''Sally'' is a

musical comedy Musical theatre is a form of theatre, theatrical performance that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance. The story and emotional content of a musical – humor, pathos, love, anger – are communicated through words, music, ...

with music by

Jerome Kern Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in over ...

, lyrics by Clifford Grey and book by

Guy Bolton Guy Reginald Bolton (23 November 1884 – 4 September 1979) was an Anglo-American playwright and writer of musical theatre, musical comedies. Born in England and educated in France and the US, he trained as an architect but turned to writing. B ...

(inspired by the 19th century show, ''Sally in our Alley''), with additional lyrics by Buddy De Sylva, Anne Caldwell and

P. G. Wodehouse Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse ( ; 15 October 1881 – 14 February 1975) was an English writer and one of the most widely read humorists of the 20th century. His creations include the feather-brained Bertie Wooster and his sagacious valet, Je ...

. The plot hinges on a mistaken identity: Sally, a waif, is a dishwasher at the Alley Inn in New York City. She poses as a famous foreign ballerina and rises to fame (and finds love) through joining the Ziegfeld Follies. There is a rags to riches story, a ballet as a centrepiece, and a wedding as a finale. " Look for the Silver Lining" continues to be one of Kern's most familiar songs. The song is lampooned by another song, "Look for a Sky of Blue," in Rick Besoyan's satirical 1959 musical '' Little Mary Sunshine''. The piece was first produced in 1920 on Broadway by

Florenz Ziegfeld Florenz Edward Ziegfeld Jr. (; March 21, 1867 – July 22, 1932) was an American Broadway impresario, notable for his series of theatrical revues, the ''Ziegfeld Follies'' (1907–1931), inspired by the '' Folies Bergère'' of Paris. He al ...

, and ran for 570 performances, one of the longest runs on Broadway up to that time. The show was designed as a debut star vehicle for Marilyn Miller. It had a successful London run and was revived several times on Broadway and in the West End, although it has had few productions since the 1950s. The musical was adapted into a 1925 silent film and a 1929 musical film.

Background and original production

Kern, Bolton, and Wodehouse had collaborated on a number of musical comedies at the Princess Theatre. The story combined the innocence of these earlier "Princess musicals" with the lavishness of the "

Ziegfeld Follies The ''Ziegfeld Follies'' were a series of elaborate theatrical revue productions on Broadway in New York City from 1907 to 1931, with renewals in 1934, 1936, 1943, and 1957. They became a radio program in 1932 and 1936 as '' The Ziegfeld Foll ...

" formula. The score recycles some material from previous Kern shows, including " Look for the Silver Lining" and "Whip-poor-will" (with lyrics by De Sylva, from the flop "Zip Goes a Million"); "The Lorelei" (lyrics by Anne Caldwell); and "You Can't Keep a Good Girl Down" and "The Church 'Round the Corner" (lyrics by Wodehouse). Grey supplied the lyrics for the few new songs in the score. At the request of Ziegfeld,

Victor Herbert Victor August Herbert (February 1, 1859 – May 26, 1924) was an American composer, Cello, cellist and conducting, conductor of English and Irish ancestry and German training. Although Herbert enjoyed important careers as a cello soloist and co ...

was engaged to write the music to "The Butterfly Ballet" in Act Three. The musical was originally produced by

, opening on December 21, 1920 at the

New Amsterdam Theatre The New Amsterdam Theatre is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater at 214 West 42nd Street (Manhattan), 42nd Street, at the southern end of Times Square, in the Theater District, Manhattan, Theater District of Manhattan in New York City, New Yor ...

on Broadway. It ran for 570 performances, which was one of the longest runs on Broadway up to that time. By the time it closed in 1924 (including revivals), it would prove to be among the top five money makers of the 1920s. The show was designed as the musical comedy debut of Marilyn Miller, a 22-year-old ''Ziegfeld Follies'' girl. Miller would continue to be a star on Broadway until her death in 1936.

Roles and original cast

*"Pops", ''proprietor of the Alley Inn, New York'' – Alfred P. James *Rosalind Rafferty, ''a manicurist'' – Mary Hay *Madame Nookerova's maid – Mary Hay *Sascha, ''Violinist at the Alley Inn'' – Jacques Rebiroff *Otis Hooper, ''a theatrical agent'' – Walter Catlett *Mrs. Ten Broek, ''a settlement worker'' – Dolores *Sally of the Alley, ''a foundling'' – Marilyn Miller *Madame Nookerova, ''a Wild Rose'' – Marilyn Miller *Premier Star of the Follies – Marilyn Miller *Connie, ''a waiter at the Alley Inn'' –

Leon Errol Leon Errol (born Leonce Errol Sims, July 3, 1881 – October 12, 1951) was an Australian-American comedian and actor in the United States, popular in the first half of the 20th century for his appearances in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in film ...

