EDWARD GROSS

presents

"ST. LOUIS
WOMAN"

a new musical comedy
about the gaudy nineties

Music by HAROLD ARLEN

Lyrics by JOHNNY MERCER

Book by ARNA BONTEMPS and COUNTEE CULLEN

Directed and Designed by LEMUEL AYERS
with

The Nicholas Brothers · Ruby Hill

Rex Ingram · Pearl Bailey · June Hawkins

Dance Direction by ANTONY TUDOR

Musical Director LEON LEONARDI

AN ALLIANCE PRODUCTION

SHUBERT THEATRE
NEW HAVEN

3 Days, Beginning Thursday, February 14th
MATINEE SATURDAY

“ST. LOUIS WOMAN”

Colorful and tuneful "St. Louis Woman" is set in a happy-go-lucky community in old St. Louis at the turn of the century. It tells of the short-lived luck at the race track of Little Augie, a tiny Negro jockey, and his everlasting love for glamorous Della Green, most sought after beauty in her set. The book was written with humor and sympathy by Arna Bontemps and the late poet, Countee Cullen.

With this lavish production, Edward Gross, whose last offering was the hilarious "Chicken Every Sunday," establishes himself as one of Broadway's most astute and generous producers.

He has assembled a cast of brilliant artists. He has wisely engaged Harold Arlen to compose the music, and Johnny Mercer to write the lyrics. The former is now represented on Broadway by the musical score of the hit "Bloomer Girl," and the latter is responsible for the lyrics in "The Harvey Girls." Together they are responsible for "Accentuate The Positive," "Blues in the Night," "Old Black Magic," etc.

He has engaged Lemuel Ayers, the scenic artist of "Okla-homa!" and "Bloomer Girl," to direct and design this kaleide-scopic musical; Antony Tudor to direct the dances; and Leon Leonardi to wield the baton.

The large cast is headed by The Nicholas Brothers, well-known as a dancing team; Ruby Hill, a glamorous newcomer to the theatre, Rex Ingram, Pearl Bailey, and June Hawkins, and includes Juanita Hall, Robert Pope, Elwood Smith, Car-rington Lewis, Creighton Thompson, Maude Russell, Louis Sharp, Milton Wood, Milton J. Williams, and sixty others.

"St. Louis Woman" is sponsored by Alliance Produc-tions, an organization particularly established to produce legitimate stage plays of distinction.

491

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BOOK NOTES

Elsie Warren Stokes

WINDOM'S WAY by James Ramsey Ullman and MUSIC OUT OF DIXIE by Harold Sinclair have two qualities in common, excellent writing and a pre-occupation with racial prejudices, but otherwise they are as far removed from each other as their locals—the Far East and New Orleans, U. S. A.

Ullman's first novel, THE WHITE TOWER was an instant and continuing success; his second RIVER OF THE SUN was a Book of the Month Selection, but it is fairly safe to predict that WINDOM'S WAY will bring fresh laurels and a wider audience than either, for the central character is a doctor, (sure fire appeal) and the story, beside the aforementioned problem of race, deals with the livest issue of our times, the attempt of the Communists to seize everything in sight. The counter attempt of the U. S. A. to combat the issue is also outlined but the true value of the book lies in its presentation of Dr. Windom's theory that human beings need each other however different their color or political creed. Every minor character is well drawn, the jungle scene is authentic, and the entire novel is a literary and social achievement. Although the love interest seems to be thrust in, rather than to have "just growed!"

MUSIC OUT OF DIXIE is a Negro YOUNG MAN WITH A HORN that will bring pure enjoyment to anyone who appreciates good writing and good music. Life in New Orleans from the point of view of an artist has never been more realistically and poignantly portrayed. Dade Tarrant, the little Negro orphan whose whole soul is music, lives his existence in the Red Light and saloon district of our most colorful city. The sordidness of the surroundings are not emphasized, for to Dade they were not sordid. He knew no other. We follow his career that includes playing piano in brothels, clarinet in night clubs, on brewery advertising wagons and show boat, with a short tour with the Southern Minstrels, always with a mounting tempo of his talent and his execution of the kind of music that Dade himself did not understand why it was called Jazz. One value of the book to collectors is a list of all the popular jazz and folk tunes that were played during the time that Dade was contributing so many of his own compositions to the impressive whole.

Only one note of bitterness creeps in at the last when "Doc" a well educated Jamaica musician who gave Dade his first piano lessons, tells his life history in a few hearttrending words.

Harold Sinclair has woven a spell that throbs with music in this outstanding piece of fiction.

When you buy, say you saw it in the PLAYHOUSE PROGRAM!

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Three

# How "St. Louis Woman" Was Born

By ARNA BONTEMPS

(co-author with Countee Cullen, of the book of "St. Louis Woman")

First there was a little brown man—an old relation of ours—who came to live with us in the West. He was thin and frail and no taller than a child, and his clothes were not in good order the first time I saw him, but we soon gathered that his wanderings had been Homeric and that he had missed few excitements along the way. As a small boy, I did not recognize him as a "character," but almost immediately he brought a new quality to our small world of fruit trees, poultry houses and spring wagons. Telling his dreams at the breakfast table, reciting strange poetry as we dug in the potato patch, recalling bright experiences from his past as we walked to the grocery store, he gradually admitted us to his own wonderful universe.

A few years later when I started writing my first novel, the little brown man was so fresh and

Four

vivid in my mind I never once had a chance to even contemplate another subject till I had disposed of my memories of him. Of course, our old relation was not called Lil Augie and he was never a jockey, but he had followed the horses and amassed a wealth of information about them and their riders, and I never doubted that he might have been one of the latter had he elected to do so.

The novel which resulted was published in 1931 under the title of "God Sends Sunday." Reviews were very friendly, but I have since been convinced that 1931 was not a favorable year for first novels by unknown writers about Negro jockeys and their pals in the nineties. Among the friendly reviewers of the story, however, was Lawrence Stallings, then connected with the New York Sun. About a week after

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his review appeared, Mr. Stallings, himself one of the authors of "What Price Glory," suggested to me that he saw a play in my novel. I was pleased for a moment but promptly dismissed the idea from my mind. Then a few days later Countee Cullen, the gifted young poet, came to visit us and I told him what Stallings had said. That was the beginning of the play "St. Louis Woman."

