble
- "Swing That Swing" - Ensemble
Act Two
- Entr'acte - Orchestra
- "Sunday Morning Breakfast Time" - Ensemble
- "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" - Queen, King, Prince James,
Princess Diana, Mowgli, Eva, Karen, and Eric
- "Gay Little Wives" - Female Ensemble [alternate title:
"Six Little Wives"]
- "To Get Away" - Ensemble
- "Beach Scene" [instrumental]
- "Me and Marie" - Queen and King
- "Just One of Those Things" - Karen and Prince James
- "Jubilee Presentation" [instrumental]
Cut Songs
- "Yours" [dropped before the New York opening]
- "There's Nothing Like Swimming" - Queen, Mowgli and
Male Ensemble [dropped before the New York opening]
- "Sing Jubilee" [original closing number; dropped before
the Boston opening]
- "Waltz Down the Aisle" [unused; written for Ever
Yours (unproduced); also dropped during the tryout of Anything
Goes]
Contemporaneous Recordings
"Begin the Beguine" / "Waltz Down the Aisle"
- Xavier Cugat and His Waldorf-Astoria Orchestra [vocal: Don Reid]
- 78 RPM, 1935 [Victor 25133] Charted on November 9, 1935; peaked
at #13
"Begin the Beguine" / "Just One of Those Things"
/ "Me and Marie" / "When Love Comes Your Way" / "Why
Shouldn't I?" - Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra
- 78 RPM, 1935 [Victor 36175]
"Begin the Beguine" / "Me and Marie" / "Why
Shouldn't I?" - Joe Haymes and His Orchestra
- 78 RPM, 1935 [Thesaurus 184]
"Just One of Those Things" - Nat Brandywynne and His
Orchestra
- 78 RPM, 1935 [American 6-02-13]
"Just One of Those Things" - Ted Fiorito
"Just One of Those Things" - Richard Himber
- 78 RPM, 1935 [Victor 25161] Charted on November 30, 1935; peaked
at #10
"Just One of Those Things" - Freddie Martin and His
Orchestra
- 78 RPM, 1935 [Brunswick 7579]
"Just One of Those Things" - Garland Wilson
- 78 RPM, 1936 [Brunswick 03115]
"Me and Marie" - Johnny Green and His Orchestra
- 78 RPM, 1935 [Brunswick 7521]
"Me and Marie" - Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra
- 78 RPM, 1935 [Victor 25135]
"Waltz Down the Aisle" - Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra
- 78 RPM, 1934 [Victor 36141]
"When Love Comes Your Way" / "Me and Marie"
- Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra
"When Love Comes Your Way" / "Why Shouldn't I?"
- Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra
- 78 RPM, 1935 [Victor 25134]
"Why Shouldn't I?" / "When Love Comes Your
Way" - Johnny Green and His Orchestra
- 78 RPM, 1935 [Brunswick 7522] A-side charted on November 23,
1935; peaked at #18
"Why Shouldn't I?" / "A Picture of Me Without You"
- Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra [vocal: Bob Eberle / Kay Weber]
![Begin the Beguine [sheet music]](graphics/tnshawbtb.jpg)
Note: The following recording of "Begin
the Beguine" was not contemporaneous
with the Broadway production, but was
the hit recording that cemented the
popularity of the song and inspired the
many cover versions that followed.
"Begin the Beguine" - Artie Shaw and His Orchestra
- 78 RPM, 1938 [Bluebird 7746] Charted on
September 3, 1938; peaked at #1 for 6 weeks
|
![Begin the Beguine [sheet music]](graphics/shawbtb.jpg)