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{{Infobox play
{{ref improve|date=December 2015}}
| name = The Oolah
⚫
'''''The Ooolah''''' is an 1889 [[comic opera]] which starred [[Francis Wilson (actor)|Francis Wilson]] and [[Marie Jansen]] on Broadway.
| image =Francis Wilson as The Oolah.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Francis Wilson as the Oolah
| writer = [[Charles Lecocq]]'s ''La Jolie Persane'', English libretto by [[Sydney Rosenfeld]] and [[J. Cheever Goodwin]]
| genre = comic opera
| setting = [[Persia]]
| subject =
| premiere = 13 May 1889
| place = [[Broadway Theatre (41st Street)|Broadway Theatre]] (41st Street)
| orig_lang = French (liberally adapted to English)
}}


⚫
'''''The Oolah''''' is an 1889 [[comic opera]] which starred [[Francis Wilson (actor)|Francis Wilson]] and [[Marie Jansen]] on Broadway.
⚫
The play is adaptation of [[Charles Lecocq]]'s ''La Jolie Persane'', with a liberal adaptation of the libretto by [[Sydney Rosenfeld]],<ref name="opens"/> and revisions by [[J. Cheever Goodwin]].<ref name="wilson">[[Francis Wilson (actor)|Wilson, Francis]]. [https://books.google.com/books?id=kM0sAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA56#v=onepage&q&f=false Recollections of a Player], pp. 56-63 (1897)</ref>


==Production==
It opened at the [[Broadway Theatre (41st Street)|Broadway Theatre]] on 41st Street on May 13, 1889, Wilson's debut as a manager of his own company, and as the star of a show.<ref name="opens">(12 May 1889). [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9A0DEED61330E633A25751C1A9639C94689FD7CF Mr. Wilson's New Venture], ''[[The New York Times]]''</ref> It had a successful run of 154 performances.<ref name="bigrun">(6 October 1889). [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9D07EEDC1130E633A25755C0A9669D94689FD7CF Francis Wilson, Manager; The Career of "The Oolah" and its Coming Tour in the Country], ''[[The New York Times]]''</ref>

⚫
The opera is an adaptation of [[Charles Lecocq]]'s ''La Jolie Persane'', with a liberal adaptation of the libretto by [[Sydney Rosenfeld]],<ref name="opens"/> and [[script doctor]]ing by [[J. Cheever Goodwin]].<ref name="wilson">[[Francis Wilson (actor)|Wilson, Francis]]. [https://books.google.com/books?id=kM0sAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA56 Recollections of a Player], pp. 56-63 (1897)</ref><ref name="cheever2">(Dec. 1896). [https://books.google.com/books?id=jiwAAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA371 The Stage], ''Munsey's Magazine'', p. 371</ref><ref name="illustrated">(1 August 1891). [https://books.google.com/books?id=ihhLAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA499 Our Gallery in Players], ''The Illustrated American'', p. 499</ref>

Wilson originally planned to debut the play at the [[Casino Theatre (New York City)|Casino Theatre]] (where Wilson had been a performer), but other obligations for that venue and contractual disputes caused delay and eventual failure. Thus, ''The Oolah'' opened at the former [[Broadway Theatre (41st Street)|Broadway Theatre]] on 41st Street on May 13, 1889. The show marked Wilson's debut as a manager of his own company and as a Broadway star.<ref name="opens">(12 May 1889). [https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1889/05/12/100959986.pdf Mr. Wilson's New Venture], ''[[The New York Times]]''</ref><ref name="opensun">(13 May 1889). [http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030272/1889-05-13/ed-1/seq-6/ Advertisement], ''[[The Sun (New York)]]'', p. 6, col. 4 (advertisement for opening night)</ref><ref name="eveworld1">Dale, Alan (14 May 1889). [http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030193/1889-05-14/ed-2/seq-3/ "The Oolah" (review)], ''The Evening World''</ref>

The opening night did not go very well. Wilson had risked much of his money on the production, and was distraught. Rosenfeld refused to make changes without a new contract and a cut of the profits. This led to Godwin's immediate work to revise the text (including expanding Wilson's parts, as he was clearly an audience favorite), and to radical changes in the music, including three new songs from [[Woolson Morse]], and two from [[John Joseph Braham, Sr.|John Braham]],<ref name="fixits">(22 August 1889). [https://books.google.com/books?id=rE48AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA668 Dramatic and Musical Notes], ''America'', p. 668</ref><ref name="fixits2">(February 1902). [https://books.google.com/books?id=WOUXAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA875 About Francis Wilson], ''The Junior Munsey'', pp. 875-76</ref> and likely the scoring by Sousa mentioned below. One periodical commenting on the revisions noted [[Steele MacKaye]]'s observation that "Plays are not written; they are rewritten," and concluded that "this seems to apply to comic operas especially."<ref name="fixits"/> Rosenfeld later sued Wilson over song rights.<ref name="rosen2">(14 November 1889). [https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1889/11/14/106211990.pdf Songs in "The Oolah": Sydney Rosenfeld's Latest Suit Against Comedian Francis Wilson], ''[[The New York Times]]''</ref>

