Original Listing Description

This is a rare September 10th, 1923 program (playbill) from the Pre-Broadway engagement of the Fifth Annual New York Latin Quarter Revusical Comedy "THE GREENWICH VILLAGE FOLLIES" at the Shubert Theatre in New Haven, Connecticut. (The production would open September 20th, 1923 at New York's Winter Garden Theatre and run for 140 performances.) ..... The Greenwich Village Theatre was located between Christopher Street and West Fourth Street across from Sheridan Square. The theatre opened as a neighborhood playhouse in November of 1917 and was built by Maguerite Abbott Barker. The first shows were so good that they attracted uptown audiences downtown in droves. The one thing responsible for putting the theatre on the map was "THE GREENWICH VILLAGE FOLLIES", a "Revusical Comedy of New York's Latin Quarter", invented and produced for the stage by JOHN MURRAY ANDERSON. In these Pre and Post World War One days, the lavish Broadway playhouses competed with more and more money to stage the biggest and most dazzling shows. Murray had no money, but all the talent he needed to create the very concept of the intimate revue of New York City. The first "Follies" of Greenwich Village opened in July of 1919. It wasn't long before a "Sold Out" sign hung in the box office window. After a six week run the show moved uptown to Broadway, which no other Village production had ever managed to do before. A second "Follies" was spun by Anderson for the 1920 season, and like the first, it also moved to a Broadway theatre. From then on the "Follies" became a Broadway only production and renewed itself annually throughout the 1920's. (Reprinted in part from the Greenwich Village Gazette website) ..... The Fifth Edition featured JOE E. BROWN (who departed the production when the producers refused to pay him for material that he had helped to write), AL SEXTON, MARTHA GRAHAM (in what would be her Broadway debut), JUNE ELKIN, MORETTA HALE, BILLYE WESTON, LILLIAN MOREHOUSE, MARIE BAUDOUX, BETTY HILL, GERTRUDE CAHILL, ANNA MAE CLIFT, GRACE RIVERS, ELAINE ARDEN, CARLOS CONTE, ETHEL McELROY, HELEN RICHARDSON, VIRGINIA WELLS, JOHN WELLS, BUSTER WEST, EVA PUCK, DENMAN MALEY, ASTRID OHLSON, JOE LYONS, GREGORY SAFRONIC, MARION GREEN, MARION DABNEY, JEAN LaMARR, JOHN MARSHALL, DAPHNE POLLARD, JOHANNES JOSEFSSON, CHIEF OS-KO-MON, SAMMY WHITE, TOM HOWARD and AMERICA CHEDISTER ..... CREDITS: Music by LOUIS A. HIRSCH and CON CONRAD; Lyrics by IRVING CAESAR and JOHN MURRAY ANDERSON; Incidental Music arranged by ALFRED NEWMAN; Scenery and Costumes designed by MAX REE, CLEON THROCKMORTON, HOWARD GREER, H. LEVISON, ALICE O'NEILL and GEORGIANA BROWN; Modern Dances arranged by LARRY CEBALLOS; East Indian Dances by MICHIO ITOW; Orchestra conducted by ALFRED NEWMAN; Sketches Directed by LEW FIELDS; Production Devised and Staged by JOHN MURRAY ANDERSON; Produced by THE BOHEMIANS, INC. ..... DETAILS: The 24 page program measures 5 3/4" X 8 7/8" inches and includes full production credits, cast list, scenes, musical numbers and wonderful vintage advertising, but no cast photos or bios ..... CONDITION: With the exception of light edge wear, this rare program is in excellent condition and 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 ..... SHIPPING DISCOUNTS: Check my "Other Items" for additional rare Broadway playbills and other theatre related memorabilia. Shipping discounts are available for multiple purchases when all items are combined into a single payment. Please wait for a revised invoice before sending payment ..... THANKS !!! Pay me securely with any major credit card through PayPal!

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