Description: These are rare original copies of the correspondence sent to Broadway Theatre legend MARY MARTIN which were kept by producer VINTON FREEDLEY regarding the upcoming musical "DANCING IN THE STREETS" which was a huge financial failure ..... The correspondence was related to the eagerly anticipated return to Broadway of MARY MARTIN in the VERNON DUKE and HOWARD DIETZ musical "DANCING IN THE STREETS" which was scheduled to open April 7th, 1943 at New York's Imperial Theatre. (The production had its tryouts beginning March 19th, 1943 at the Shubert Theatre in Boston and closed there April 10th, 1943, failing to arrive in New York.) ..... Following her successful debut in 1938 in the Cole Porter musical "Leave It To Me" and her marriage to Paramount Films story editor Richard Halliday in 1940, MARY MARTIN (December 1st, 1913 – November 3rd, 1990) left New York for Hollywood where she soon found herself immersed in numerous film projects. But the lure of the Broadway lights tempted Martin to try her luck once again on-stage. Two different shows were in preparation in the winter of 1943, and she had been offered her pick of them. One was the work of the newly formed team of veteran composer Richard Rodgers and librettist Oscar Hammerstein II, an adaptation of the play Green Grow the Lilacs. The other was Dancing in the Streets, with songs by Vernon Duke and Howard Dietz. Unable to choose between them, Martin flipped a coin and went into Dancing in the Streets, which opened in Boston on March 19th, 1943, and closed there forever on April 10th. The Rodgers and Hammerstein show continued to gestate before emerging on March 31st, 1943, as Oklahoma!, which ultimately became a landmark hit ..... CREDITS: Book by HOWARD DIETZ, JOHN CECIL HOLM and MATT TAYLOR; Music by VERNON DUKE ("Garrick Gaieties", "Ziegfeld Follies", "At Home Abroad", "Cabin in the Sky", "Sadie Thompson", "Two's Company); Lyrics by HOWARD DIETZ ("Three's a Crowd", "The Band Wagon", "Inside U.S.A.", "Sadie Thompson", "At Home Abroad", "The Gay Life", "Jennie"); Sets designed by ROBERT EDMOND JONES; Costumes designed mostly by KIVIETTE; Choreographed by ROBERT ALTON; Directed by EDGAR MacGREGOR; Produced by VINTON FREEDLEY ..... DETAILS: Producer Vinton Freedley maintained copies of all of his correspondence and these three are all from that collection. The first two pages dated March 5th, 1943, were sent to Mary Martin as she had agreed to loan the sum of $2500.00 for production costs, thus becoming one of the show's producers. The letter sent to Mary Martin on December 31st, 1942 was accompanied by a copy of the revised first act of the musical and the last page, dated January 29th, 1943, was accompanied by a lists of the show's songs at that point. All of the pages measure 8 1/2" X 11" inches ..... CONDITION: With the exception of chipped edges, tiny tears and some paper loss, this rare set is in excellent condition and will make a wonderful addition to the collection of any musical theatre aficionado or historian. These items will be carefully packaged in a protective, carded sleeve and backed by stiff cardboard.
Price: 99.99 USD
Location: Cannon Beach, Oregon
End Time: 2024-09-15T13:22:00.000Z
Shipping Cost: 4.95 USD
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Item Specifics
Restocking Fee: No
Return shipping will be paid by: Buyer
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 30 Days
Refund will be given as: Money Back
Industry: Theater
Product: Correspondence
Genre: Broadway Musicals
Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
Original / Reproduction: Original - U.S.
Date: 1940 - 1949