Cullen returned a few nights later and insisted that he and I undertake a dramatization of the novel together. I was shy about attempting a play and he was equally reluctant to try one alone, but he was convinced that by working together we might encourage each other and probably bring off a passable job. I let myself be influenced and the writing began forthwith.

We worked evenings at my apartment, one of us thumbing through the novel, reading passages and dictating while the other typed. Within a month, perhaps, the job was finished, but efforts to place the play moved slowly, though many who saw our manuscript expressed warm interest. Seasons passed with first one producer and then another holding the play for a while and then relinquishing it.

We had first written the play as a straight drama. When Edward Gross got interested in it a few years ago, he promptly decided that he saw something even better in it: a play with music. That called for a new version, which Cullen and I promptly provided. It was then that Mr. Gross astonished us almost out of our wits by revealing that he had enlisted Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer for music and lyrics. As old admirers of "Stormy Weather," "Blues in the Night," and "Accentuate the Positive," we were both overjoyed.

The production, as it developed, made us equally happy. The fact that Rouben Mamoulian had won directorial destinction with "Porgy" would have made him ideal for our material, and of course our knowledge of his subsequent achievements with Oklahoma and Carousel aroused our enthusiasm and gave us promise of the direction the play needed. That promise was fully realized and we are most grateful to Mr. Mamoulian for his splendid help. The sets, the costumes, and the excellent cast struck us as superbly satisfactory.

The Broadway production of "St. Louis Woman" played 113 performances at the Martin Beck Theatre in 1946. Since then the show has been in moth balls, though plans for its revival or adaptation to the screen or television have been discussed periodically and some of them are still pending. Actually the production by the Nashville Community Playhouse is its first post-Broadway showing, and this represents a new milestone in the long journey of Lil Augie. Others have considered doing the show with a white cast, including Frank Sinatra, but it has remained for Howard Orms and his company to turn the trick. Cullen and I thought from the first that this was possible.

In its final shape "St. Louis Woman" remains a folk play. It has nothing to do with the weightier problems of our day. It is a love story. Its theme is the struggle of simple people to add a note of grace and beauty to the dark tones of life as they know it. I hope this subject is still admissible.

(A different version of this article appeared in the Boston Post.)

Five

MUSICAL PROGRAM

Act I

<table><tr><td>1. Little Augie Is a Natural Man</td><td>Badfoot</td></tr><tr><td>2. Limericks</td><td>Ensemble</td></tr><tr><td>3. Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home</td><td>Della and Ensemble</td></tr><tr><td>4. I Feel My Luck Comin' Down</td><td>Augie and Ensemble</td></tr><tr><td>5. I Had Myself a True Love</td><td>Lila</td></tr><tr><td>6. Legalize My Name</td><td>Butterfly</td></tr><tr><td>7. Cakewalk</td><td>Ensemble</td></tr></table>

Act II

<table><tr><td>1. Come Rain or Come Shine</td><td>Della and Augie</td></tr><tr><td>2. Chinquapin Bush</td><td>Piggie and Celestine</td></tr><tr><td>3. We Shall Meet to Part No Never</td><td>Piggie</td></tr><tr><td>4. Lullaby</td><td>Della</td></tr><tr><td>5. Sleep Peaceful Mr. Used-To-Be</td><td>Lila</td></tr><tr><td>6. Leavin' Time</td><td>Ensemble</td></tr></table>

Act III

<table><tr><td>1. Come Rain or Come Shine</td><td>Della and Augie</td></tr><tr><td>2. It's a Woman's Perogative</td><td>Butterfly</td></tr><tr><td>3. Ridin' on the Moon</td><td>Augie and Ensemble</td></tr><tr><td>4. That's My Opinion</td><td>Badfoot</td></tr><tr><td>5. Finale</td><td>Ensemble</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2">Ridin' on the Moon</td></tr></table>

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TECHNICAL CREW

<table><tr><td>Production Manager</td><td>CHRISTINE TIBBOTT</td></tr><tr><td>Stage Manager</td><td>HOWARD ORMS</td></tr><tr><td>Ass't Stage Manager</td><td>MIKE MATTIOLE</td></tr><tr><td>Prompter</td><td>SALLY RUSSELL</td></tr><tr><td>Music Advisers</td><td>PHIL SLATES, BOBBY JEAN STEELE</td></tr><tr><td>Technician</td><td>CURRY HEARN</td></tr><tr><td>Light Crew</td><td>BILL ALDER, JO McCARTY</td></tr><tr><td>Property Crew</td><td>BETTY VerDUIN, HELEN MacGREGOR, PATY ARMSTRONG, LIB ROLLER</td></tr><tr><td>Costume Crew</td><td>HATTIE HOUSTON, JEANNE LECROYE, LILIAN ARMSTRONG, CLARE MARTIN, RACHEL DOODY, MRS. KARL SOLLMANN</td></tr><tr><td>Make-Up</td><td>ELAINE BULLIS ORMS</td></tr><tr><td>Stage Crew and Paint</td><td>BOB JONES, WALTER DUNLAP, BOB ARMSTRONG, C. A. NELSON, FLOY BEATTY, JOEL GREENBERG, LIB ROLLER, BETTY WEESNER, SHAD McGOVERN, LILIAN TAYLOR, CURRY HEARN</td></tr></table>

CREDITS

Furniture for Augie and Della's room courtesy H. COHEN FURNITURE CO.

Tables and Chairs in Bar Scene courtesy CANDYLAND

Funeral chairs courtesy FINLEY, DORRIS & CHARLTON

Horseshoe floral courtesy SMOOTS FLOWERS

Floral baskets courtesy JOY'S

Walking canes, camera and riding crops courtesy BURK & CO.

Camera equipment courtesy MELROSE CAMERA SHOP

Saddle and bridle courtesy S. B. SWAGGERTY MFG. CO.

Cake walking cake courtesy BOKAY'S

Umbrellas courtesy HARVEY'S DISPLAY DEPT.