In any event, the changes worked, and the play had a successful run of 154 performances over 22 weeks,<ref name="bigrun">(6 October 1889). [https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1889/10/06/100973921.pdf Francis Wilson, Manager; The Career of "The Oolah" and its Coming Tour in the Country], ''[[The New York Times]]''</ref> closing on October 12,<ref name="closed">(12 October 1889). [http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030193/1889-10-12/ed-1/seq-3/ Advertisement], ''The Evening World'' (advertisement for "farewell night")</ref> and then went on tour.<ref name="wilson"/><ref name="chicagotwo">[http://digital.chipublib.org/cdm/ref/collection/CPB01/id/2645 Chicago program] (week of November 4, 1889)</ref><ref name="bostontwo">(21 December 1889). [http://idnc.library.illinois.edu/cgi-bin/illinois?a=d&d=NYC18891221.2.45# Massachusetts], ''[[New York Clipper]]'' (it played a month in Boston at the [[Globe Theatre, Boston (1871)|Globe Theatre]])</ref> A letter opener souvenir was given out to ticket holders at the 100th performance, a number of which are still extant.<ref name="letteropener1">[http://www.rubylane.com/item/153293-RL-809/Very-Scarce-Antique-Letter-opener-Souvenir Letter Opener]</ref> The next season Wilson and Jansen had success with another French adaptation, ''[[The Merry Monarch (play)|The Merry Monarch]]''.<ref name="illustrated"/>

==Sousa's role==

[[John Philip Sousa]] likely orchestrated the music for Wilson, though this was not advertised. Wilson did not say in his autobiography who provided "the infusion of some whistlish and hummable melodies that set the audience in fine humor and their feet to keeping time," or who prepared "the orchestral arrangement to which had just come to hand as a performance began." Yet, Wilson claimed that some of the new music "was written by a composer while he was being whirled away to Chicago on the Pennsylvania 'Limited' train... he handed the manuscript to messenger awaiting him at Pittsburg, who hurried back to New York and placed it in our hands." And then it was performed the next evening.<ref name="wilson"/><ref name="making">Warfield, Patrick. [https://books.google.com/books?id=brUPBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA136 Making the March King: John Philip Sousa's Washington Years, 1854-1893], p. 136 (2013)</ref><ref name="sousa2">Bierley, Paul E. [https://books.google.com/books?id=UjIf-tFx6ZcC&q=sousa+%22the+oolah%22 The Works of John Philip Sousa], p. 165 (1984)</ref>

==Songs==

The popular songs of the show included "A Little Peach in an Orchard Grew" or "Listen to My Tale of Woe", a Wilson-Jansen duet which had previously been used in ''Nadjy''. The lyrics which originated from [[Eugene Field]] and music and alterations by Hubbard T. Smith. Other popular songs included "Nobody Knows", as well as "Be Good", which Jansen performed, and was considered too suggestive by some.<ref name="july150">[http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030193/1889-06-29/ed-2/seq-3/ "The Oolah" Will Have Fiftieth Performance], ''The Evening World'' (noting that 50th show will be Monday July 1, 1889; citing "Be Good" as "Marie Jansen's much discussed effort.")</ref><ref name="kansas">Whitney, Carrie Westlake. [https://books.google.com/books?id=En0UAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA380 Kansas City, Missouri: Its History and Its People 1808-1908, Volume 1], pp. 379-81 (1908)</ref><ref name="illustrated"/>

==Plot==

The play is set in [[Persia]], where it is claimed that the marriage laws require a divorced wife who wishes to return to a husband must first marry another man, and then divorce that second spouse. "The Oolah" is the person who performs that role. However, the Oolah seeks to retire from his job to marry for real, yet he has one more professional marriage to accomplish first.<ref name="opens"/><ref name="bordman">Bordman, Gerald, and Richard Norton. [https://books.google.com/books?id=OVdShkzkX74C&pg=PA113 American Musical Theatre: A Chronicle 4th ed.], p. 113 (2011)</ref>

The Oolah's most popular comedic lines included "think twice about divorcing once", and "I have been married a hundred and fifteen times and not once deceived. I have known men who have been married but once, but who were deceived a hundred and fifteen times."<ref name="bordman"/>