*Duke of Czechogovinia – Leon Errol *Miss New York, ''a niece'' – Agatha Dehussey *Admiral Travers, ''a gay one'' – Phil Ryley *Blair Farquar, ''an only son'' – Irving Fisher *Jimmie Spelvin – Stanley Ridges *Billy Porter – Wade Boothe *Harry Burton – Jack Barker

Musical numbers

;Act I * Opening and Violin Solo * The Night Time – Jimmie Spelvin and Ensemble (lyrics by Grey) * On with the Dance – Otis Hooper, Rosalind, Betty and Harry Burton (lyrics by Grey) * On with the Dance (Encore) – Otis Hooper, Rosalind, Betty and Harry Burton * Joan of Arc ("You Can't Keep a Good Girl Down") – Sally of the Alley and Foundlings (lyrics by Grey & Wodehouse) * Look for the Silver Lining – Sally and Blair Farquar (lyrics by De Sylva) * Look for the Silver Lining (reprise) – Sally, Duke of Czechogovinio, Boys and Girls * Sally – Blair and Ensemble (lyrics by Grey) * Dance – Sally * Finale Act One – Sally, Duke of Czechogovinio, Otis Hooper, Rosalind and Company ;Act II * Opening Act II: The Social Game – Jimmie and Ensemble * Wild Rose – Sally and Diplomats (lyrics by Grey) * (On the Banks of) The Schnitza Komisski – Duke of Czechogovinio and Ensemble (lyrics by Grey) * Schnitza Komisski Dance (Pzcherkatrotsky) – Duke of Czechogovinio * Whip-poor-will – Sally and Blair (lyrics by De Sylva) * The Lorelei – Otis Hooper, Rosalind and Jimmie (lyrics by Anne Caldwell) * The Church Around the Corner – Rosalind and Otis (lyrics by Grey & Wodehouse) * Finale Act II: – Entire Company ;Act III * Land of Butterflies (ballet) (music By Victor Herbert) * Wild Rose (reprise) – Sally and Boys * Finale – Dear Little Church 'Round the Corner

Subsequent productions

The musical enjoyed a successful production in 1921 in London at the

Winter Garden Theatre The Winter Garden Theatre is a Broadway theatre at 1634 Broadway in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, New York, U.S. Originally designed by architect William Albert Swasey, it opened in 1911. The Winter Garden's current des ...

, starring British musical comedy veterans

George Grossmith Jr. George Grossmith Jr. (11 May 1874 – 6 June 1935) was an English actor, theatre producer and Actor-manager, manager, director, playwright and songwriter, best remembered for his work in and with Edwardian musical comedies. Grossmith was also a ...

and Leslie Henson, which ran for 387 performances. It also played well in 1923 in Australia, produced by the J. C. Williamson company. There were Broadway revivals in 1923 (at the

) and 1948 and London revivals in 1942 (at Prince's Theatre) and 1952 (Oxford New Theatre). Other productions included a 1944 LACLO Production in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

and a 1988 concert production

Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...

at the Academy Theatre.

Adaptations

A 1925 silent

romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a sub-genre of comedy and Romance novel, romance fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount all obstacles. Ro ...

film of the same name starred

Colleen Moore Colleen Moore (born Kathleen Morrison; August 19, 1899 – January 25, 1988) was an American film actress who began her career during the silent film era. Moore became one of the most fashionable (and highly-paid) stars of the era and helped po ...

and was directed by Alfred E. Green, produced by Moore's husband John McCormick. The screenplay was adapted by June Mathis. The 1929 musical film version was only the third all talking all-color feature movie ever made. It retains three of Kern's songs (" Look for the Silver Lining", "Sally", and "Wild Rose"). The rest of the music newly written for the film by

Al Dubin Alexander Dubin (June 10, 1891 – February 11, 1945) was an American lyricist. He is best known for his collaborations with the composer Harry Warren. Life Al Dubin came from a Russian Jewish family that immigrated to the United States from Sw ...

and Joe Burke. Miller was hired by the Warner Brothers to reprise her role at an extravagant sum (reportedly $1,000 an hour for a total of $100,000). The film was nominated for an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...

for Best Art Direction by Jack Okey in 1930. ''Sally'' was presented on '' The Railroad Hour'' April 6, 1953. The 30-minute radio adaptation starred Gordon MacRae and Lucille Norman.

References and sources

;References ;Sources
Description of the musical

External links

Vocal score
*

* ttp://www.hat-archive.com/Sally.htm Information about the Australian productionbr>Site gives length of long-running shows
{{Authority control 1920 musicals Broadway musicals Musicals by Jerome Kern Musicals by Clifford Grey Musicals set in the Roaring Twenties Musicals set in New York City