Eleven

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OUT FRONT

<table><tr><td>House Manager</td><td>LYNN PEAL, HENRY McELROY</td></tr><tr><td>Box Office</td><td>JAMES BAILEY</td></tr><tr><td>Publicity</td><td>MRS. HENRY McELROY</td></tr><tr><td>Photography</td><td>KEN SPAIN</td></tr><tr><td>Door-Men</td><td>SAM EASON, CHARLES E. JOHNSTONE</td></tr></table>

PROGRAM STAFF

<table><tr><td>Editor</td><td>Billy Houston</td><td>Cover</td><td>Dale Vick</td></tr><tr><td>Business Manager</td><td>Sara Jane Johnson</td><td>Calling All Stars</td><td>Leila Douglas</td></tr><tr><td>Advertising Committee</td><td colspan="3">Liz McElroy, Henry McElroy, Joe Thompson, Jr.</td></tr></table>

Visit

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1721 TWENTY-FIRST AVE., S.

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PAINTINGS AND PRINTS

FRAMES AND FURNITURE

NASHVILLE COMMUNITY PLAYHOUSE

Seventeenth Season—1951-52

STAFF

<table><tr><td>Director</td><td>HOWARD R. ORMS</td></tr><tr><td>Business Manager</td><td>MARTHA GILLESPIE</td></tr></table>

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

<table><tr><td>President</td><td>WHITWORTH STOKES</td></tr><tr><td>First Vice-President</td><td>HENRY F. McELROY</td></tr><tr><td>Second Vice-President</td><td>JAMES DENHAM</td></tr><tr><td>Secretary</td><td>CATHERINE WINNIA</td></tr><tr><td>Treasurer</td><td>F. K. W. DRURY</td></tr><tr><td>MRS. COURTENAY MARSHALL</td><td>BILLY HOUSTON</td></tr><tr><td>MRS. CHRISTINE SLAYDEN TIBBOTT</td><td>CAROLYN BINKLEY</td></tr><tr><td>MRS. HENRY BLOKER</td><td>ROBERT BOOTH</td></tr><tr><td>JAMES BAILEY</td><td>VINCE HARDING</td></tr><tr><td>SAM TARPLEY</td><td></td></tr></table>

WHEN IN NEW YORK

NASHVILLE PEOPLE

STOP AT

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59 West Forty-Sixth Street, New York City

Thirteen

LISTEN TO

LARRY JOHNSON

Disc Jockey Derby

OVER WNAH

1360 On Your Dial

2:30-4:00 P.M.

JUDY MENEELY (Chorus) is a member of the Nashville Junior Players. Currently at West High, this New Yorker by birth is appearing in her first Playhouse production.

CATHY WALKER (Chorus) since her school days at Peabody has been holding down a secretarial position at Vanderbilt. She has appeared in a number of musical productions and belonged to Mask and Slipper Dramatics Society at Sul Ross State College in her native state of Texas.

MIM ANNE HOUK (Chorus) hasn't appeared in any stage shows since her college days at Vanderbilt where she was cast in STAGE DOOR and appeared

in stunt nights. The mother of a boy and a girl, Mim Ann is a busy housewife.

ANN PARKER (Chorus) will be another June graduate in the Hillsboro procession. A member of the Dramatic Club there, Ann stored up acting experience in Circle, Children's Theater and Playhouse shows.

WADE THOMAS (Walter), a florist designer by profession, left his native Huntingdon to take up residence in the Athens of the South in 1935. Being stationed with the Eighth Air Force in London, afforded Wade the opportunity to glean a bit of singing experience.

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West End at Natchez Trace

Eighteen

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ROBERT COTHRAN (Set Designer) is the fellow that has made your eyes pop out with his sets for ANTIGONE, STRANGERS IN THIS WORLD, MIKADO and many others at Vanderbilt. Bob hails from Alabama, is also versatile with music and acting and book-learned at Vanderbilt and U. T. He has recently been accepted by the Yale School of Drama where he will probably show them a thing or two about stylized sets, of which he is a past master as witness this present one.

NICK LAMBOS (Dance Director), better-known as Nashville's Rhumba King, holds down a job as dance director at the Pauline School of the Dance. After Peabody he attended the Chicago National Association.

JOHN ED BERRY (Lighting Designer) calls Texas home tho at the moment he is visiting our Uncle Sam at Smyrna Air Base where he is a Lt. John designed lighting and sets for the Houston arena theatre, the Alley, before donning the uniform. Locally he is responsible for that wonderful lighting at the Circle for their last production THE FATAL WEAKNESS and the MEDEA playreading.

LEWIS BURTON (Costumes) is lending a helping hand to the Playhouse costuming for the first time although he has acquired experience in this phase of theater with the Circle Players where he has also handled sets. Off on a globe-trotting spree by this time, Lewis stored up booklearning at Peabody.

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Nineteen

"ROSE MARIE,"

produced by the Messrs. Shubert, opens a two week engagement at the Boston Opera House on Monday evening, February 11. Rudolf Friml's colorful operetta is about the love of a Northwest "Mountie" for a little Indian girl. Melodies in the Friml score include "Totem Tom Tom," "The Indian Love Call," "Rose Marie I Love You." Matinees first week on Wednesday and Saturday; second week, on Friday (Washington's Birthday) and Saturday.

"THE MERRY WIDOW,"

also offered by the Messrs. Shubert, begins a two week engagement at the Boston Opera House on Monday evening, February 25. Music is by Franz Lehar and includes such gems as "The Merry Widow Waltz," "Vilia," "Women" and "Maxim's." This production played five sellout weeks in Boston last year and is returning now by popular demand. Superb casts of singers, dancers and comedians, with 40 selected voices and an augmented orchestra will appear. Matinees both weeks on Wednesday and Saturday.

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## SHUBERT THEATRE

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TELEPHONE, PENNYPACKER 3347
DIRECTION OF MESSRS. SHUBERT

THE PLAYGOER → IS PUBLISHED BY → PHILADELPHIA GENERAL ADVERTISING CO.

