Louisiana Purchase

Louisiana Purchase (1940), a musical comedy by Morrie Ryskind (book), Irving Berlin (music, lyrics). [ Imperial Theatre, 444 perf.] When the Yankee Senator Loganberry (Victor Moore) is sent to investigate the corrupt Louisiana Purchase Company in New Orleans, the firm's lawyer, Jim Taylor (William Gaxton), attempts to compromise him with the vampish Marina Van Linden (Vera Zorina) and with the coquettish Madame Bordelaise (Irene Bordoni). But the good Senator proves incorruptible and ends up marrying one of the women. Notable songs: It's a Lovely Day Tomorrow; You're Lonely and I'm Lonely; Louisiana Purchase; Fools Fall in Love; What Chance Have I? Another of the many musicals of the era that reflected the day's headlines, this show was based on a story by producer B. G. De Sylva that was a thinly veiled satire on the Huey Long machine in Louisiana. Boasting one of Berlin's finest scores, the musical nevertheless is rarely revived.

Louisiana Purchase
1996 Cast Recording
Music	Irving Berlin
Lyrics	Irving Berlin
Book	Morrie Ryskind
Basis	A story Buddy De Sylva
Productions	1940 Broadway 1941 Film

For the film adaptation, see Louisiana Purchase (film).

Louisiana Purchase is a musical theater production from 1940. It has music and lyrics by Irving Berlin and book by Morrie Ryskind based on a story by B. G. DeSylva. In 1941 it was adapted for the film Louisiana Purchase directed by Irving Cummings.

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, 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 ballets by George Balanchine and the musical staging and dances by Carl Randall.

Set in New Orleans, the musical parodies Governor Huey Long and his control over Louisiana politics.

Cast

• William Gaxton : Jim Taylor
• Vera Zorina : Marina Von Minden
• Victor Moore : Sen. Oliver P. Loganberry
• Irène Bordoni : Madame Yvonne Bordelaise
• April Ames : Emmy Lou
• Carol Bruce : 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

v • d • e Irving Berlin musicals Theatre Annie Get Your Gun · As Thousands Cheer · Call Me Madam · The Canary · The Century Girl · The Cocoanuts · The Cohan Revue of 1918 · Face the Music · Louisiana Purchase · Miss Liberty · Mr. President · Music Box Revue · Stop! Look! Listen! · There's No Business Like Show Business · This Is the Army · Watch Your Step · White Christmas · Yip Yip Yaphank · Ziegfeld Follies Film Alexander's Ragtime Band · Annie Get Your Gun · Blue Skies · Call Me Madam · Carefree · The Cocoanuts · Easter Parade · Follow the Fleet · Hallelujah! · Holiday Inn · On the Avenue · Second Fiddle · There's No Business Like Show Business · This Is the Army · Top Hat · White Christmas

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