The Oolah
| The Oolah | |
|---|---|
 Marie Jansen as Tourouloupi in The Oolah | |
| Written by | Charles Lecocq's La Jolie Persane, English libretto by Sydney Rosenfeld and J. Cheever Goodwin |
| Date premiered | 13 May 1889 |
| Place premiered | Broadway Theatre (41st Street) |
| Original language | French (liberally adapted to English) |
| Genre | comic opera |
| Setting | Persia |
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]
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] A letter opener souvenir was given out to ticket holders at the 100th performance.[7] It had a successful run of 154 performances and 22 weeks,[8] closing on October 12,[9] and then went on tour.[2]
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][10][11]
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.[1][12]
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 where deceived a hundred and fifteen times."[12]
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
- ^ a b c (12 May 1889). Mr. Wilson's New Venture, The New York Times
- ^ a b c d Wilson, Francis. Recollections of a Player, pp. 56-63 (1897)
- ^ (Dec. 1896). The Stage, Munsey's Magazine, p. 371
- ^ "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.")
- ^ (13 May 1889). Advertisement, The Sun (New York), p. 6, col. 4 (advertisement for opening night)
- ^ Dale, Alan (14 May 1889). "The Oolah" (review), The Evening World
- ^ Letter Opener
- ^ (6 October 1889). Francis Wilson, Manager; The Career of "The Oolah" and its Coming Tour in the Country, The New York Times
- ^ (12 October 1889). Advertisement, The Evening World (advertisement for "farewell night")
- ^ Warfield, Patrick. Making the March King: John Philip Sousa's Washington Years, 1854-1893, p. 136 (2013)
- ^ Bierley, Paul E. The Works of John Philip Sousa, p. 165 (1984)
- ^ a b Bordman, Gerald, and Richard Norton. American Musical Theatre: A Chronicle 4th ed., p. 113 (2011)
External links
- Oolah Sheet Music, via Google books (1889) (alternate scan, with "Casino Theatre" reference on front cover corrected)