Blossom Seeley "GREENWICH VILLAGE FOLLIES" Betty Duke Graphics 1928 Tryout Flyer

Description

This is a rare four page advertising herald (flyer) promoting the one-week,
Pre-Broadway engagement of the Eighth and final edition of the Revusical Comedy "THE GREENWICH VILLAGE FOLLIES" at Shubert's Alvin Theatre in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania beginning February 27th, 1928. (The production would open April 9th, 1928 at the Winter Garden Theatre in New York City and run for 128 performances.) ..... The Greenwich Village Theatre was located between Christopher Street and West Fourth Street across from Sheridan Square. The theater opened as a neighborhood playhouse in November of 1917 and was built by Maguerite Abbott Barker. The first shows were so good that they attracted uptown audiences downtown in droves. The one thing responsible for putting the theatre on the map was "THE GREENWICH VILLAGE FOLLIES", a "Revusical Comedy of New York's Latin Quarter", invented and produced for the stage by JOHN MURRAY ANDERSON. In these Pre and Post World War One days, the lavish Broadway playhouses competed with more and more money to stage the biggest and most dazzling shows. Murray had no money, but all the talent he needed to create the very concept of the intimate revue of New York City. The first "Follies" of Greenwich Village opened in July of 1919. It wasn't long before a "Sold Out" sign hung in the box office window. After a six week run the show moved uptown to Broadway, which no other Village production had ever managed to do before. A second "Follies" was spun by Anderson for the 1920 season, and like the first, it also moved to a Broadway house. From then on the "Follies" became a Broadway only production and renewed itself annually throughout the 1920's. (Reprinted in part from the Greenwich Village Gazette website) ..... The Eighth Edition starred
DOCTOR ROCKWELL,
BLOSSOM SEELEY, BENNY FIELDS,
HARRY JANS and HAROLD WHALEN,
EVELYN LAW and
CARLOS and
VALERIA
and the cast included
BOBBY WATSON, HELEN GILLIGAN, JENNIE BEACH, GRACE BRINKLEY,
LAURA LEE,
the MEREDITHS, FLORENCE MISGEN, ANNIE PRITCHARD, EDDIE SHUBERT, the GRAHAM TRIO, WALTER ARMIN, BABE FENTON, SHEILA BARRETT, SYLVIA CARROLL, LOLA RAINE, JACK STANFORD, BEN DOVA,
the SIXTEEN CHESTER HALE GIRLS,
RALPH READER'S GREENWICH VILLAGE GIRLS and ARNOLD JOHNSON'S ORCHESTRA
..... CREDITS: Music by RAY PERKINS and MAURICE RUBENS; Lyrics by MAX and NATHANIEL LIEF; Sketches by HAROLD ATTERIDGE; Scenery designed by WATSON BARRATT; Costumes designed by ERNEST SCHRAPPS; Dances Staged by CHESTER HALE; Orchestra conducted by MAX METH; Staged by J. C. HUFFMAN; Produced by THE BOHEMIANS, INC.
..... DETAILS: Handbills and heralds were often distributed or inserted into the playbills of other productions to help generate ticket sales for upcoming shows and events. This four page flyer measures 5 1/4" X 7 1/2" inches and includes beautiful BETTY DUKE graphics on the front, photos of several of RALPH READER'S GREENWICH VILLAGE GIRLS on the inside pages and performance dates and excerpts from several reviews on the backside ..... CONDITION: With the exception of a fold across the middle and a small tear at the outside edge of the fold, this rare flyer is in excellent condition and will make a wonderful addition to the collection of any musical theatre aficionado or historian. This item will be carefully packaged in a protective, carded sleeve and backed by stiff cardboard.
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