Louisiana Purchase is a musical theater production from 1940. It has music and lyrics by Irving Berlin

Irving Berlin

Irving Berlin was an American composer and lyricist of Jewish heritage, widely considered one of the greatest songwriters in American history.His first hit song, "Alexander's Ragtime Band", became world famous...

 and book by Morrie Ryskind

Morrie Ryskind

Morrie Ryskind was an American dramatist, lyricist and writer of theatrical productions and motion pictures, who became a conservative political activist later in life.-Biography:...

 based on a story by B. G. DeSylva. In 1941

1941 in film

The year 1941 in film involved some significant events.-Events:Citizen Kane, consistently rated as one of the greatest films of all time, was released in 1941.-Top grossing films :-Academy Awards:...

 it was adapted for the film Louisiana Purchase

Louisiana Purchase (film)

Louisiana Purchase is a 1941 film adaptation of the musical theater play, Louisiana Purchase. A Paramount Pictures production, the film was directed by Irving Cummings with Robert Emmett Dolan serving as musical director as he had done for the play. Starring comedian Bob Hope, the film featured...

directed by Irving Cummings

Irving Cummings

Irving Cummings , born Irving Camisky in New York City, New York was an American movie actor, director, producer and writer....

.

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

Buddy De Sylva

George Gard "Buddy" DeSylva was an American songwriter, film producer and record executive. He wrote or co-wrote many popular songs and along with Johnny Mercer and Glenn Wallichs he founded Capitol Records.-Biography:...

, 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 ballet

Ballet

Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...

s by George Balanchine

George Balanchine

George Balanchine , born Giorgi Balanchivadze in Saint Petersburg, Russia, to a Georgian father and a Russian mother, was one of the 20th century's most famous choreographers, a developer of ballet in the United States, co-founder and balletmaster of New York City Ballet...

 and the musical staging and dances by Carl Randall.

Set in New Orleans, the musical satirises

Satire

Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...

 the more questionable features of the career of Governor Huey Long

Huey Long

Huey Pierce Long, Jr. , nicknamed The Kingfish, served as the 40th Governor of Louisiana from 1928–1932 and as a U.S. Senator from 1932 to 1935. A Democrat, he was noted for his radical populist policies. Though a backer of Franklin D...

 and his control over Louisiana

Louisiana

Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...

 politics.

Cast

• William Gaxton
  William Gaxton
  William Gaxton was a star of vaudeville, film, and theatre.Born as Arturo Antonio Gaxiola in San Francisco, he appeared on film and onstage. He debuted on Broadway in the Music Box Revue on October 23, 1922...
  
   : Jim Taylor
• Vera Zorina
  Vera Zorina
  Vera Zorina was a Norwegian ballerina, musical theatre actress and choreographer.-Background:Vera Zorina was born Eva Brigitta Hartwig in Berlin, Germany. Her father Fritz was a German and her mother Billie Hartwig was Norwegian. Both were professional singers...
  
   : Marina Von Minden
• Victor Moore
  Victor Moore
  Victor Frederick Moore was an American actor of stage and screen, as well as a comedian, writer, and director.-Personal life:...
  
   : Sen. Oliver P. Loganberry
• Irène Bordoni
  Irène Bordoni
  Irène Bordoni was a French singer and a Broadway and film actress.-Early years:Born in Ajaccio, France, from an Italian family, she had been a child actor, performing in Paris on stage and in silent films for a few years, having signed with theatrical agent André Charlot...
  
   : Madame Yvonne Bordelaise
• April Ames : Emmy Lou
• Carol Bruce
  Carol Bruce
  Carol Bruce was an American band singer, Broadway star, and film and television actress.Bruce was born Shirley Levy in Great Neck, New York, the daughter of Beatrice and Harry Levy. She began her career as a singer in the late 1930s with Larry Clinton and his band...
  
   : Beatrice
• Robert Pitkin : Colonel Davis

Songs

Act I

• The Letter - Sam Liebowitz
• Apologia - Secretary, Sam Liebowitz and Ensemble
• Sex Marches On - Jim Taylor, Col. Davis D. Davis, Sr., Davis D. Davis, Jr., Dean Manning and Police Captain Whitfield
• Louisiana Purchase - Beatrice, The Martins, the Buccaneers and Ensemble
• Tomorrow Is a Lovely Day - Madame Bordelaise
• Louisiana Purchase (Reprise) - Beatrice, Emmy-Lou, Lee Davis, The Martins and Ensemble
• Outside of That I Love You - Jim Taylor and Marina van Linden
• You're Lonely and I'm Lonely - Marina van Linden and Senator Oliver P. Loganberry
• (Dance with Me) Tonight at the Mardi Gras - The Martins

Act I

• Latins Know How - Madame Bordelaise and Ensemble
• What Chance Have I (with Love) - Senator Oliver P. Loganberry
• The Lord Done Fixed Up My Soul - Beatrice, Abner, the Buccaneers and Ensemble
• Fools Fall in Love - Jim Taylor and Marina van Linden
• Old Man's Darling- Young Man's Slave? - Marina van Linden, Spirit of Jim Taylor and Spirit of Senator Loganberry
• You Can't Brush Me Off - Emmy-Lou, Lee Davis and The Martins

External links

• Louisiana Purchase at the Internet Broadway Database