THE ALASKAN

A Comic Opera in 2 Acts and a Prologue. Book by Max Figman and Joseph Blethen. Music by Harry Girard. Lyrics by Joseph Blethen.

Knickerbocker Theatre, New York - 12 August - 7 September, 1907 (29 perfs).

Musical Numbers (Vocal Score)

Prologue and Act I - On the trail in midwinter, and Long Chance Creek, near Nome, in Summer.

  1. Opening Chorus - Yup and away! Yup and away! ...
  2. Song - Strander and Chorus - The ancient guy of days gone by had never a wise physician...
  3. Song - Blazes and Eskimo Girls - Pray tell me why the fossil man is said to be a jay? Why hand his job the merry ban, and say it doesn't pay?
  4. Song of the Riffles - Dick Atwater and Chorus - Now tell me the stories of fame and of glories, relate me the legends of old...
  5. Song - Arlee - When first I meet this party of the Second Part: what then? Now suppose him a gentleman, born to the school...
  6. Glittering Gold Song - Arlee, Mrs. Good-Better-Best and Strander - The strongest kind of hint now is from all I can see, gleaming, glittering ...
  7. Duet - Dick and Arlee - A thistle, faint with thirst, beheld a rainbow burst in glory 'gainst the sky's far off recesses...
  8. Song - Pete and Men - The Kings of old in pride of name displayed a family tree, whereon was drawn in glowing fame my master's pedigree...
  9. Finale Act I - Yup and away, yup and away, there's gold for him who hustles; Yup and away, yup and away, good luck to him who rustles...

Act II - Arlee Easton's bungalow at Nome. New Year's Eve.

  1. Unaccompanied Male Chorus - There is gold along the rivers, there is gold along the trails, there is gold in old Alaska's bed of frost...
  2. Song - Arlee, with Men - When I am wed I'll not indulge in curtain lectures grim; instead I shall adapt myself to Hubby's ev'ry whim...
  3. Song - Strander and Chorus - There was once a foolish steward on a baron's wide estate, and this steward had a passion for precision...
  4. Song - Mrs. Good-Better-Best and Chorus - When just a lass of seventeen I married Jasper Good, who soon disclosed how false had been...
  5. Song - Totem and Chorus - Now once upon a time there was a very happy nation, where all the time was summer-time and ev'ry day vacation...
  6. Song - Atwater and Ensemble - When a man is in love there is only one name in the calendar, Cupid for him...
  7. Song and Chorus (soloist unspecified) - Within a distant Arctic glade, a doting Eskimo made love unto an Arctic maid, in forty feet of snow...
  8. Song - Atwater and Male Chorus - From the trail my love took wing to you; from the gravel gold I bring to you...

Musical Numbers (programme)

  1. Prelude — Introduction — Finale
  2. Opening Chorus Yup and Away - Pete, Chorus
  3. The Trouble Tree - Smallberry, Chorus
  4. The Fossil Man - Teddy, Eskimo Girls
  5. Song of the Riffles - Richard, Ensemble
  6. Party of the Second Part - Arlee
  7. Glittering Gold - Arlee, Lydia, Smallberry
  8. Rainbow and Thistle - Arlee, Richard
  9. (My) Totem Pole - Pete, Chorus
  10. Finale Act 1 - Ensemble
  11. There Is Gold Along the Rivers - Male Chorus
  12. Mother Did - Arlee, Male Chorus
  13. Bah, Bah, Black Sheep - Smallberry, Chorus
  14. Alimony Lydia Naughty Little Lady, 0 - Pete, Chorus
  15. Arlee - Richard, Ensemble
  16. My Eskimo - Ensemble

Cast

  • Richard Atwater, a prospector
  • Totem Pole Pete, foreman of Discovery Claim
  • Smallberry Strander, a Broadway favourite
  • Meadowbrooke Blazes, Ph. D. of the Metropolitan Museum
  • Teddy Bear, the real thing
  • U. S. Mail Driver
  • Eskimo Chief
  • Arlee Easton, an heiress
  • Mrs (Lydia) Good-Better-Best, the chaperon
  • Claudie Cluster, a wardrobe mistress
  • Trixie

Sextette Girls, Eskimo Girls, Show Girls, Alaskan Miners

Scenes and Settings

The action takes place at the present time in Alaska.