maytime
A Play with Music in Four Acts
Book and Lyrics by Rida Johnson Young and Cyrus Wood
Music by Sigmund Romberg
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Ottilie (Mlle. Brown), Daughter of John Wayne – Prima Donna Soprano
Richard Wayne – Juvenile Lead, lyric baritone
Matthew Van Zandt – Lead Comedy, Baritone
Alice Tremaine, Friend of Ottilie
Rudolfo, Gypsy Chieftain
Signor Vivalla, Italian Tenor
Angelica, Matthews second wife
Ermentrude D’Albert - Show Girl
Winnifred St. Albans - Show Girl
Little Dick Wayne (5 years old) - Child
Maria, Gypsy Fortune Teller
Hortense, Chief Dressmaker
Claude Van Zandt, Ottilie’s fiance
Madame Delphine, Proprietress of a Dacing Salon
P.T. Barnum, the Famous Showman
Matilda Van Zandt, The Colonel’s sister-in-law – Character Comedy
Old Wayne (Act I), Forman of the Cooperage
Colonel Van Zandt, Owner of the Cooperage
Estrella Amorita, Spanish Dancer
John Rutherford (Act III), Secretary to Dick Wayne
Mr. Hicks, An Auctioneer
Algernon, Auctioneer’s Assistant
Lizzie, Matthew’s 3rd Wife
Phyllis, Dresmaker’s Assistants (Act IV)
Gladys, Dresmaker’s Assistants (Act IV)
Doorman, Attendant in the Dancing Salon
Bidder – bit part
Gypsy – bit part
Ensemble of Apprentices, Young Ladies, Gypsies, Models, Dressmakers, Servants, Guests, etc.
SYNOPSIS OF SCENES
Act I. The Van Zandt Home in Washington Square, New York City. In the year 1840.
Act II. Madame Delphine’s Night Club. The year 1855.
Act III. Back Parlor of the Van Zandt House in Washington Square. In the 1880’s.
Act IV. Same Location as Act 3. Now Mlle. Brown’s Dressmaking establishment. In 1917.
Argument
Set in 1840 New York, a group of apprentices, led by youthful and handsome Richard Wayne, are busy on sundry jobs at Colonel Van Zandt's home on Washington Square. The colonel's daughter Ottilie is engaged to marry her cousin Claude, but she has fallen in love with Richard, and Richard with her. Neighbors and friends, along with a gypsy band to celebrate Ottilie's 18th birthday. When the crowd is gone, Ottilie and Richard meet again. Richard's father, once well to do, had lost his money and to repay some of his debts had given Van Zandt the deed for the Wayne house. As Richard and Ottilie are talking, the deed falls from the Colonel's window. Thinking it an unimportant piece of paper, Richard writes a love poem on it and they bury it in the garden, asking each other if they will always remember this day in May. They are interrupted by Claude and the Colonel, who forbids Ottilie to marry Richard. The act ends with Richard leaving to seek his fortune promising to return to Ottilie.
Fifteen years later, in Mme. Delphine's Night Club, Ottilie, now married to Claude, and Richard meet there. They admit they still love each other. A quarter of a century later Claude dies, leaving Ottilie penniless. Her Washington square house and its contents are put up for auction. Richard, now wealthy, comes to the auction and buys the property back for Ottilie. About thirty more years pass. Richard and Ottilie are both dead, Ottilie's granddaughter and namesake has converted the old house into a dress shop. Dicky Wayne, Richard's grandson, appears to court the young lady. The love story comes full circle but with a happy ending when the old deed is unearthed and its value appreciated.
History
Maytime opened on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre on August 16, 1917 and ran for a total of 492 performances (later moving to the Broadhust and Lyric Theatres). The play with music starred Peggy Wood and Charles Purcell and featured Ralph Herbert, William Norris and Gertrude Vanderbilt. This show cemented Sigmund Romberg’s reputation as a operetta composer with his immortal “Will You Remember” serving as a leitmotif throughout this story spanning seven decades. The work went on to be revived by stock and amateur companies through the 1950s.
The New York Times: A romance of delicate charm” blending “the tragedy of the individual” with “the eternal comedy of living. An evening that rises whole regions above the conventional Broadway musical comedy.
Orchestration
Flute (doubles Piccolo)
Oboe
Clarinet 1 (in B-flat and A)
Clarinet 2 (in B-flat and A)
Saxophone (doubles on Alto, C-Melody and Tenor Saxes)
Horn 1
Horn 2
Cornet 1
Cornet 2
Trombone
Percussion (1 Player: Timpani, Xylophone, Bells, Drum Set (Snare Drum, Bass Drum with pedal cymbal attachment or hi-hat, suspended Cymbal,), Triangle, Woodblock
Violin 1
Violin 2
Viola
Cello
Bass
Harp