Week Beginning Monday, March 11, 1946

EDWARD GROSS

presents

a new musical play

### ST. LOUIS WOMAN

Music by HAROLD ARLEN

Lyrics by JOHNNY MERCER

(Based on the novel "God Sends Sunday," by Arna Bontemps)
Production directed by

ROUBEN MAMOULIAN

Settings and Costumes by LEMUEL AYERS

with

THE NICHOLAS BROTHERS

PEARL BAILEY

REX INGRAM

RUBY HILL

JUNE HAWKINS

JUANITA HALL

Dances by Antony Tudor

Musical Director, Leon Leonardi

CAST

(In the order in which they speak)

BADFOOT

LITTLE AUGIE

ROBERT POPE

HAROLD NICHOLAS

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## NOW PLAYING IN THE PHILADELPHIA LEGITIMATE THEATRES

### FORREST

"The Desert Song" with Harry Stockwell, star of "Oklahoma", presented by Russel Lewis and Howard Young.

### WALNUT

"Deep Are the Roots." 'A-1 Entertainment.' Presented by Kermit Bloomgarden and George Heller.

### LOCUST

"Miss Jones." Ruth Gordon's New Comedy. Staged by Garson Kanin and presented by Max Gordon.

Where
Show Folks
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*Dining Pleasure*

Before
and After
the Theatre.

FRANKIE

Bradley's

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MEET AND EAT AT

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Charcoal Broiled Steaks
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GOOD LIQUORS
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<table><tr><td>2. Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home</td><td>Della</td></tr><tr><td>3. I Feel My Luck Comin' Down</td><td>Augie</td></tr><tr><td>4. True Love</td><td>Lila</td></tr><tr><td>5. Legalize My Name</td><td>Butterfly</td></tr></table>

5. Legalize My Name

6. Cake Walk Your Lady

a. Quartet

b. Competing Couples:

1. Betty Nichols and Small Boykins

2. Dorothy Green and Frank Green

3. Rita Garrett and Theodore Allen

4. Royce Wallace and Lonny Reed

Rhoda Boggs, Rosalie King, Robert Pope, Milton J. Williams

5. Enid Williams and George Thomas

6. Pearl Bailey and Fayard Nicholas

7. Gwendolyn Hale and Norman DeJoie

8. Ruby Hill and Harold Nicholas

### ACT II

<table><tr><td>1. Come Rain, Come Shine</td><td>Della and Augie</td></tr><tr><td>2. Lullaby</td><td>Della</td></tr><tr><td>3. A Man's Gotta Fight</td><td>Augie and Shadow</td></tr><tr><td>4. Sleep Peaceful</td><td>Lila</td></tr></table>

3. A Man's Gotta Fight

4. Sleep Peaceful

5. Funeral Parlor

a. Talkin' Glory

b. Leavin' Time

Choral Group

Choral Group

### ACT III

<table><tr><td>1. Reprise: Come Rain, Come Shine</td><td>Della and Augie</td></tr><tr><td>2. A Woman's Prerogative</td><td>Butterfly</td></tr><tr><td>3. Racin' Form</td><td>Leah and Dancers</td></tr><tr><td>4. High, Low, Jack and the Game</td><td>Della and Ragsdale</td></tr><tr><td>5. 'S One Thing You Gotta Find Out Yourself</td><td>Badfoot</td></tr></table>

2. A Woman's Prerogative

3. Racin' Form

4. High, Low, Jack and the Game

13

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## Return of Two Weylin Veterans

STEVEN ILES

IN NAVY FOR 3 YEARS
Popular Keyboard Genius

HAROLD WOODALL

IN ARMY OVER 3 YEARS
At the Piano

At the Cocktail Hour
AND

After the Theatre

MILTON PAIGE

Artistic Pianologists

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# WHAT'S WHAT

Gentlemen: Will you please tell me who took the part of Magnolia in the first production of "Show Boat"? Thank you.

—Mrs. W. Van D., Cazenovia, N. Y.

That was Norma Terris as Magnolia, in both the original Ziegfeld production at the Ziegfeld Theatre, 1927-29, and the revival in 1932 at the Casino Theatre.

Dear Sir: I would appreciate your giving me the following information. The complete original cast and opening date in New York of "The Guardsman" with Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne.
—H. S., N. Y. C.

"The Guardsman" opened at the Garrick Theatre, New York, on October 13, 1924 (subsequently moving to the Booth, then back to the Garrick). The cast was as follows:

<table><tr><td>The Actor</td><td>Alfred Lunt</td></tr><tr><td>The Actress, his wife...</td><td>Lynn Fontanne</td></tr><tr><td>The Critic</td><td>Dudley Digges</td></tr><tr><td>Mama</td><td>Helen Westley</td></tr><tr><td>Liesl</td><td>Edith Meiser</td></tr><tr><td>Creditor</td><td>Philip Loeb</td></tr><tr><td>An Usher</td><td>Kathryn Wilson</td></tr></table>

Gentlemen: Could you please tell me who sang a song called "A Heat Wave" in the show "As Thousands Cheer"? Also, did Ethel Merman sing that same song or a similar one in "Panama Hattie"?

—Mrs. E. F. R., N. Y. C.

It was Ethel Waters who sang Irving Berlin's "Heat Wave" song in "As Thousands Cheer." This song was featured in a skit called "Heat Wave Hits New York."

Ethel Merman didn't sing it in "Panama Hattie," for which Cole Porter wrote the score.

THE PLAYBILL welcomes requests for professional, not personal, information about plays and players. Enclose a stamped, self-addressed envelope if a direct reply is desired. What's What, The Playbill, 108 Wooster Street.

7

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6

PLAYS
THAT
YOU'LL
ENJOY!

KERMIT BLOOMGARDEN & GEORGE HELLER
present

DEEP ARE THE ROOTS

A New Play by
ARNAUD d'USSEAU and JAMES GOW
Staged by ELIA KAZAN

FULTON, 46th St., W. of B'way
Eves. 8:40. Mats. Wed. & Sat. 2:40

THE PLAYWRIGHTS' COMPANY presents
**BETTY FIELD**

in ELMER RICE'S new comedy

**DREAM GIRL**
Staged by the Author
Settings by Jo Mielziner

CORONET Theatre, 49th St., W. of B'way
Eves. 8:35. Mats. Wed. & Sat. 2:35

7th YEAR! OSCAR SERLIN presents
Clarence Day's

**LIFE WITH FATHER**
Made into a play by
Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse

with WALLIS CLARK and LILY CAHILL
BIJOU Theatre, 45th St., W. of B'way
Eves incl. Sun. 8:40. Mats. Sat. & Sun. 2:40
No Mon. Perf.

