Louisiana Purchase (musical)

Louisiana Purchase is a musical with music and lyrics by Irving Berlin and book by Morrie Ryskind based on a story by B. G. DeSylva. Set in New Orleans, the musical lightly satirises Louisiana Governor Huey Long and his control over Louisiana politics^[1] An honest U.S. senator travels to Louisiana to investigate corruption in the Louisiana Purchase Company; the company's lawyer attempts to divert him via the attentions of two beautiful women, but the senator maintains his integrity and ends up marrying one of them. In 1941 it was adapted for the film Louisiana Purchase directed by Irving Cummings.

The show opened at the Shubert Brothers' Imperial Theatre, New York City on May 28, 1940 and ran for 444 performances. It was produced by Buddy De Sylva, who also wrote the story, and staged by Edgar MacGregor. The musical orchestrations were by Robert Emmett Dolan and N. Lang Van Cleve, with the ballets by George Balanchine and the musical staging and dances by Carl Randall. On June 19, 1996, a concert version with the complete score was recorded at Carnegie Hall (4 performances) including 3 additional songs cut from the original album.**

Songs

Cast

• William Gaxton – Jim Taylor
• Vera Zorina – Marina Von Minden
• Victor Moore – Sen. Oliver P. Loganberry
• Irène Bordoni – Madame Yvonne Bordelaise
• April Ames – Emmy Lou
• Carol Bruce – Beatrice
• Robert Pitkin – Colonel Davis

References

• Bordman, Gerald (2001). American Musical Theater: A Chronicle. 3rd ed. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-513074-X
  • Suskin, Steven (2000) "Showtunes" 3rd ed. [Oxford University Press] ISBN 0-19-512599-1

External links

• Louisiana Purchase at the Internet Broadway Database