==Original Broadway cast==
==Original Broadway cast==
[[File:Marie Jansen in The Oolah.JPG|thumb|Marie Jansen as Tourouloupi]]
*Boolahgoolah, the Oolah by [[Francis Wilson (actor)|Francis Wilson]]
*Boolahgoolah, the Oolah – [[Francis Wilson (actor)|Francis Wilson]]
*The Prince of Eriven by Hubert Wilke
*The Prince of Eriven – Hubert Wilke
*Akhalzakek by Charles Plunkett
*Akhalzakek – Charles Plunkett
*Nejef by Thomas H. Persse
*Nejef – Thomas H. Persse
*The Cadi by Harry MacDonough
*The Cadi – Harry MacDonough
*The Fig Dealer by Benjamin F. Johnson
*The Fig Dealer – Benjamin F. Johnson
*The Barber by Carlo Segelini
*The Tailor by W. Carr
*The Barber – Carlo Segelini
*The Watchman by Henry Hoffman
*The Tailor – W. Carr
*The Baker by H. Ledbury
*The Watchman – Henry Hoffman
*The Baker – H. Ledbury
*Darinoora by Laura Moore
*Darinoora – Laura Moore
*Bampoora by Elma Delaro
*Bampoora – Elma Delaro
*Altoora by Ida Fitzhugh
*Shimrana by Ida Kissing
*Altoora – Ida Fitzhugh
*Shimrana – Ida Kissing
*Velis by Josie Winner
*Velis – Josie Winner
*Tourouloupi by [[Marie Jensen]]<ref name="wilson"/>
*Tourouloupi – [[Marie Jansen]]<ref name="wilson"/>


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist|3}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*[http://collections.mcny.org/C.aspx?VP3=SearchResult&VBID=24UAYWRRB5YZ1 Multiple photos of cast], at Museum of the City of New York
*[https://books.google.com/books?id=kLQIAQAAMAAJ Oolah Sheet Music], via Google books (1889) ([https://books.google.com/books?id=gBQRAAAAYAAJ alternate scan], with "Casino Theatre" reference on front cover corrected)
*[https://www.loc.gov/jukebox/recordings/detail/id/5420/ Recording of "Listen to my tale of woe"], sung by [[Sherman H. Dudley]] (1901), National Jukebox at Library of Congress (see also [https://www.loc.gov/jukebox/search/results?q=\%22listen%20to%20my%20tale%20of%20woe\%22 other recordings] at Library of Congress)


{{DEFAULTSORT:Oolah, The}}
[[Category:1889 plays]]
[[Category:1889 plays]]
[[Category:Adaptations of works by French writers]]
[[Category:Adaptations of works by French writers]]
[[Category:Plays set in Iran]]

Latest revision as of 09:58, 16 March 2023

The Oolah
Francis Wilson as the Oolah
Written byCharles Lecocq's La Jolie Persane, English libretto by Sydney Rosenfeld and J. Cheever Goodwin
Date premiered13 May 1889
Place premieredBroadway Theatre (41st Street)
Original languageFrench (liberally adapted to English)
Genrecomic opera
SettingPersia

The Oolah is an 1889 comic opera which starred Francis Wilson and Marie Jansen on Broadway.

Production

[edit]

The opera is an adaptation of Charles Lecocq's La Jolie Persane, with a liberal adaptation of the libretto by Sydney Rosenfeld,[1] and script doctoring by J. Cheever Goodwin.[2][3][4]

Wilson originally planned to debut the play at the Casino Theatre (where Wilson had been a performer), but other obligations for that venue and contractual disputes caused delay and eventual failure. Thus, The Oolah opened at the former Broadway Theatre on 41st Street on May 13, 1889. The show marked Wilson's debut as a manager of his own company and as a Broadway star.[1][5][6]

The opening night did not go very well. Wilson had risked much of his money on the production, and was distraught. Rosenfeld refused to make changes without a new contract and a cut of the profits. This led to Godwin's immediate work to revise the text (including expanding Wilson's parts, as he was clearly an audience favorite), and to radical changes in the music, including three new songs from Woolson Morse, and two from John Braham,[7][8] and likely the scoring by Sousa mentioned below. One periodical commenting on the revisions noted Steele MacKaye's observation that "Plays are not written; they are rewritten," and concluded that "this seems to apply to comic operas especially."[7] Rosenfeld later sued Wilson over song rights.[9]

