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264:, called "the English Girls" in the score, but soon popularly dubbed the "Florodora Girls". They consisted of a "sextette of tall, gorgeous damsels, clad in pink walking costumes, black picture hats and carrying frilly parasols swished onto the stage and captivated New York for no other reason than they were utterly stunning." More than 70 women, each 5 ft. 4 in. (about 1.63 m) tall and weighing 130 lb (59 kg), played these roles in the first run of the play. These women were also the object of a great deal of popular adoration, and many male admirers persuaded chorines to leave show business and settle down. According to
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335:, the popular fragrance "Florodora" is manufactured from the essence of the Florodora flower. The perfume factory, along with the island itself, is owned by Cyrus W. Gilfain, an American who finagled the business away from Dolores's family and is now the island's reigning sovereign and sole employer. Although Dolores is now forced to work for Gilfain, she remains optimistic. Frank Abercoed, who is really Lord Abercoed in disguise, has arrived on the island to act as Gilfain's manager. He is immediately smitten with Dolores, and she with him.
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some confusion, Frank tells
Dolores that he is really Lord Abercoed and was unable to return to her in Florodora because he was trying to keep Gilfain from acquiring his ancestral home. Tweedlepunch finally confronts Gilfain and spins a wild ghost yarn that terrifies Gilfain into admitting that he has stolen the perfume business. Gilfain returns the properties he has taken from Dolores and Frank. Frank marries Dolores; Gilfain marries Lady Holyrood; and Angela marries Captain Donegal.
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finally realized that
Dolores is the rightful heir to the Florodora fortune. He tells her that her father was his only friend, and that he will help her retrieve her family business. They break into the Abercoed castle but are surprised by a chorus of lords and ladies who demand to know who they are. In desperation they try to convince everyone that they are the evening's entertainment.
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available to marry Angela. By presenting
Tweedlepunch as a highly respected phrenologist, Gilfain plots to marry off his clerks to the heads of the Florodora farms (all young island girls), thereby attaining even more control of the island. Tweedlepunch plays along, duly examining everyone's cranial bumps of love to pronounce the proper marriage couples.
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Aboard a ship docked at the
Florodora harbor are Lady Holyrood, titled but penniless, who has come to Florodora at Gilfain's suggestion to find a husband – specifically, Frank. She is accompanied by Gilfain, his daughter Angela, who is betrothed to Captain Arthur Donegal, Lady Holyrood's brother, and
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Frank refuses to marry Angela, and
Gilfain discharges him. Gilfain, based on the fraudulent pronouncements of Tweedlepunch, has decreed that the clerks will wed the island girls or be discharged. Everyone is upset. Frank must now return to England, and he tells Dolores he must go but will return for
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Six months later, Gilfain has managed to become the owner of
Abercoed Castle, Frank's ancestral home in Wales, and everyone has travelled there. Gilfain's clerks, having been discharged rather than marry the island girls, finally meet up with their English girls (Angela's friends). Tweedlepunch has
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Lady
Holyrood, with no prospective husbands in sight, decides that Gilfain will become her next husband. Frank, who has been refused entrance to the castle by Gilfain, defies orders and maneuvers his way inside the courtyard. There he sees Dolores for the first time since he left the island. After
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The original London production opened in 1899 where it ran for a very successful 455 performances. The New York production, which opened the following year, was even more popular, running for 552 performances. After this, the piece was produced throughout the
English-speaking world and beyond. The
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Gilfain discovers that Frank and
Dolores have fallen in love. In an effort to thwart Dolores' rightful claim to the Florodora fortune, Gilfain plans to marry her himself. He hires Tweedlepunch, who he thinks is an actor, to break up the love affair between Dolores and Frank, thereby making Frank
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The original production toured for years in the U.S. and was revived on
Broadway in 1902, 1905, and 1920. In addition to the numerous local productions mounted throughout the English-speaking world and beyond, including productions translated into more than a dozen languages, the show toured
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on 14 October 1901 and finally closed on 25 January 1902, a run of 552 performances – the first instance of a London production achieving such a Broadway run, and the third-longest run on Broadway of any theatre piece up to that time. The show was subsequently mounted in Australia in 1900 by
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s famous double sextet, "Tell me pretty maiden", became the most successful show tune of its time. Other songs ranged from traditional waltzes such as "The Silver Star of Love" and "The Fellow Who Might" to the more quirky rhythmic and long-lined dance numbers for which Stuart was known. An
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featured all six original sextet members from the New York Cast: Marie Wilson, Agnes Wayburn, Marjorie Relyea, Vaughn Texsmith, Daisy Green and Margaret Walker. Recorded on a series of six 78 RPM gramophone records with a full libretto enclosed, the album was a first for
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several of Angela's friends (the "English Girls"), who intrigue Gilfain's clerks. Also aboard the ship is Anthony Tweedlepunch, a detective who is searching for the girl who rightfully owns the perfume business. He comes to the island disguised as a traveling showman,
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staged two successful revivals in 1915 and 1931, and several Broadway revivals were staged, the first being mounted only a year after the closing of the original production in 1901 followed by another three years later. Among later revivals, a young
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240:. Its original run of 455 performances was unusually long for the time, and it closed in March 1901. The show would prove a training ground for numerous rising stars of the British theatre. After opening at the
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726:) is picking sights to see from an out-of-date guidebook and sings, in "Come Up to My Place", that he wants to see a "girly show" called the "Flora Dora Girl".
