201. The Lady Comes Across 1942
Musical Comedy in Two Acts and Twelve Scenes
- Music
Music and lyrics by Vernon Duke and John Latouche. Book by Fred Thompson and Dawn Powell. Orchestrations supervised by Domenico Savino. Musical arrangements by Domenico Savino, Charles L. Cooke, and staff.
- Choreography
George Balanchine, choreographic Assistant: William Holbrook
- Production
Production under the supervision of Morrie Ryskind. Produced by George Hale in association with Charles R. Rogers and Nelson Seabra. Book directed by Romney Brent. Scenery and costumes by Stewart Chaney. Scenery built by Vail Construction Company and painted by Robert W. Bergman Studios, Inc.; costumes executed by Mme Karinska, Mme Berthe, and Brooks Costume Company.
- Premiere
January 9, 1942, Forty-fourth Street Theatre, New York. Conductor: Jacques Rabiroff. Pianist/Organist: Adam Carroll. (Out-of-town preview: December 17, 1941, Shubert Theatre, Boston.)
- Cast
Jill Charters, Evelyn Wyckoff (Jessie Matthews, Boston); Otis Kibber, Joe E. Lewis; Ernie Bustard, Mischa Auer; Mrs. Riverdale, Ruth Weston; Babs Appleway, Wynn Murray; Campbell, Gower Champion; Kay, Jeanne Tyler; and others. Ballerina Comique, Eugenia Delarova; Ballerina, Lubov Rostova; The Phantom Lover, Marc Platt; Dancing Ensemble of 17 women and 8 men.
HIT THE RAMP (Act I, Scene 3): Wynn Murray, Mischa Auer, ensemble.
TANGO (Act I, Scene 4): Auer, Eugenia Delarova, ensemble.
CONEY ISLAND BALLET (Act II, Scene 1): Delarova, Lubov Rostova, Marc Platt, ensemble.
LADY (Act II, Scene 1): Gower Champion, Jeanne Tyler.
THIS IS WHERE I CAME IN (Act II, Scene 2): Champion, Tyler.
DAYBREAK (Act II, Scene 5): Evelyn Wyckoff (Jessie Matthews, Boston); The Phantom Lover, Platt.
Performance Type
Musical Theater
Note
3 performances. According to Hugh Martin, one of The Martins who sang Summer is a Comin’ In (Act II, scene 3), Balanchine set movement for this number. The original stars of the show were Ray Bolger and Jesse Matthews, both of whom relinquished their roles before the show opened in New York.
Dawn Lille, Hugh Martin