Hitchy-Koo
Encyclopedia
Hitchy-Koo of 1919 is a musical
revue
with music and lyrics by Cole Porter
and the book by George V. Hobart. This revue was third in a series of four Hitchy-Koo revues produced by, and starring, Raymond Hitchcock
. The original Broadway
production was in 1919. The revue received favourable reviews.
premiere. The revue debuted on Broadway at the Liberty Theatre on October 6, 1919 and closed on November 22, 1919, running for a total of 56 performances. The show later toured the United States. It starred, and was produced by, Raymond Hitchcock, who also produced and starred in versions of Hitchy-Koo in 1917, 1918, and 1920.
Some of the songs were written while Porter was in Paris, during World War I
. As Porter was returning to the United States by ship, he met Hitchcock. After hearing some of Porter's songs, Hitchcock engaged Porter for the 1919 show. The song "When I Had a Uniform On", helped launch the stage career of the Broadway comic, Joe Cook
. One of the songs, "Old-Fashioned Garden" became Porter's first hit. (The song used the surplus flower costumes the producers had bought from Florenz Ziegfeld
.)
The large cast included Lucille Ager, Maurice Black, Dan Brennan, Chief Eagle Horse, Sylvia Clark, Joe Cook, Lillian Kemble Cooper, James J. Doherty, Raymond Hitchcock, Charles Howard, Waneta Means, Ruth Mitchell, Florence O'Denishawn, Ursula O'Hare, Elaine Palmer, Eleanor Sinclair, Mark Sullivan, and Charles Witzell.
The Hitchy-Koo of 1922 began tryouts on October 10, 1922 at the Sam S. Shubert Theatre, Philadelphia, but ran for less than two weeks. The music and lyrics were by Cole Porter and book by Harold R. Atteridge
. This was the last in the series and the only show not to play on Broadway, but it did tour the United States.
Musical theatre
Musical theatre is a form of theatre combining songs, spoken dialogue, acting, and dance. The emotional content of the piece – humor, pathos, love, anger – as well as the story itself, is communicated through the words, music, movement and technical aspects of the entertainment as an...
revue
Revue
A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century American popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own during its golden years from 1916 to 1932...
with music and lyrics by Cole Porter
Cole Porter
Cole Albert Porter was an American composer and songwriter. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, he defied the wishes of his domineering grandfather and took up music as a profession. Classically trained, he was drawn towards musical theatre...
and the book by George V. Hobart. This revue was third in a series of four Hitchy-Koo revues produced by, and starring, Raymond Hitchcock
Raymond Hitchcock (actor)
Raymond Hitchcock was a silent film actor, stage actor, and stage producer, who appeared in or produced 30 plays on Broadway from 1898 to 1928, and who became famous in silent films of the 1920s.-Biography:...
. The original Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
production was in 1919. The revue received favourable reviews.
Production history
The show had tryouts in Atlantic City, New Jersey in August 1919 and the Colonial Theatre, Boston in September 1919 prior to its BroadwayBroadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
premiere. The revue debuted on Broadway at the Liberty Theatre on October 6, 1919 and closed on November 22, 1919, running for a total of 56 performances. The show later toured the United States. It starred, and was produced by, Raymond Hitchcock, who also produced and starred in versions of Hitchy-Koo in 1917, 1918, and 1920.
Some of the songs were written while Porter was in Paris, during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. As Porter was returning to the United States by ship, he met Hitchcock. After hearing some of Porter's songs, Hitchcock engaged Porter for the 1919 show. The song "When I Had a Uniform On", helped launch the stage career of the Broadway comic, Joe Cook
Joe Cook (actor)
Joe Cook was an American actor, comedian, and entertainer most known for his work on Broadway but who also appeared in motion pictures....
. One of the songs, "Old-Fashioned Garden" became Porter's first hit. (The song used the surplus flower costumes the producers had bought from Florenz Ziegfeld
Florenz Ziegfeld
Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr. , , was an American Broadway impresario, notable for his series of theatrical revues, the Ziegfeld Follies , inspired by the Folies Bergère of Paris. He also produced the musical Show Boat...