EDWARD GROSS presents

**ST. LOUIS WOMAN**
Music by HAROLD ARLEN
Lyrics by JOHNNY MERCER

Book by
ARNA BONTEMPS & COUNTEE CULLEN
PRODUCTION DIRECTED BY

**ROUBEN MAMOULIAN**
Settings and costumes by Lemuel Ayers
with The Nicholas Bros, Pearl Bailey, Rex Ingram,
Muriel Rahn, June Hawkins, Juanita Hall
Dances by Charles Walters

MARTIN BECK Theatre, 45 St., W. of 8th Ave.
Matinees Wed. & Sat.

PAULA STONE & HUNT STROMBERG, JR.
present

VICTOR HERBERT'S
**THE RED MILL**

with Eddie Foy, Jr., Jack Whiting,
Odette Myrtil, Dorothy Stone
46th ST. THEATRE, West of B'way
Eves. 8:30. Matinees Wed. & Sat. 2:30

ALFRED de LIAGRE, Jr. presents
Martha Scott & John Beal
in JOHN van DRUTEN'S Comedy

**THE VOICE OF THE TURTLE**
with VICKI CUMMINGS

MOROSCO Theatre, 45th Street, West of Broadway
Eves. 8:35. Matinees Wed. & Sat. 2:35

9

12

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<table><tr><td>LILA</td><td>JUNE HAWKINS</td></tr><tr><td>SLIM</td><td>LOUIS SHARP</td></tr><tr><td>BUTTERFLY</td><td>PEARL BAILEY</td></tr><tr><td>DELLA GREEN</td><td>RUBY HILL</td></tr><tr><td>BIGLOW BROWN</td><td>REX INGRAM</td></tr><tr><td>RAGSDALE</td><td>ELWOOD SMITH</td></tr><tr><td>PEMBROKE</td><td>MERRITT SMITH</td></tr><tr><td>JASPER</td><td>CHARLES WELCH</td></tr><tr><td>THE HOSTESS</td><td>MAUDE RUSSELL</td></tr><tr><td>DRUM MAJOR</td><td>J. MARDO BROWN</td></tr><tr><td>MISSISSIPPI</td><td>MILTON J. WILLIAMS</td></tr><tr><td>DANDY DAVE</td><td>FRANK GREEN</td></tr><tr><td>LEAH</td><td>JUANITA HALL</td></tr><tr><td>JACKIE</td><td>JOSEPH EADY</td></tr><tr><td>CELESTINE</td><td>YVONNE COLEMAN</td></tr><tr><td>PIGGIE</td><td>HERBERT COLEMAN</td></tr></table>

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19

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Hosiery ... Gloves
Underthings ... Lingerie

## MUSICAL NUMBERS

Orchestrations by Ted Royal, Allan Small, Menotti Salta, and Walter Paul.
Choral Arrangements by Leon Leonardi.

## ACT I.

Overture ................................................... Orchestra

1. Li'l Augie Is a Natural Man .................................... Badfoot

2. Any Place I Hang My Hat Is Home .................................... Della

3. I Feel My Luck Comin' Down ............................................ Augie

4. True Love .................................................................... Lila

5. Legalize My Name .................................................... Butterfly

6. Cake Walk Your Lady

a. Drum Major .................................................... J. Mardo Brown

b. Quartet .................................................... Rhoda Boggs, Rosalie King, Robert Pope, Milton J. Williams

c. Competing Couples:

1. Betty Nichols and Smalls Boykins

2. Rita Garrett and Theodore Allen

3. Dorothea Green and Milton Wood

5. Gwendolyn Hale and Norman DeJoie

6. Enid Williams and George Thomas

7. Pearl Bailey and Fayard Nicholas

26

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LISTEN TO
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Wednesday Evenings CBS

and
MEET ME AT PARKY'S
Sunday Evenings NBC

WHO'S WHO IN THE CAST

(Continued)

JUANITA HALL (Leah) was last seen here in "Secret Room." She started her career as a choral director for concerts and radio, then made her stage debut in the original cast of "Showboat." Recently Miss Hall played in "Sing Out, Sweet Land" for the Theatre Guild; in "Janie," and before that in "The Pirate" with the Lunts.

ROBERT POPE (Badfoot) started his career as the leader of a quartet called the Groove-neers, which played in Philadelphia's vaude-ville houses. Hailing from Monroe, Ga., he came to New York in 1936 and soon found himself swamped with offers to make records of his rhythms, many of the songs being of his own composition.

ELWOOD SMITH (Ragsdale) is a recruit from the New Orleans Opera Company. For the last year he has been a regular member of the American Negro Theatre. He made his debut at the Cafe Society Downtown in New York.

LOUIS SHARP (Slim) made his debut in "Green Pastures," and has played in "Mamba's Daughters," "Cabin in the Sky," and the London production of "Blackbirds."

MAUDE RUSSELL (The Hostess), another alumna of "Mamba's Daughters," also acted in "Dark Eyes."

CREIGHTON THOMPSON (Preacher), an original member of the Lafayette Stock Company, was a concert artist in Europe for twenty years before returning to the U. S. to join the Merchant Marine.

MILTON J. WILLIAMS (Mississippi) was the original bootblack in "Born Yesterday," and has acted in "Green Pastures," "Harlem," and "Cabin in the Sky."

MILTON WOOD (Mr. Hopkins) was last in "Anna Lucasta," and before that in "The Tempest," "Carmen Jones," and "Abe Lincoln in Illinois."

CARRINGTON LEWIS (Waiter) played in "Sing Out the News," "Porgy and Bess," "Of Mice and Men," "Little Foxes" and "Green Pastures."

