DuBarry Was a Lady
A Musical Comedy in 2 Acts, 10 scenes. Book by Herbert Fields and
Buddy G. DeSylva. Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter
46th Street Theatre, New York - Opened - 6th December, 1939; closed 12th December, 1940 (408 perfs)
His Majesty's Theatre, London - Opened 22nd October, 1942 (178 perfs)
Synopsis
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A hat-check attendant, Louis Blore, has won a sweepstake, and subsequently quits his job. He is in love with the nightclub singer May Daly, but she is in love with Alex Barton. Alex is the brother of her friend Alice, who is in love with Harry. Meanwhile, Alex is unhappily married to Ann.
Charley, Louis's replacement, suggests that Louis slip Alex a Mickey Finn. While trying to do so, Louis inadvertently drinks the Mickey Finn, falls asleep, and dreams he is King Louis XV of France, and that May is Madame du Barry. In his dream, Charley becomes the Dauphin (later Louis XVI) and Harry becomes the captain of the guard, with Ann as Du Barry's lady-in-waiting, and Alex as a peasant who wrote a rude song about The King and Du Barry (the title song: Du Barry Was A Lady).
Eventually after various entanglements (including the Dauphin shooting the King with a bow and arrow), Louis wakes up and realises that Alex is the man for May. He uses the last of his winnings to pay for Alex's divorce from Ann, and (with Charley having just quit his job) goes back to being a cloakroom attendant.
Cast
- Louis Blore
- May Daly
- Alice Barton
- Charley
- Alex Barton
- Harry Norton
Musical Numbers
- Where's Louie? - Ensemble
- Ev'ry Day's a Holiday - Harry Norton, Alice Barton and Ensemble
- It Ain't Etiquette - His Most Royal Majesty, The King of France and Vi Hennessey
- When Love Beckoned - Mme. La Comtesse du Barry
- Come On In - Mme. La Comtesse du Barry and Ensemble
- Dance
- Dream Song - Four Internationals
- Mesdames and Messieurs - Dames de la Coeur
- Gavotte - Alice Barton and Ensemble
- But in the Morning, No! - Mme. La Comtesse du Barry and His Most Royal Majesty, The King of France
- Do I Love You? - Alex Barton and Mme. La Comtesse du Barry
- Do I Love You (Reprise) - Mme. La Comtesse du Barry and Zamore
- Danse Victoire
- Danse Erotique
- DuBarry Was a Lady - Entire Company
- Danse Tzigane
- Give Him the Ooh-La-La - Mme. La Comtesse du Barry
- Well, Did You Evah! - Alice Barton and Harry Norton
- Danse
- It Was Written in the Stars - Alex Barton and Ensemble
- L'Apres Midi d'un Boeuf - Charley and Zamore
- Katie Went to Haiti - Mme. La Comtesse du Barry and Ensemble
- Katie Went to Haiti (Reprise) - Alex Barton and Mme. La Comtesse du Barry
- Friendship - Mme. La Comtesse du Barry and His Most Royal Majesty, The King of France
- Finale - Company
Scenes and Settings
Act One
- Scene 1: The Club Petite, New York
- Scene 2: Washroom at the Club Petite
- Scene 3: Gardens of Petite Trianon (Versailles)
- Scene 4: Du Barry's Bed Chamber
- Scene 5: The Outer Hall - Night
- Scene 6: Salon at the Petite Trianon
Act Two
- Scene 1: Pavilion in the Gardens of the Petite Trianon
- Scene 2: The Outer Hall
- Scene 3: A Room in the Royal Apartment
- Scene 4: The Club Petite, New York