Original Listing Description

This is a rare February 23rd, 1920 "Plays and "Players" program (playbill) from the two-week, out-of-town tryout of the ROSAMOND HODGES, EDWARD STREETER and JOHN HODGES musical comedy "DERE MABLE" at the Garrick Theatre in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (The production played two weeks in Philadelphia but closed on the road, cancelling the scheduled Broadway opening.) ..... Featuring three songs by GEORGE GERSHWIN (fifth scanned image)), the musical starred LOUIS BENNISON, JOHN JOHNSON, GEORGE ALLEN, RONALD ST. JOHN, PAUL HEPNER, future motion picture legend GEORGE D. CUKOR, ROBERT WOOLSEY, ELIZABETH HINES, SIDNEY REYNOLDS, CARL HALLER, HATTIE BURKS, FRANK WALZMAN, FRANK WALSH, JACK RUSSELL, JANET HORTON, EDWIN FORSBERG, SAM ASH, MAX MYERS, JACK RAFFAEL, GARRETT CARROLL, CERN PRENTICE, LILLIAN WELLS, GEORGIA SCOTT, ETHEL BURTON, KEWPIE COLLIER, FRANCES BURNS, MAY SHELDON, VIRGINIA LEE, RUTH ALEXANDER, GERTRUDE ORR, MAY SCOTT and SHIRLEY LOVE ..... Side note: Three of the songs, "Back Home", "We're Pals" and "I Want To Be Wanted By You" were composed by GEORGE GERSHWIN with lyrics by IRVING CAESAR (fifth scanned image) ..... CREDITS: Book and Lyrics by EDWARD STREETER and JOHN HODGES; Music composed by ROSAMOND HODGES; Additional Musical Numbers by GEORGE GERSHWIN ("Girl Crazy", "Lady, Be Good!", "Oh, Kay!", "Funny Face", "Rosalie", "Of Thee I Sing", "Porgy and Bess", "George White's Scandals"), IRVING CAESAR and LOUIS HARRISON; Scenery designed by HOMER EMENS; Costumes designed by SCHNEIDER ANDERSON; Choreographed by JOSEPH C. SMITH; Directed by GEORGE MARION; Produced by MARC KLAW ..... The program also includes the credits for the National Tour engagement of the General LEW WALLACE and WILLIAM YOUNG dramatic spectacle "BEN-HUR" at the Forrest Theatre in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania beginning February 23rd, 1920. (The Original Broadway production opened November 29th, 1899 at New York's Broadway Theatre and ran for 194 performances. The play would be revived five times on Broadway in the next seventeen years, would tour the United States, England and Australia for the next 21 years and would be seen by more than twenty million people.) ..... Based on General Lew Wallace's 1880 novel, the key spectacle of the show recreated the novel's chariot race with live horses and real chariots running on treadmills against a rotating backdrop. The play starred RICHARD BUHLER in the title role and featured CHARLES H. RIEGEL, JAMES BROWNING, FREDERICK A. ARTHUR, T. JEROME LAWLER, LESLIE STOWE, WILLIAM H. LEYDEN, JAMES W. HAYES, HARRY COWAN, EDGAR BRYDE, JOHN R. LINDSEY, GEORGE WILKES, ADRIEN BELLEVUE, CASSIUS C. QUIMBY, EARL N. PINGREE, FREDERICK S. WILSON, BISSELL PUTNAM, VIRGINIA HOWELL, PEGGY MAY, LAURA BURT, THERESE MEEHAN and STELLA BONIFACE WEAVER ..... CREDITS: Original Book by General LEW WALLACE; Arranged for the Stage by WILLIAM YOUNG; Vocal and Instrumental Music composed by EDGAR STILLMAN KELLEY; Scenery designed by ERNEST ALBERT and ERNEST GROS; Costumes designed by F. RICHARD ANDERSON; Directed by JOSEPH BROOKS; Produced by KLAW and ERLANGER ..... The program also includes the credits for the National Tour engagement of ROBERT B. MANTELL in a repertoire of WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE and other classics at the Forrest Theatre in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania beginning February 23rd, 1920 ..... The engagement included performances of Shakespeare's "THE MERCHANT OF VENICE", "JULIUS CAESAR", "HAMLET", "MACBETH" and Sir Edward Bulwer Lytton's "RICHELIEU" and each production starred Mr. ROBERT B. MANTELL, FRITZ LEIBER and Miss GENEVIEVE HAMPER. The remaining members of the company included ABRAHAM IVORY, C. PORTER HALL, VAUGHAN DEERING, GUY LINDSLEY, GEORGE WILSON, HENRY BUCKLER, JOHN ALEXANDER, GEORGE STILLWELL, FRANKLIN SALISBURY, EDWIN FOOS, EDWARD LEWERS, LAWRENCE KREY, THOMAS LEAR, VIRGINIA BRONSON, ROY CLIFFORD, LINLEY HUBBELL, GILBERT SELLS, JAMES GRAY, FRANCES LOUGHTON, GUY HAWKS, JAMES KEENE, CAROLINE CONNOR, BESSIE JAMES and FRANK BARRY ..... CREDITS: Book by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE; Sets designed by SIGNOR MOLTENI; Costumes designed by Miss GREHEA; Produced and Directed by ROBERT B. MANTELL ..... Side note: ROBERT B. MANTELL was the Great-Uncle of ANGELA LANSBURY ..... DETAILS: The 36 page program measures 5 1/2" X 7 7/8" inches and includes full production credits, cast lists, synopsis of scenes, list of musical numbers, promotional text and wonderful vintage advertising, but no cast photos or bios ..... CONDITION: With the exception of a vertical fold and moderate edge wear, this rare program is in excellent condition and will make a wonderful addition to the collection of any theatre aficionado or historian. This item will be carefully packaged in a protective, carded sleeve and backed by stiff cardboard.

Note: This item has been sold and is no longer available. This page serves as a historical price reference for Playbill collectors and appraisers.