J. MARDO BROWN (Drum Major), of the original 1927 cast of "Showboat," also acted in "Shuffle Along."

(Continued on page 28)

27

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10

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11

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in

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19

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CAST—(Continued)

<table><tr><td>MISSISSIPPI</td><td>MILTON J. WILLIAMS</td></tr><tr><td>YOUNG DANDY</td><td>FRANK GREEN</td></tr><tr><td>LEAH</td><td>JUANITA HALL</td></tr><tr><td>JOHN JASPER</td><td>JOSEPH EADY</td></tr><tr><td>CELESTINE</td><td>YVONNE COLEMAN</td></tr><tr><td>PIGGIE</td><td>HERBERT COLEMAN</td></tr><tr><td>JOSHUA</td><td>LORENZO FULLER</td></tr><tr><td>MR. HOPKINS</td><td>MILTON WOOD</td></tr><tr><td>PREACHER</td><td>CARRINGTON LEWIS</td></tr><tr><td>WAITER</td><td>JERRY LAWS</td></tr><tr><td>A SARATOGA MAN</td><td>ARTHUR LAWSON</td></tr><tr><td>RAGSDALE'S FRIEND</td><td>MAUDE RUSSELL</td></tr><tr><td>A SARATOGA WOMAN</td><td>ROYCE WALLACE</td></tr><tr><td>ANOTHER SARATOGA WOMAN</td><td></td></tr></table>

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23

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STAFF FOR EDWARD GROSS

<table><tr><td>General Manager</td><td>Rube Bernstein</td></tr><tr><td>Press Representative</td><td>Phyllis Perlman</td></tr><tr><td>Production Assistant</td><td>Nelson Gross</td></tr><tr><td>General Stage Manager</td><td>William McFadden</td></tr><tr><td>Stage Manager</td><td>Ed Brinkman</td></tr><tr><td>Master Carpenter</td><td>Hans Hansen</td></tr><tr><td>Master Electrician</td><td>Thomas J. Connell</td></tr><tr><td>Master of Properties</td><td>Michael Alper</td></tr><tr><td>Wardrobe Mistress</td><td>Grace Spitz</td></tr><tr><td>Production Secretary</td><td>Sylvia Shapiro</td></tr></table>

"ST. LOUIS WOMAN" IS OWNED BY ALLIANCE PRODUCTIONS, INC.

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33

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34

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35

Edward Gross
Producer

With his lavish production of "St. Louis Woman" delighting large audiences, Edward Gross establishes himself as one of Broadway's most astute and generous producers. Fortunate enough to discover the playscript by Arna Bontemps and the late Countee Cullen, he wisely sought out Harold Arlen to compose a musical score and Johnny Mercer to write the lyrics. With those ingredients as a happy start, he began assembling a cast of brilliant artists, and in the doing showed himself to be an indefatigable dynamo, a fiend for work.

He personally thinks his greatest coup was in getting Rouben Mamoulian, sensitive and creative director, to stage the production.

He has made seven cross country trips in con-
nection with "St. Louis Woman," most of them
to Hollywood, where he signed up motion picture
actors, directors, and dancers. He induced Lemuel
Avers, brilliant scenic artist who was established
at the Metro Studios, to return east to design the

costumes and scenery. Gross traveled to some forty
cities, visiting dramatic schools, conservatories,
night clubs, and choral societies in his search for a
glamorous leading lady, but ultimately out of more
than 500 applicants, chose Ruby Hill, a sultry
singer with a natural talent for acting, back in
New York. He sent her to Hollywood where the
authors and songwriters then were, for their ap-
proval and some special coaching; then followed
to recruit the rest of the cast, most of whom, like
the dancing Nicholas Brothers, Rex Ingram, and
Pearl Bailey, were working in the cinema studios.

This modus operandi is not new to Mr. Gross. His last production on Broadway was the hilarious "Chicken Every Sunday," which he kept running for more than 300 performances. He has produced more than forty motion pictures as an independent producer in Hollywood, and has been an official with several of the major cinema companies. The last picture he did before turning his talents to the legitimate theatre was "The Gladiator" with Joe E. Brown.

EDWARD GROSS
presents

ST. LOUIS WOMAN

a new musical play in three acts

Music by HAROLD ARLEN

Lyrics by JOHNNY MERCER

(based on the novel "God Sends Sunday," by Arna Bontemps)

-with-

THE NICHOLAS BROTHERS • PEARL BAILEY • REX INGRAM

RUBY HILL • JUNE HAWINS • JUANITA HALL

Dances by Charles Walters

FAYARD

HAROLD

When two brothers have been dancing together since childhood, it is not surprising that they prefer being identified as a team even though as in the case of The Nicholas Brothers, they have distinctly separate roles in "St. Louis Woman." Harold Nicholas, younger of these dancing demons of motion picture and night club fame, acts the leading male part, the romantic interest opposite glamorous Ruby Hill in this musical which boasts music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by Johnny Mercer. The play tells the story of a belle of the nineties and her love for a diminutive jockey, portrayed by Harold. The elder brother, Fayard, plays a rival jockey. Several times during the course of the play they dance together in their inimitable whirlwind fashion.

Fayard picked up his dancing tricks practically on the sidewalks of New York, their native city, and then proceeded to teach all he knew to his adoring seven year old brother Harold. Under the wings of Cab Calloway and Bill Robinson, Harold

soon was recognized as a spectacular child dancer, appearing in vaudeville houses until he was old enough to form a team with Fayard. They made their first professional appearance at the noted Cotton Club; then danced in "Babes In Arms" and in "Ziegfeld Follies" on Broadway, before they were enticed to Hollywood. Recent movies in which they have been featured are "Tin Pan Alley," "Sun Valley Serenade," "Down Argentine Way," "Orchestra Wives" and "Stormy Weather." While on the coast they played in Ken Murray's "Blackouts" for the first six months of its run. When Fayard was serving in the army from which he was released only recently, Harold danced solo at the Zanzibar in New York and the Latin Quarter in Chicago.

Both brothers are happy to be in a legitimate show again, and are enthusiastic about acting and dancing in a play that brings to life the carefree spirit that was characteristic of the St. Louis Negro colony at the turn of the century.

## The Nicholas Brothers

## Pearl Bailey

Pearl Bailey, whose style of singing has made her a favorite with collectors of records, as well as radio and night club devotees, has a large share in the fun making in "St. Louis Woman." Pearl deserves the generous applause she receives at every performance, for she literally "stops the show" when she sings the hilarious Harold Arlen-Johnny Mercer songs titled "Legalize My Name" and "A Woman's Prerogative."

