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'''''The Oolah''''' is an 1889 [[comic opera]] which starred [[Francis Wilson (actor)|Francis Wilson]] and [[Marie Jansen]] on Broadway.
'''''The Oolah''''' is an 1889 [[comic opera]] which starred [[Francis Wilson (actor)|Francis Wilson]] and [[Marie Jansen]] on Broadway.


==Production==
⚫
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 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><ref name="cheever2">(Dec. 1896). [https://books.google.com/books?id=jiwAAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA371#v=onepage&q&f=false The Stage], ''Munsey's Magazine'', p. 371</ref> Jansen's rendition of the song, "Be Good", 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 most popular songs as The Little Peach, a Wilson-Jansen duet (the lyrics for this song came from [[Eugene Field]]); "Nobody Knows"; and "Be Good", "Marie Jansen's much discussed effort.")</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 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><ref name="cheever2">(Dec. 1896). [https://books.google.com/books?id=jiwAAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA371#v=onepage&q&f=false The Stage], ''Munsey's Magazine'', p. 371</ref> Jansen's rendition of the song, "Be Good", 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 most popular songs as The Little Peach, a Wilson-Jansen duet (the lyrics for this song came from [[Eugene Field]]); "Nobody Knows"; and "Be Good", "Marie Jansen's much discussed effort.")</ref>
⚫
''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). [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9A0DEED61330E633A25751C1A9639C94689FD7CF 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> A letter opener souvenir was given out to ticket holders at the 100th performance.<ref name="letteropener1">[http://www.rubylane.com/item/153293-RL-809/Very-Scarce-Antique-Letter-opener-Souvenir Letter Opener]</ref> It had a successful run of 154 performances and 22 weeks,<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> 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"/>

[[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 said 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 awating him at Pittsburg, who hurried back to New York and placed it in our hands."<ref name="wilson"/><ref name="making">Warfield, Patrick. [https://books.google.com/books?id=brUPBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA136#v=onepage&q&f=false 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>

⚫
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). [http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9A0DEED61330E633A25751C1A9639C94689FD7CF 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> A letter opener souvenir was given out to ticket holders at the 100th performance.<ref name="letteropener1">[http://www.rubylane.com/item/153293-RL-809/Very-Scarce-Antique-Letter-opener-Souvenir Letter Opener]</ref> It had a successful run of 154 performances and 22 weeks,<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> 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"/>


==Original Broadway cast==
==Original Broadway cast==

Revision as of 14:47, 4 December 2015

The Oolah
Marie Jansen as Tourouloupi in 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 languageEnglish
Genrecomic opera

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

Production

The opera is an adaptation of Charles Lecocq's La Jolie Persane, with a liberal adaptation of the libretto by Sydney Rosenfeld,[1] and revisions by J. Cheever Goodwin.[2][3] Jansen's rendition of the song, "Be Good", was considered too suggestive by some.[4]

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 said 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 awating him at Pittsburg, who hurried back to New York and placed it in our hands."[2][5][6]

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][7][8] A letter opener souvenir was given out to ticket holders at the 100th performance.[9] It had a successful run of 154 performances and 22 weeks,[10] closing on October 12,[11] and then went on tour.[2]

Original Broadway cast

  • 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

  1. ^ a b (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. ^ "The Oolah" Will Have Fiftieth Performance, The Evening World (noting that 50th show will be Monday July 1, 1889; citing most popular songs as The Little Peach, a Wilson-Jansen duet (the lyrics for this song came from Eugene Field); "Nobody Knows"; and "Be Good", "Marie Jansen's much discussed effort.")
  5. ^ Warfield, Patrick. Making the March King: John Philip Sousa's Washington Years, 1854-1893, p. 136 (2013)
  6. ^ Bierley, Paul E. The Works of John Philip Sousa, p. 165 (1984)
  7. ^ (13 May 1889). Advertisement, The Sun (New York), p. 6, col. 4 (advertisement for opening night)
  8. ^ Dale, Alan (14 May 1889). "The Oolah" (review), The Evening World
  9. ^ Letter Opener
  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")
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