''The Defender'' is a musical in three acts with music by

Charles Dennée Charles Frederick Dennée (1863 – April 29, 1946) was an American composer. He wrote many pedagogical pieces for piano and composed a number of songs. He wrote the scores for two Broadway musicals. He compiled a series of four books for piano ...

and both book and lyrics by Allen Lowe. It is best remembered for introducing the popular standard "

In the Good Old Summer Time "In the Good Old Summer Time" is an American Tin Pan Alley song first published in 1902 with music by George "Honey Boy" Evans, George Evans and lyrics by Ren Shields. The song is in the public domain. Background Shields and Evans were at first ...

"; a song which was performed in the production by

Blanche Ring Blanche Ring (April 24, 1871 – January 13, 1961) was an American singer and actress in Broadway theatre productions, musicals, and Hollywood (film industry), Hollywood motion pictures. She was best known for her rendition of "In the Good ...

(in the role of Millie Canvass) who made her Broadway debut in this show. Set in

Newport, Rhode Island Newport is a seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Rhode Island, United States. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, and nort ...

and on the

yacht A yacht () is a sail- or marine propulsion, motor-propelled watercraft made for pleasure, cruising, or racing. There is no standard definition, though the term generally applies to vessels with a cabin intended for overnight use. To be termed a ...

"Hibernia" while at sea, the musical's story focused on the rivalry between an American yachtsman and English yachtsman who are both attempting to win an international yachting competition. Its plot was loosely based on the life of American businessman and yachtsman Thomas W. Lawson. After an initial production in Boston, ''The Defender'' premiered on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

at the

Herald Square Theatre The Herald Square Theatre was a Broadway theatre in Manhattan, New York City, built in 1883 and closed in 1914. The site is now a highrise designed by H. Craig Severance. History The Park Theatre opened in 1883 (also known as the New Park Th ...

on July 3, 1902. It ran there for a total of sixty performances; closing on August 23, 1902. The production was produced by A.H. Chamberlyn and was directed by Frank Smithson. In addition to Blanche Ring, the cast included Harry Davenport as Sir Thomas Ceylon Teaton, George Alison as Mr. Tom Pinkson,

Emma Carus Emma Carus (March 18, 1879 – November 18, 1927) was an American contralto singer from New York City who was in the cast of the original Ziegfeld Follies in 1907. She frequently sang in vaudeville and sometimes in Broadway theater, Br ...

as Mrs. Jack Orchard,

Richie Ling Richie Ling (October 18, 1867 – March 5, 1937) was an English singer and actor, whose career was mainly in the United States. He was originally an operatic tenor, became a stage actor, and later made some silent films. He was the original Gold ...

as Charles Dare,

Mayme Kelso Mary L. "Mayme" Kelso (February 28, 1867 – June 5, 1946), also known as May or Maym Kelso,"California, County Birth and Death Records, 1800-1994", FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QP9Q-ZQDX), Entry for Mary L Or M ...

as Mrs. Everly Chase, Alexander Clark as Sam Keno, Paula Edwardes as Jellie Canvass, Charles Wayne as Pinkie Winkerton, Gilbert Clayton as Mr. Ivory D. Queers, Gordon Tomkins as Han Kuff, Sandol Milliken as Miss Hilda Shipton, and Edith Eldridge as Winsome.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Defender, The 1902 musicals Broadway musicals Musicals set in Rhode Island Musicals set on ships