#Jerome Kern

[musicalfilm]

paul robeson in show boat (1936)*

* in later performances of the song, paul robeson, a civil rights activist, would change the lyrics to "but i keep laughin' / instead of cryin' / i must keep fightin' / until i'm dyin'” [src]

[citizenscreen]

Jerome Kern and Jean Harlow on set of Victor Fleming’s RECKLESS (1935).

[typewriter-worries]

love and laughter

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, Benjamin Alire Saenz ( @harry-stylse ) | Sappho 31, Trans. Anne Carson | The History of Love, Nicole Krauss | I Have Just Said, Mary Oliver ( @liriostigre ) | Giovanni's Room, James Baldwin | Her, Jackie Kay | The Way You Look Tonight, Jerome Kern

[newyorkthegoldenage]

"Cleopatterer," from Leave it to Jane, 1917, sung by Joan Morris.

Today, P.G. Wodehouse is known for his novels and stories, especially those about that valet of valets, Jeeves. But for 30 years beginning in 1904, Wodehouse also wrote the books and lyrics for 33 musicals. In 1917 alone, he had five shows running on Broadway at once.

But Wodehouse produced more than hits: he was one of the great innovators in American musical theater. He steered it away from revues and imported operettas to stories about contemporary life that had a plot that made some sense. As a lyricist (or “lyrist,” to use the older term that he preferred), Wodehouse used vernacular speech rather than flowery poetics.

[pureanonofficial]

Leave anyone else you love in the tags! This list is specifically for composers who are not composer-lyricists!

[doyouknowthismusical]

[ulrichgebert]

Irgendwie ist auch seltsam, daß Swing Time die ganze Zeit über nie vorgekommen sein soll. Jetzt haben wir aber wirklich alle Ginger&Fred-Filme. Enthält reizende Liedchen von Jerome-Kern und Dorothy Fields, die auch anderweitig gerne verwendet werden, sowie eine Blackface-Nummer zu Ehren von Mr. Bojangles aus Harlem, die aber viel zu grandios ist, um sie aus Prinzip nicht anzuschauen.

[thebrownees]

They wrote the soundtrack of a generation. Irving Berlin, Harold Arlen, Jerome Kern, Harry Warren, Jimmy van Heusen, Victor Young, and more...

[outoftowninac]

MISS SPRINGTIME

1918

Miss Springtime (originally Little Miss Springtime) is a three act musical by Guy Bolton, with music by Emmerich Kalman and Jerome Kern, and lyrics by Herbert Reynolds and P.G. Wodehouse. It is based on the Hungarian operetta Zsuszi kisasszony by Miksa Brody and Ferenc Martos. It was originally produced by Klaw and Erlanger, staged by Herbert Gresham, and choreographed by Julian Mitchell.

The musical is best remembered for being the first time P.G. Wodehouse was credited for lyrics in a Broadway musical.  In 1905 he went uncredited for the lyrics for “Put Me in My Little Cell” with music by Frederick Rosse, which was part of the score of Sergeant Brue. 

The musical takes place in the Village of Pilota and in Budapest.

The story is woven around a grand opera star who goes back to his home village Incognito after sending word to the townspeople that he could not visit there. He then Impersonates himself at the request of promoters of a festival so that the townspeople might not be disappointed. He meets a young girl aspiring to the stage and encourages her. Later, it becomes known that he was an imposter and at the same time he discovers the girl loved a young man in her home town. He does not deny that he was an imposter and leaves,  supposedly under arrest.

Reviewers praised the economy of setting, using only three sets, one for each act. 

In its pre-Broadway tryouts, the musical was supposed to premiere at Nixon’s Apollo Theatre in Atlantic City on August 28, 1916, but the engagement was delayed, then canceled. Instead, it premiered at the Forest Theatre in Philadelphia. 

The musical opened on Broadway at the New Amsterdam Theatre (214 West 42nd Street) on September 25, 1916. 

About the Venue: The New Amsterdam was built by Klaw and Erlanger in 1903. In 1913, Ziegfeld brought his "Follies" to the New Amsterdam. In 1937 it became a movie palace. In 1982, it earned landmark status and was purchased by the Nederlanders, who sold it to New York State in 1992. Disney performed extensive renovations before reopening the theatre in 1997 with The Lion King.   

Reviews were positive, especially from the New York Times, which reviewed it twice - each time glowingly. 

But all was not well between Kern and Wodehouse. In his personal correspondence, Wodehouse records an overseas rift between the two. 

Writing in Vogue, Wodehouse further added to his thoughts about the musical: 

It closed on April 7, 1917 after 224 performances. 

Miss Springtime finally played Atlantic City at the Apollo Theatre on February 15, 1918, as part of its post-Broadway tour. Several members of the original company were still part of the company of 80: John E. Hazzard, George MacFarland, and Charles Meakins.  

In September 1917, while Miss Springtime was still touring, Klaw and Erlanger rolled out a follow-up musical, The Riviera Girl, also by Kalman, Bolton and Wodehouse with a cast of 100 - up 20 from Miss Springtime. It also played at the New Amsterdam, accruing 78 performances. 

Miss Springtime continued to tour until April 1919. 

[sondheims-hat]

1994. NPR's Piano Jazz program with Marian McPartland.

[citizenscreen]

Fred Astaire, Rita Hayworth, and Jerome Kern on set of YOU WERE NEVER LOVELIER (1942)

[driveintheaterofthemind]

Vintage Sheet Music - Look For The Silver Lining by Jerome Kern And Bud de Sylva

T. B. Harms Company (1920)

[newyorkthegoldenage]

Costume designs by Cora MacGeachy for Stepping Stones, a musical comedy version of Little Red Riding Hood. It had music by Jerome Kern and ran for 261 performances between 1923 and 1924.

Photos: NYPL

[arbitrarygreay]

You there. Yes, you. You want to watch Angela Lansbury tap dance.

[onefootin1941]