In any event, the changes worked, and the play had a successful run of 154 performances over 22 weeks,[10] closing on October 12,[11] and then went on tour.[2][12][13] A letter opener souvenir was given out to ticket holders at the 100th performance, a number of which are still extant.[14] The next season Wilson and Jansen had success with another French adaptation, The Merry Monarch.[4]

Sousa's role

[edit]

John Philip Sousa likely orchestrated the music for Wilson, though this was not advertised. Wilson did not say in his autobiography who provided "the infusion of some whistlish and hummable melodies that set the audience in fine humor and their feet to keeping time," or who prepared "the orchestral arrangement to which had just come to hand as a performance began." Yet, Wilson claimed that some of the new music "was written by a composer while he was being whirled away to Chicago on the Pennsylvania 'Limited' train... he handed the manuscript to messenger awaiting him at Pittsburg, who hurried back to New York and placed it in our hands." And then it was performed the next evening.[2][15][16]

Songs

[edit]

The popular songs of the show included "A Little Peach in an Orchard Grew" or "Listen to My Tale of Woe", a Wilson-Jansen duet which had previously been used in Nadjy. The lyrics which originated from Eugene Field and music and alterations by Hubbard T. Smith. Other popular songs included "Nobody Knows", as well as "Be Good", which Jansen performed, and was considered too suggestive by some.[17][18][4]

Plot

[edit]

The play is set in Persia, where it is claimed that the marriage laws require a divorced wife who wishes to return to a husband must first marry another man, and then divorce that second spouse. "The Oolah" is the person who performs that role. However, the Oolah seeks to retire from his job to marry for real, yet he has one more professional marriage to accomplish first.[1][19]

The Oolah's most popular comedic lines included "think twice about divorcing once", and "I have been married a hundred and fifteen times and not once deceived. I have known men who have been married but once, but who were deceived a hundred and fifteen times."[19]

Original Broadway cast

[edit]
Marie Jansen as Tourouloupi
  • Boolahgoolah, the Oolah – Francis Wilson
  • The Prince of Eriven – Hubert Wilke
  • Akhalzakek – Charles Plunkett
  • Nejef – Thomas H. Persse
  • The Cadi – Harry MacDonough
  • The Fig Dealer – Benjamin F. Johnson
  • The Barber – Carlo Segelini
  • The Tailor – W. Carr
  • The Watchman – Henry Hoffman
  • The Baker – H. Ledbury
  • Darinoora – Laura Moore
  • Bampoora – Elma Delaro
  • Altoora – Ida Fitzhugh
  • Shimrana – Ida Kissing
  • Velis – Josie Winner
  • Tourouloupi – Marie Jansen[2]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c (12 May 1889). Mr. Wilson's New Venture, The New York Times
  2. ^ a b c d Wilson, Francis. Recollections of a Player, pp. 56-63 (1897)
  3. ^ (Dec. 1896). The Stage, Munsey's Magazine, p. 371
  4. ^ a b c (1 August 1891). Our Gallery in Players, The Illustrated American, p. 499
  5. ^ (13 May 1889). Advertisement, The Sun (New York), p. 6, col. 4 (advertisement for opening night)
  6. ^ Dale, Alan (14 May 1889). "The Oolah" (review), The Evening World
  7. ^ a b (22 August 1889). Dramatic and Musical Notes, America, p. 668
  8. ^ (February 1902). About Francis Wilson, The Junior Munsey, pp. 875-76
  9. ^ (14 November 1889). Songs in "The Oolah": Sydney Rosenfeld's Latest Suit Against Comedian Francis Wilson, The New York Times
  10. ^ (6 October 1889). Francis Wilson, Manager; The Career of "The Oolah" and its Coming Tour in the Country, The New York Times
  11. ^ (12 October 1889). Advertisement, The Evening World (advertisement for "farewell night")
  12. ^ Chicago program (week of November 4, 1889)
  13. ^ (21 December 1889). Massachusetts, New York Clipper (it played a month in Boston at the Globe Theatre)
  14. ^ Letter Opener
  15. ^ Warfield, Patrick. Making the March King: John Philip Sousa's Washington Years, 1854-1893, p. 136 (2013)
  16. ^ Bierley, Paul E. The Works of John Philip Sousa, p. 165 (1984)
  17. ^ "The Oolah" Will Have Fiftieth Performance, The Evening World (noting that 50th show will be Monday July 1, 1889; citing "Be Good" as "Marie Jansen's much discussed effort.")
  18. ^ Whitney, Carrie Westlake. Kansas City, Missouri: Its History and Its People 1808-1908, Volume 1, pp. 379-81 (1908)
  19. ^ a b Bordman, Gerald, and Richard Norton. American Musical Theatre: A Chronicle 4th ed., p. 113 (2011)
[edit]
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