Shows B

BLOOMER GIRL Book by Sig Herzig & Fred Saidy; Music by Harold Arlen; Lyrics by E.Y. Harburg Shubert Theatre, Broadway - October 5, 1944 (657 perfs) STORY The setting is the small southern town of Cicero Falls at the time of the American Civil War. Evelina is the only unmarried daughter of the principal manufacturer of hoop skirts for crinolines. Unfortunately she has fallen under the influence of her Aunt Dolly Bloomer, passionate suffragette and the originator of bloomers. Her father, Horatio Applegate has decided the best way to straighten out Evelina is to pick out a nice suitor from a good southern family, Jefferson Lightfoot Calhoun a member of the Kentucky sales team. Evelina is interested in Jeff but is suspicious of any hoop-skirt salesman. To test his resolve she gets him to free his personal slave, Pompey. Jeff agrees and helps Pompey to escape to freedom in the North through a secret underground railway. This actually gets Jeff into trouble but the trouble is compounded when Evelina. modelling a new super skirt at a garden party organised by her father, lifts her skirt to show that she is clad in bloomers. This she does in support of her Aunt and her causes. Jeff 's brother, a committed slave owner, causes trouble and Evelina, Dolly and the slaves are all thrown into jail. On release the group organise a performance of Uncle Tom's Cabin. Whilst this is taking place news comes that there has been firing of rifles on Fort Sumpter. The American Civil War has begun! This puts on hold the romance between Jeff and Evelina. Jeff enlists in the Confederate Army. Meanwhile, Evelina's brothers-inlaw have enlisted in the Zuoave regiment of the Union Army - the regiment that wears trousers that look like bloomers! The Applegate factory, under the joint direction of Horace and Dolly is turned over to the manufacture of bloomers. After Jeff hears Lincoln speak he changes allegiance. He returns to Evelina as the curtain falls. MUSICAL NUMBERS: 1. Civil War Ballet (inst) 2. The Eagle and Me 3. Evelina 4. Farmer's Daughter 5. I Got A Song 6. I Never Was Born 7. It was Good Enough For Grandma 8. Little Big Man 9. Liza Crossing the Ice 10. Lullaby (Satin Gown and Silver Shoe) 11. Man For Sale 12. Pretty As A Picture 13. Promise Me Not To Love Me 14. Rakish Young Man With the Whiskers 15. Right As Rain 16. Simon Legree 17. Style Show Ballet (inst) 18. Sunday In Cicero Falls 19. T'morra', T'morra' 20. Till We All Belong 21. When the Boys Come Home INSTRUMENTATION: Violin A,B,C,D, viola, 'cello, bass, flute I, II (pic), oboe, clar I-II, bassoon, trumpets I-II, trombone I, II, percussion, piano, piano/conductor

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