Original Listing Description

This is a rare September 30th, 1918 program (playbill) from the Winter Garden's Annual Fall Revue "THE PASSING SHOW OF 1918" which played the Winter Garden Theatre in New York City. (The production opened July 25th, 1918 at the Winter Garden Theatre and ran for 142 performances.) ..... "The Passing Show" began in 1912 (not counting an 1894 production at the Casino Theatre) as a Winter Garden Extravaganza. Like earlier productions, the 1918 edition starred WILLIE and EUGENE HOWARD, who would appear in nearly every other edition. The show featured FRED and ADELE ASTAIRE in one of their earliest Broadway appearances and also included FRANK FAY, OLGA ROLLER, FLORENCE ELMORE, CHARLES RUGGLES, LOUISE CONTI, NANCY FAIR, SAM WHITE, LOU CLAYTON, JESSIE REED, MARIAN STAFFORD, FAWN CONWAY, NITA NALDI, GRACE KEESHON, MARION MOONEY, MARY BOOTH, BETTY FITCH, LORETTA HARRIS, BEATRICE DeROE, HELEN CARRINGTON, GEORGE HASSELL, EDWARD BASSE, DAVID DREYER, EMILY MILES, EDITH PIERCE, AILEEN ROONEY, GEORGE SCHILLER, WILLIAM DOOLEY, GORDON DOOLEY, DORSHA, PEARL GERMOND, VIOLET ENGLEFIELD, ISABEL RODRIGUEZ, JACK HALL, LARE BENSON, KITTY ASTRA, PEGGY MITCHELL and MARY RINEHART ..... CREDITS: Music by SIGMUND ROMBERG ("Maytime", "Sinbad", "Poor Little Ritz Girl", "Blossom Time", "The Student Prince", "The Desert Song", "Rosalie", "Up in Central Park", "The Girl in Pink Tights") and JEAN SCHWARTZ; Dialogue and Lyrics by HAROLD ATTERIDGE; Art Direction by WATSON BARRATT; Costumes designed by CORA MacGEACHY and S. ZALUD; Choreography by JACK MASON; Staged by J. C. HUFFMAN; Produced by the Messrs. LEE and J. J. SHUBERT ..... DETAILS: The forty page playbill measures 5 1/4" X 7 3/4" inches and includes full production credits, cast list, scenes and musical numbers and wonderful vintage advertising, but no cast photos or bios ..... CONDITION: (Please Note!) There is a small surface abrasion in the top right corner of the front cover, a tiny tear in the outside edge of the back cover, small rust marks at the staples, an ink mark next to a name in the cast list and moderate edge wear. Despite these minor flaws, this rare playbill will make a wonderful addition to the collection of any musical 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.