Paris
![Let's Do It [sheet music]](graphics/tnsmparis2.html)
A Comedy with Music in Three Acts
Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter (and also songs by E. Ray Goetz, Walter
Kollo, and Louis Alter)
Book by Martin Brown
Tryouts began February 6, 1928 at Nixon's Apollo Theatre, Atlantic
City
February 13, 1928 at the Adelphi Theatre, Philadelphia
May 7, 1928 at the Wilbur Theatre, Boston
September 30, 1928 at the Poli Theatre, Washington DC
Opened October 8, 1928 at the Music Box Theatre, NYC
Ran for 195 performances
Produced by Gilbert Miller in association with E. Ray Goetz
Staged by William H. Gilmore
Choreographed by "Red" Stanley
Synopsis
Mrs. Cora Sabot, an imperious Massachusetts matron, is summoned to
Paris by the impending marriage of her son Andrew to Vivienne Rolland,
the darling of the Paris stage. Scheming to terminate the engagement,
Cora pretends to succumb to the uninhibiting influence of alcohol and to
the roguish charms of Guy Pennel, Vivienne's devoted dancing partner. Her
plans succeed. By the final curtain, Vivienne and Guy recognize their
love, and Andrew realizes that marriage to the equally dim-witted Brenda
Kaley would be more suitable.
Cast
Irene Bordoni (Vivienne Rolland), Arthur Margetson (Guy
Pennel), Louis Closser Hale (Cora Sabot), Erik Kalkhurst
(Andrew Sabot), Elizabeth Chester (Brenda Kaley), Theodore St.
John (Marcel Prince), Florence Edney (Harriet), Reed Hamilton
(Valet), and Irving Aaronson and The Commanders
Musical Numbers
(Porter songs only)
- "Two Little Babes in the Wood" [shorter version of
the song from Greenwich Village Follies]
- Vivienne
- "Don't Look at Me That Way" - Vivienne
- "Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love" - Vivienne and Guy
- "Vivienne" - Irving Aaronson and the Commanders
- "The Heaven Hop" - Irving Aaronson and the Commanders
Cut Songs
- "Quelque-Chose" [dropped before the New York opening,
performed by Irene Bordoni; originally written for Greenwich
Village Follies]
- "Let's Misbehave" [dropped before the New York opening;
replaced with "Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love"]
- "Which" [dropped in rehearsals or before the New York
opening, intended for Irene Bordoni; later revised and used in Wake
Up and Dream as "Which is the Right Life?"]
- "Dizzy Baby" [unused]
- "Bad Girl in Paree" [unused]
- "When I Found You" [unused]
- "Blue Hours" [unused; later used in La
Revue des Ambassadeurs]
Original Cast Recordings [First release with notable
re-releases]
"Let's Misbehave" - Irving Aaronson and his Commanders
"Don't Look At Me That Way" - Irene Bordoni with Irving
Aaronson and his Commanders
"Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love" - Irving Aaronson
and his Commanders [vocal: Phil Saxe & Jack Armstrong]
- 78 RPM, 1928 [Victor 21745] Charted January 5, 1929; peaked
at #5
Contemporaneous Recordings
"Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love" - Meyer Davis
- 78 RPM, 1928 [Duophone D-4045]
"Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love" - The Georgians
- 78 RPM, 1928 [Harmony 776-H]
"Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love" - Lee Morse
- 78 RPM, 1928 [Columbia 1659-D]
"Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love" - Adrian Schubert
and His Salon Orchestra
- 78 RPM, 1928 [Banner 6245]
"Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love" - Rudy Vallee and
His Connecticut Yankees
- 78 RPM, 1928 [Harmony 808-H]
"Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love" - Paul Whiteman and
His Orchestra
- 78 RPM, 1928 [Columbia 1701-D]
"Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love" - Bill Wirges and
His Orchestra
- 78 RPM, 1928 [Brunswick 4116]
"Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love" - Dorsey Brothers'
Orchestra
- 78 RPM, 1929 [Okeh 41181]
"Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love" - The Detroiters
- 78 RPM, 1929 [Cameo 9005]
"Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love" - B. A. Rolfe and
His Palais D'Or Orchestra
- 78 RPM, 1929 [Edison Diamond Disk 52505]
"Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love" - Arthur Roseberry
and His Dance Band
- 78 RPM, 1929 [Parlophone E-6150]
"Let's Do It, Let's Fall in Love" - Ray Ventura
- 78 RPM, 1929 [Odeon 165529]
"Let's Misbehave" - Ben Bernie and His Hotel Roosevelt
Orchestra [vocals: Scrappy Lambert and Billy Hillpot]
- 78 RPM, 1927 [Brunswick 3761] Charted June 2, 1928; peaked at
#18
"Let's Misbehave" - Banjo Buddy
- 78 RPM, 1928 [Brunswick 3865]
"Let's Misbehave" - The Bluebirds
- 78 RPM, 1928 [Vocalion 15652]
"Let's Misbehave" - Lou Calabrese and His Hot Shots
- 78 RPM, 1928 [Gennett 6421]
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