Poppy (1923 musical)
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| Poppy | |
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 Sheet music covers from Poppy | |
| Music | Stephen Jones and Arthur Samuels |
| Lyrics | Dorothy Donnelly and others. |
| Book | Dorothy Donnelly, (Howard Dietz, W. C. Fields) |
| Productions | 1923 Broadway |
Poppy is a musical comedy in three acts with music by Stephen Jones and Arthur Samuels (additional music by John Egan), and lyrics and book by Dorothy Donnelly, with contributions from Howard Dietz, W. C. Fields and Irving Caesar. The musical introduced songs such as "Two Make a Home", "On Our Honeymoon", "What Do You Do Sunday, Mary?" and "Alibi Baby". The story, set in 1874 Connecticut, concerns a circus barker and con man, Prof. Eustace McGargle, who tries to pass off his foster daughter, Poppy, as a long-lost heiress. It turns out that Poppy really is an heiress.
The original New York City staging, produced by Philip S. Goodman opened at the Apollo Theater on September 3, 1923, and ran for a successful 346 performances, closing on June 28, 1924. It starred Madge Kennedy as Poppy, with Fields as Prof. McGargle, and Robert Woolsey and Jimmy Barry. It was directed by Dorothy Donnelly and Julian Alfred, with choreography by Alfred. The musical then toured. The piece then had a London production at the Gaiety Theatre in 1924.[1] The musical included elements of revue, including specialty numbers. Its success established Fields' comic con man persona and led to film versions, also starring Fields.[2]
In Greenmeadow, Connecticut, in 1874, Prof. Eustace McGargle, a juggler and hustler who runs a traveling circus, adopts an orphan, Poppy. He teaches her to be a con artist. When the circus passes through a small town, Poppy meets a wealthy local boy, William. McGargle learns that Princess Vronski Mameluke Pasha Tubbs has a long-lost daughter, and he tries to pass Poppy off as the heiress. In the end she turns out to be actually the heiress and marries William.
Musical numbers
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Roles and original Broadway cast
- Amos Sniffen – Jimmy Barry
- Judge Delafield – Hugh Chilvers
- William Van Wyck – Alan Edwards
- Prof. Eustace McGargle – W. C. Fields
- Mary Delafield – Luella Gear
- Princess Vronski Mameluke Pasha Tubbs – Emma Janvier
- Poppy McGargle – Madge Kennedy
- Sarah Tucker – Maude Ream Stover
- Mortimer Pottle – Robert Woolsey
Critical reception
The New York Times praised Poppy as a "tasteful and decorous musical comedy" and highlighted the performances of both Fields and Kennedy.[3]