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Gilfain's clerks: Tennyson Sims, Ernest Pym, Max Aepfelbaum and Reginald Langdale – Roy Horniman, Ernest Lambart, Alfred Barron and Frank Hascoll
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Cyrus W. Gilfain – Charles E. Stevens (Proprietor of the perfume factory and holder of the island of Florodora)
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in a production mounted for the 1920–21 Broadway season. More recently, the show was revived once again at the
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No. 2. The Clerks' Song – Sims, Pym, Aepfelbaum, Langdale, Crogan and Scott – "The credit's due to me."
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American Eve: Evelyn Nesbit, Stanford White, the Birth of the 'It' Girl, and the Crime of the Century
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No. 18. English Girls and Clerks – "Tell me, pretty maiden, are there any more at home like you?"
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in January 2006 for the first professional London production that it had enjoyed in many years.
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The piece was popular with amateur theatre groups, particularly in Britain, into the 1950s.
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The Girl on the Velvet Swing: Sex, Murder, and Madness at the Dawn of the Twentieth Century
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Valleda – Nancy Girling (Florodorean maid to Lady Holyrood and head of one of the farms)
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Capt. Arthur Donegal – Edgar Stevens (4th Royal Life Guards – Lady Holyrood's brother)
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musicals of the 20th century. The book was written by Jimmy Davis under the pseudonym
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No. 12. Lady Holyrood, Donegal and Angela – "When an interfering person such as you"
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No. 16. Lady Holyrood – "There are people who have tried to be smart and dignified"
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The famous double sextet, "Tell me pretty maiden", in the New York production, 1900
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Frank Abercoed – Melville Stewart (Manager, for Cyrus, of the island of Florodora)
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show was famous for its double sextet and its chorus line of "Florodora Girls".
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No. 9. Lady Holyrood, Gilfain and Tweedlepunch – "I want to marry a man, I do"
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No. 7. Lady Holyrood – "I'm a lady, don't forget, with a sense of etiquette"
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No. 14. Finale Act I – "Hey! hey! Alack-a-day! Our loving hearts asunder"
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No. 6. English Girls and Clerks – "Come, take us round to see the sights"
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her if she waits patiently. Everyone meets at the dock to see Frank off.
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was the first of a series of successful musicals by Stuart, including
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revolves around the specialty act "The Flory-Dory Sixtet" [
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No. 26. Dolores and Tweedlepunch – "We're both on the stage, we two"
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No. 22. Valleda and Leandro – "A maid's career is skittles and beer"
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No. 19. Lady Holyrood – "Now I've met, in my time, some curious men"
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as a chorus girl playing one of the English girls in the original
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No. 15. Chorus – "Come, lads and lasses, trip your light and airy"
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No. 8. Angela and Donegal – "Love in his youth is a fiery steed"
413:(Detective disguised as a phrenologist, hypnotist & palmist)
268:: "Each member of its original sextette married a millionaire."
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A good part of the success of the musical was attributed to its
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No. 10. Angela and Chorus – "There was a maiden decidedly fair"
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No. 4. Dolores and Abercoed – "If you're in love with somebody"
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No. 27. Dolores – "Far away on the ocean of sunshine and foam"
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694:) recalls her days as a Florodora Girl throughout the movie.
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Edwardian musical comedy by Owen Hall, Leslie Stuart, et al.
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C. 1908 Edison Records recording by the "Edison Sextette" (
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No. 21. Dolores – "In the Philippines lived a maiden fair"
918:"Recruiting the Ranks of the Famous Florodora Sextette",
884:, Lyric Theatre, San Jose, California, May 2009, pp. 6–10
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No. 24. Dolores – "A woman's love is but a tender flow'r"
900:
642:"I Was a Florodora Baby" was a 1920 song with music by
1086:, Spring 2006, pp. 9–14. Editor: Roderick Murray.
1015:"Floradora Cocktail: A Classic Straight From Broadway"
933:"Information from the Finborough Theatre archive page"
862:
Citizen Hearst: A Biography of William Randolph Hearst
552:
No. 5. Chorus of Welcome – "Hurrah! The master comes!"
880:
Kenig, Marc. "Reviving a Legend of Musical Theatre",
1149:
List of longest running plays in London and New York
1169:Souvenir of the 100th performance in Melbourne of
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729:The Floradora cocktail is named after the musical.