Even when she was a child, in Newport News, Va., her brother Bill Bailey, famous dancer, began prophesying that Pearl would become a popular entertainer. When her father — a minister — was called to a new parish in Washington, D.C., her opportunities for public appearances increased. She

performed in night clubs, then toured the better vaudeville circuits.

It wasn't long before the popular band-leaders deluged her with offers, and she accepted the post of vocalist with Count Basie, and later with Cootie Williams. In 1941, she reached New York to sing at the Village Vanguard. Soon after, she was promoted to New York's swank night spot called Blue Angel, starring there for several seasons. She was invited to record her songs, and the discs she made soon attained spectacular sales. Just before Edward Gross engaged her as featured comedienne in the Rouben Mamoulian directed opus, Miss Bailey had been on a six months tour as a USO entertainer in the army camps.

Rouben
Mamoulian

Rouben Mamoulian's name shines like a bright
star in the theatrical firmament. His dynamic
energy and his creative imagination have made
him a force to conjure with in the theatre. He has
been associated with some of the finest productions
to reach the American stage in the last two decades.
But even before that, he had achieved a reputation
as an outstanding figure in Europe.

Mamoulian's first professional contact was with the Moscow Art Theatre Studio, whose methods he developed and transmuted into his own personal art form. He started traveling westward in 1921. Like a meteor he burst into the London theatrical world, winning high praise even with his first directorial assignment, "The Beating on the Door." After two years in England, he came to Rochester at the invitation of George Eastman, to produce opera in that city. It was natural that his reputation should spread. Soon the Theatre Guild lured him to Broadway, to direct the original version of "Porgy." In the intervening years he has devoted his directorial talents to some of their most successful offerings, such as "R.U.R.," "Wings Over Europe," "Marco Millions," "A Month in the Country," the George Gershwin musical "Porgy and Bess," and more recently, to the popular hits, "Oklahoma!" and "Carousel."

Not to be outdone by Broadway, Hollywood de-
manded his services. There he won further ac-
colades with his work on "Applause," "City

Streets," "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" (which was
awarded first prize at the 1932 International
Competition in Venice); "Love Me Tonight,"
"Song of Songs," "Queen Christina," "Becky
Sharp" (first film in technicolor); "Mark of Zorro,"
"Blood and Sand" (in color); and "The Gay
Desesperado," for which the New York critics ac-
claimed him best director of the year, etc.

These days Mamoulian divides his time be-
tween the east and west coasts. As a matter of
record, when "St. Louis Woman" was being born,
he had come to New York for his customary
semi-annual look at his two hits, "Oklahoma"
and "Carousel," and with no thought of working
on a new play. His plans were to direct the mu-
sical picture version of "Ah, Wilderness" for MGM,
but he was induced to postpone this assignment
by producer Edward Gross, who knew Mr. Mam-
oulian well enough to realize that "St. Louis
Woman" was the kind of play dear to the latter's
heart.

Actors adore working under his influence;
authors concede credit to him for helping them
brighten and tighten their scripts; producers con-
sider him an invaluable asset to their organization;
and what is rare praise for a director, audiences
recognize the Mamoulian touch which has so often
brought pleasure and excitement into the modern
theatre.

By ARNA BONTEMPS

A few years later when I started writing my
first novel, the little brown man was so fresh and
vivid in my mind I never once had a chance to
even contemplate another subject till I had dis-
posed of my memories of him. Of course, our old
relation was not called Lil Augie and he was
never a jockey, but he had followed the horses and
amassed a wealth of information about them and
their riders, and I never doubted that he might
have been one of the latter had he elected to do so.

The novel which resulted was published in 1931
under the title of "God Sends Sunday." Reviews
were very friendly, but I have since been convinced
that 1931 was not a favorable year for first novels
by unknown writers about Negro jockeys and their
pals in the nineties. Among the friendly reviewers
of the story, however, was Lawrence Stallings, then
connected with the New York Sun. About a week
after his review appeared, Mr. Stallings, himself
one of the authors of "What Price Glory," sug-
gested to me that he saw a play in my novel. I
was pleased for a moment but promptly dismissed
the idea from my mind. Then a few days later
Countee Cullen, the gifted young poet, came to
visit us and I told him what Stallings had said.
That was the beginning of the play "St. Louis
Woman."

We had at first written the play as a straight
drama. When Edward Gross got interested in it
about a year and a half ago, he promptly decided
that he saw something even better in it; a play with
music. That called for a new version, which Cullen
and I promptly provided. It was then that Mr.
Gross astonished us almost out of our wits by re-
vealing that he had enlisted Harold Arlen and
Johnny Mercer for music and lyrics. As old ad-
miners of "Stormy Weather," "Blues in the Night,"
and "Accentuate the Positive," we were both over-
joyed.

The production, as it developed, made us
equally happy. The fact that Rouben Mamoulian
had won directorial distinction with "Porgy"
would have made him ideal for our material, and
of course our knowledge of his subsequent achieve-
ments aroused our enthusiasm and gave us promise
of the direction the play needed. That promise
was fully realized and we are most grateful to Mr.
Mamoulian for his splendid help. The sets, the
costumes, and the excellent cast struck us as
superbly satisfactory.

(Reprinted by permission of the Boston Post).

## Harold Arlen

Competition among producers of musical plays is always keen for the services of Harold Arlen, as composer of their scores. This season Edward Gross, producer of "St. Louis Woman," comes up the lucky winner. For Mr. Arlen was being deluged with fabulous Hollywood offers, when the manuscript was brought to him, and the producer repeated what distinguished musicians have often said—to wit: "Harold Arlen knows better than any other living composer, not of their race, how to express the mood of the Negro people."

Since Arlen was intrigued by the idea of returning to Broadway, where his score for "Bloomer Girl" was delighting audiences even after two years, he read the script immediately, and just as swiftly waxed enthusiastic about its potentialities. Inspiration for the music flowed freely, and the lyrics by Johnny Mercer fitted Arlen's moods exquisitely. The two had been associated before in composing such songs as "Accentuate The Positive," "Old Black Magic," and "Blues in the Night," among others.