.)
The large cast included Lucille Ager, Maurice Black, Dan Brennan, Chief Eagle Horse, Sylvia Clark, Joe Cook, Lillian Kemble Cooper, James J. Doherty, Raymond Hitchcock, Charles Howard, Waneta Means, Ruth Mitchell, Florence O'Denishawn, Ursula O'Hare, Elaine Palmer, Eleanor Sinclair, Mark Sullivan, and Charles Witzell.
Songs
- "Pagliacci" - Lillian Kemble Cooper, Elaine Palmer, Ursula O'Hare and Ensemble
- "When Black Sallie Sings Pagliacci" - Ruth Mitchell and Ensemble
- "I Introduced" [aka "I Presented"] - Raymond Hitchcock and Ensemble
- "Hitchy's Garden of Roses" [aka "In Hitchy's Garden"] - Lillian Kemble Cooper and Ensemble
- "When I Had a Uniform On" [aka "Demobilization Song"] - Joe Cook, Eleanor Sinclair and Ensemble
- "I've Got Somebody Waiting" - Ruth Mitchell and Ensemble
- "Peter Piper" - Raymond Hitchcock and Ensemble
- "The Sea is Calling" [sung in counterpoint with "Peter Piper"] - Ruth Mitchell and Ensemble
- "I'm an Anesthetic Dancer" - Sylvia Clark
- "My Cozy Little Corner in the Ritz" - Raymond Hitchcock and Ensemble
- "Old-Fashioned Garden" - Lillian Kemble Cooper and Ensemble
- "Bring Me Back My Butterfly" - Lillian Kemble Cooper and Ensemble
Critical reception
The revue was well-received. The New York Times critic wrote: "The music and lyrics are the work of Cole Porter, who has made a particularly clever job of the lyrics and a good tinkling one of the music.Hitchy-Koo Revues
There were 4 Hitchy-Koo revues that ran on Broadway:- Hitchy-Koo of 1917, June 7, 1917 - December 15, 1917; with Music by E. Ray GoetzE. Ray GoetzEdward Ray Goetz was an American composer, songwriter, author and producer. He was a charter member of ASCAP in 1914, and was a director until 1917. Goetz appeared in the films Somebody Loves Me , The Greatest Show On Earth and For Me And My Gal . He wrote the songs "Toddling The Todalo" and "For...
, Book by Harry Grattan, Glen MacDonough, E. Ray Goetz, Lyrics by Harry Grattan, Glen MacDonough, E. Ray Goetz. - Hitchy-Koo of 1918, June 6, 1918 - August 3, 1918; with Music by Raymond Hubbell, Book by Glen MacDonough, E. Ray Goetz, Lyrics by E. Ray Goetz, Glen MacDonough.
- Hitchy-Koo of 1919
- Hitchy-Koo of 1920, October 19, 1920 - December 18, 1920; with Music by Jerome KernJerome KernJerome David Kern 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 100 stage works, including such classics as "Ol' Man River", "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man", "A...
, Book by Glen MacDonough, Lyrics by Glen MacDonough, Anne CaldwellAnne CaldwellAnne Caldwell , also known as Anne Caldwell O'Dea, was a librettist and lyricist. She was born in Boston, Massachusetts. She wrote both pop songs and Broadway shows including working with Jerome Kern.-External links:...
.
The Hitchy-Koo of 1922 began tryouts on October 10, 1922 at the Sam S. Shubert Theatre, Philadelphia, but ran for less than two weeks. The music and lyrics were by Cole Porter and book by Harold R. Atteridge
Harold R. Atteridge
Harold Richard Atteridge was a composer, librettist and lyricist primarily for musicals and revues. He wrote the book and lyrics for over 20 musicals and revues for the Shuberts, including several iterations of The Passing Show....
. This was the last in the series and the only show not to play on Broadway, but it did tour the United States.