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Du Barry Was A Lady

Full-Length Musical, Comedy  /  3w, 4m plus ensemble

Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter
Book by Herbert Fields and B.G. DeSylva

This wacky Cole Porter musical features Louie, a washroom attendant who dreams that he is King Louis XV of France and that his secret love, May, is Madame Du Barry.

  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    3w, 4m plus ensemble
  • Duration
    Duration
    More than 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Fantasy, Romantic Comedy
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult, Teen (Age 14-18)
Du Barry Was A Lady

Details

Summary
Louie Blore, attendant in the men's washroom of the Club Petite in New York, wins $75,000 in the Irish sweeps. Having long had his eye on the star of the floor show, May Daly, Louie seeks to win her away from Alex Barton, the young man to whom she is engaged. He tries to put Alex away with knock-out drops, but mixes up the glasses and drinks the potion himself. During his delirium, Louie dreams that he is Louis XIV and that May Daly is Du Barry, his mistress. His unsuccessful pursuit of May continues through the gardens and boudoirs of 18th-century Versailles. When he awakens, Louie realizes that he has no chance with May and will have to settle for her friendship.
History
Du Barry Was A Lady opened on Broadway at the 46th Street Theatre on 6 December, 1939, starring Ethel Merman, Bert Lahr and Betty Grable. The show later moved to the Royale Theatre and ran for a total of 408 performances. In London’s West End, the show played for 178 performances at His Majesty’s Theatre.
  • Time Period 1930s, 18th Century
  • Setting New York City, 1939, and Versailles, France, early 18th century.
  • Features Period Costumes
  • Duration More than 120 minutes (2 hours)

Media

“A silly frolic... an infectiously good time.” – The New York Times
“A last, giggling gasp of burlesque-style hedonism on Broadway... [with] vaudeville shtick, cheesecake chorines, songs tailored to its stars and innuendoes to burn.” – The New York Times

Music

  • Musical Style Classic Broadway
  • Dance Requirements Moderate
  • Vocal DemandsDifficult
  • Orchestra Size Large
  • Chorus Size Large

Licensing & Materials

  • Licensing fees and rental materials quoted upon application.

Music Rentals

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Authors

Cole Porter

Cole Porter

Cole Porter was born in Peru, Indiana in 1891 and died in Hollywood 73 years later. In between, he wrote some of the most memorable songs ever heard on stage or screen, among them “Night and Day,” “Begin the Beguine,” “You’re The Top,” “I Get a Kick Out of You,” “Love For Sal ...

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Herbert Fields

Herbert Fields

Herbert Fields (1897-1958) was a celebrated librettist and screenwriter. The brother and sister team of Herbert and Dorothy Fields was part of a vibrant New York theatrical family that also included their brother, Joseph, a prolific librettist and playwright, and their father ...

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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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