Many years ago Arlen achieved fame in the musical world for his near classic, "Stormy Weather." The fact that he is a prolific writer of music which a large public takes to its heart and voice, and sings easily, does not mean that he is a composer only of popular tunes. A serious musical composition called "American Negro Suite" has been played at important concerts, and been praised by leading musicians. Although young in years, he has a fabulous production record which has been rivalled by no other American composer since George Gershwin. Some of his better known songs include (besides those aforementioned) "Happiness Is A Thing Called Joe," "My Shining Hour," "It's Only A Paper Moon"; the Academy Award winning song "Over the Rainbow" from the picture

"Wizard of Oz," which is a complete Arlen score; and "I Got A Song" from "Bloomer Girl."

Arlen's career has all the earmarks of an American success story. Born in Buffalo, he began to sing publicly in his father's choir, where the praises of the community encouraged him to seek a professional job. He assembled his own band and earned "teen-age" money playing on Lake Erie excursion steamers. Seeking wider fields, he gathered his courage and came to New York. Because he was an accomplished pianist as well as a lad with a pleasant voice, he got a job as an arranger with a music publishing firm. From that he graduated to the theatre, by way of the orchestra in the "Scandals of 1928." Perfecting his talent as an improviser, Arlen developed a simple vamp into the song "Get Happy," his first hit tune. Since then he has gained fame as composer of the musical scores for many motion pictures, for "Life Begins at 8:40," "Hooray For What," "The Show Is On," and several editions of the "Vanities." He wrote the music for all the Cotton Club Revues between 1930 and 1934, in which Bill Robinson, Ethel Waters, then an ingenue, and Cab Calloway were star performers.

In "St. Louis Woman," Arlen has displayed an amazing versatility. His infectious melodies embrace love ballads, rhythm songs, spirituals, and blues, many of which, like "Come Rain Or Come Shine," "Ridin' On The Moon," and "True Love" are destined to become favorites in hit proportions.

## Johnny Mercer

Distinguished musicians, as well as his teen-age, bobby-sox fans have hailed Johnny Mercer as a songwriter with the south in his soul. Any poll of radio listeners lists him high up in the ranks of the favorites. His appearance on the Lucky Strike Hit Parade program is a signal for the autograph hounds to swarm at the entrance of the studio. No wonder then, that Edward Gross, producer of "St. Louis Woman" is praised for recruiting Mercer to write the catchy, clever and appropriate lyrics for his production. With music by Harold Arlen, some of the songs sung by Pearl Bailey, Harold Nicholas and Ruby Hill are now frequently heard on radio and in night clubs.

Mercer hails from Savannah, which explains his understanding of the Negro mood. His background has served as inspiration for many of his hit tunes. While at a military academy in Virginia, he wrote his first song at the age of 15. It was called "Sister Susie Strut Your Stuff." Two years later he came to New York to go on the stage.

After attaining a few bit parts with the Theatre Guild in "Volpone" and in "Marco Millions," he realized acting was not for him. The stage did bring him a great good fortune, however, for it introduced him to a young dancer who played with him in the 1931 "Garrick Gaieties." She was Ginger Meehan, and she is now his wife.

When Mercer decided to leave the stage and return to his first love, song-writing, he had another stroke of good luck. He met Paul Whiteman, who engaged him as a singer, read some of his lyrics, and encouraged him to choose songwriting as a career. His first song hit, in collaboration with Hoagy Carmichael, was "Lazymbones." A few years later, he met Harold Arlen, now his collaborator on "St. Louis Woman" songs. To Arlen's music, he wrote "Blues In The Night," "That Old Black Magic," "Accentuate The Positive," and numerous others.

Among the haunting songs to which he has contributed the lyrics are "Laura," and "Mandy Is Two," which is dedicated to his young daughter. The lyrics in the picture "The Harvey Girls" are also by Mercer, and include the irresistible "Atcheson, Topeka and Santa Fe."

This is Johnny Mercer's debut as a lyricist for the Broadway theatre, but he did the songs for a London production of "Blackbirds" in 1936. Several radio programs, among them the Chesterfield Music Shop Hour, the Campbell Soup program, and currently the Lucky Strike Hit Parade have increased their popularity because of Mercer's connection with them. An album of the songs from "St. Louis Woman" is now being issued by Capitol Records.

"Best New Musical

of the season . . . lively, smartly staged and played
by attractive and friendly people . . . infectious
melodies . . . as dancers the Nicholases are un-
rivaled . . . Ruby Hill is remarkably handsome."

—John Chapman, News

"All colored, all very fine . . . altogether a very
satisfactory evening—one of the best."

—Wolcott Gibbs, New Yorker Magazine

"Quite beautiful and a great lot of fun . . . delight-
ful musical. When the final curtain descended, I
felt I should have liked to see the whole thing all
over again."

—Burton Rascoe, World-Telegram

"A Negro company which quite probably could
dance its way to heaven."

—Lewis Nichols, Times

"Fast musical . . . delighted the first nighters and
had them blistering their palms applauding . . .
Miss Bailey sings naughty wordage with childlike
innocence. She had the audience cheering."

—Robert Coleman, Mirror

"Colorful, fast moving, never dull."

—Vernon Rice, Eve. Post

"Sleekest and most exciting Negro musical play
seen on Broadway in years."

—Arthur Pollock, Bklyn. Eagle

"Finest Negro musical to hit Broadway in many,
many a moon."

—Elsa Maxwell, Eve. Post

"Edward Gross has endowed it with a superb cast,
colorful settings and opulent costumes. The lead-
ing roles are brilliantly sung and acted."

—Hal Eaton, Star-Ledger

"Superior and fast moving . . . witty lines and a
wealth of melodious music."

—Kelcey Allen, Women's Wear

"Grand new melody show . . . one of the top de-
lights of the year."

—Rowland Field, Newark News

"A rousing hit."

—Gotham Life

"It's terrific . . . the singing-est, swaying-est,
happiest musical."

—Colbys, WMCA

"An exciting and nostalgic production."

—Bessy Beatty, WOR

"Spirited evenings entertainment — superbly di-
rected by Rouben Mamoulian, and decorated with
a beautiful score, the melodies by Harold Arlen,
the lyrics by Johnny Mercer . . . splendid show."

—Louis Sobol, Journal-American