A CONCORD THEATRICALS TITLE

Louisiana Purchase

Full-Length Musical, Comedy  /  6w, 10m plus ensemble

Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin
Book by Morrie Ryskind
Based on a story by B.G. DeSylva

A political satire lampooning Huey Long and his stronghold on Louisiana politics.

Louisiana Purchase

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    6w, 10m plus ensemble
  • Duration
    Duration
    120 minutes (2 hours)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Period, Parody/Spoof
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult

Details

Summary

The plot machinations of this 1940 hit musical could have been ripped from today’s headlines. Set in New Orleans, the musical tells the humorous story of an honest United States Senator who comes to Louisiana to investigate the peculations of a gang of politicians, including Louisiana Governor Huey Long, and the corruption in its local businesses. When Senator Loganberry arrives in the Big Easy to investigate the dubious doings at the Louisiana Purchasing Company, it isn’t long before the company attempts to divert him via the attention of two beautiful women, and he’s set up for plenty of scandal himself. The complete score was finally recorded during a 1996 run at Carnegie Hall. Louisiana Purchase answers the questions of personal integrity and political responsibility with a gleeful wink of the eye and a score full of Berlin magic!

History
Louisiana Purchase opened on Broadway on 28 May 1940 at the Imperial Theatre, where it ran for 444 performances. The original production, directed by Edgar MacGregor and choreographed by George Balanchine and Carl Randall, starred William Gaxton, April Ames, Irène Bordoni, John Eliot, Victor Moore and Vera Zorina. In 1996, the full score was finally recorded in a concert at Carnegie Hall featuring Michael McGrath, Judy Blazer, Taina Elg, Debbie Gravitte and George S. Irving.
Keywords
Performing Groups
  • Time Period 1940s/WWII
  • Setting

    New Orleans during Mardi Gras, 1940.

  • Features Period Costumes
  • Duration 120 minutes (2 hours)

Media

“Berlin’s score is one of his best, with no fewer than seven showstoppers.” – Hollywood Reporter

“4 stars out of 4! Highly sophisticated Berlin, full of big-band jazz and tight vocal harmonies.” – USA Today

“An unjustly forgotten gem. One of the funniest and sharpest political satires!” – Examiner.com

“Pure heaven.” – Variety

“We’re sold on Louisiana Purchase.” – New York Daily News

“Berlin’s score is one of his best, with no fewer than seven showstoppers.” – Hollywood Reporter

“A sly political satire.” – New York Magazine

Music

Music Samples

  • Musical Style Classic Broadway
  • Dance Requirements Difficult
  • Vocal DemandsModerate
  • Orchestra Size Large
  • Chorus Size Medium

Licensing & Materials

  • Licensing fees and rental materials quoted upon application.

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Authors

Irving Berlin

Irving Berlin

With a life that spanned more than 100 years and a catalogue that boasts over 1,000 songs, Irving Berlin (1888-1989) epitomized Jerome Kern’s famous maxim that “Irving Berlin has no place in American music – he is American music.” Berlin wrote scores to 13 Broadway musicals, ...

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Morrie Ryskind

Morrie Ryskind

Morrie Ryskind, the librettist of Louisiana Purchase, was born in New York City in 1895 and graduated from the Columbia University School of Journalism. His principal collaborator in the theater was George S. Kaufman, with whom he wrote the Marx Brothers musical Animal Cracke ...

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B.G. DeSylva

B.G. DeSylva

B.G. DeSylva (1895-1950) was a composer, author and publisher, born in New York, NY, January 27, 1895, and died in Los Angeles, CA, July 11, 1950. Education: University of Southern California. DeSylva wrote songs for several Broadway musicals, including Ziegfeld Follies (1918 ...

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