Description
I'm currently listing a large number of playbills from out-of-town tryouts prior to the Broadway runs. Many are from early performances when revisions were common and include song titles that were cut before opening in New York ....... This is a rare broadside (single page playbill) from the Pre-Broadway engagement of the JAY GORNEY and JEAN & WALTER KERR musical revue "TOUCH and GO" at the Forrest Theatre in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (The production would open October 13th, 1949 at the Broadhurst Theatre in New York City and run for 176 performances.) ..... The ensemble cast included HELEN GALLAGHER, PEGGY CASS (in what would be her Broadway debut), NANCY ANDREWS, KYLE MacDONNELL, DICK SYKES, JONATHAN LUCAS, DANIEL NAGRIN, MURIEL O'MALLEY, GEORGE HALL, PEARL LANG, LEWIS NYE, NATHANIEL FREY, MARY ANTHONY, ELEANOR BOLEYN, ART CARROLL, LYDIA FREDERICKS, ARLYNE FRANK, PEARL HACKER, DAVID LOBER, GREG LOBER, ILONA MURAI, CARL NICHOLAS, RAY PAGE, BEVERLY PURVIN, MERRITT THOMPSON, RICHARD REED, GEORGE REICH, LARRY ROBBINS, WILLIAM SUMNER, BEVERLY TASSONI, BOBBY TRELEASE and PARKER WILSON ..... CREDITS: Music by JAY GORNEY; Sketches and Lyrics by WALTER and JEAN KERR; Ballet Music by GENEVIEVE PITOT; Sets and Costumes designed by JOHN ROBERT LLOYD; Choreographed by HELEN TAMIRIS (Tony Award winner); Directed by WALTER KERR; Produced by GEORGE ABBOTT ..... DETAILS: The single page, two-sided playbill measures 5 1/2" X 8 1/2" inches and includes full production credits, cast list, scenes and list of musical numbers, but no cast photos or bios ..... CONDITION: With the exception of a light fold across the middle and minor discoloration along the bottom edge, this rare playbill 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.