301:extensively with numerous local touches. London's
224:Upon opening in London on 11 November 1899 at the
570:No. 11. Gilfain – "There is nothing we disparage"
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620:No. 23. Donegal – "I want to be a military man."
1017:, TheSpruceEats.com, accessed October 28, 2019
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781:, New Line Theatre, 2008, accessed 7 July 2024
604:No. 20. Finale – "And the nation will declare"
485:First line: "There is a garden fair"; c. 1908
1139:Original program for 1900 New York production
961:, Library of Congress, accessed July 28, 2017
843:, Volume XX, Issue 1106, 10 March 1900, p. 16
595:No. 17. Gilfain – "When you're a millionaire"
576:No. 13. Abercoed – "In the shade of the palm"
546:No. 3. Dolores – "Bright silver star of love"
801:. St. David's Players, accessed 22 July 2010
172:, and the lyrics were by Edward Boyd-Jones,
978:, January 1, 2011, accessed August 30, 2017
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540:No. 1. Chorus – "Flowers a-blooming so gay"
285:at that time. The Florodora Girls included
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779:"Curtain Up, Light the Lights: 1874–1900"
342:Souvenir programme cover, Broadway (1900)
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626:No. 25. Angela – "Willie was a gay boy."
403:Leandro – Frank Holt (Overseer of Farms)
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1004:, Angelfire.com, accessed June 28, 2017
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957:Carroll, Harry and Ballard MacDonald.
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257:, where it enjoyed another long run.
248:on 12 November 1900, it moved to the
331:In Florodora, a small island in the
897:, McBride, Nast, and Company (1913)
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525:Problems playing these files? See
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1068:(New York: Little, Brown, 2018)
992:, TV.com, accessed June 28, 2017
815:. Ecam Publication. p. 21.
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442:Farmers, flower-girls and others
1208:Musicals set in the Philippines
1126:at The Guide to Musical Theatre
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1173:1901 at State Library Victoria
895:Theatrical and Musical Memoirs
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1154:Florodora used in advertising
813:Chronicle of the 20th Century
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423:(Rightful heir to the island)
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1039:(hardcover) (1st ed.).
7:
1134:: NYPL Musical of the Month
972:"The Girl from 10th Avenue"
690:, a landlady, Mrs. Martin (
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75:(pseudonym for James Davis)
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1103:Internet Broadway Database
922:, December 29, 1901, p. 28
760:Internet Broadway Database
471:"In the shade of the palm"
392:Ada Reeve as Lady Holyrood
351:, hypnotist, and palmist.
1213:Musicals set in factories
1078:Brazier, Nina: "Reviving
864:, Scribner (1961), p. 225
811:Legrand, Jacques (1987).
687:The Girl from 10th Avenue
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168:with additional songs by
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1144:Midi files and cast list
989:Our Gang Follies of 1936
959:"I Was a Florodora Baby"
704:Our Gang Follies of 1936
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154:Edwardian musical comedy
1218:Musicals set in castles
1098:Florodora
1031:Uruburu, Paula (2008).
792:"Rarely Produced Shows"
499:"Tell me pretty maiden"
409:Anthony Tweedlepunch –
384:Roles and original cast
920:San Francisco Examiner
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1228:Musicals set in Wales
1223:Musicals set on ships
1159:Analysis and synopsis
1002:"Come Up to My Place"
609:Supplementary numbers
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433:(daughter of Gilfain)
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939:on 18 September 2007
207:The Belle of Mayfair
278:original cast album
228:, the show starred
164:, the music was by
133:International tour
893:Aronson, Rudolph.
797:2011-07-16 at the
752:(1920 production)"
666:The Florodora Girl
637:In popular culture
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316:Finborough Theatre
310:played one of the
196:The Silver Slipper
1198:Original musicals
1188:Broadway musicals
1013:Graham, Colleen.
976:Three Movie Buffs
909:, pp. 87–88.
697:A subplot in the
684:In the 1935 film
663:The musical film
648:Ballard MacDonald
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429:Angela Gilfain –
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937:the original
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716:In the film
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349:phrenologist
345:
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176:and Rubens.
148:
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59:Paul Rubens
24:
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1113:Vocal score
835:Pendennis.
790:Bond, Ian.
719:On the Town
652:Fanny Brice
463:Music from
431:Kate Cutler
421:Evie Greene
333:Philippines
230:Evie Greene
220:Productions
170:Paul Rubens
80:Productions
50:Paul Rubens
1182:Categories
1084:The Gaiety
734:References
527:media help
419:Dolores –
187:Background
1171:Florodora
1132:Florodora
1124:Florodora
1080:Florodora
750:Florodora
679:Florodora
515:Ada Jones
465:Florodora
438:Ada Reeve
270:Florodora
238:Ada Reeve
192:Florodora
162:Owen Hall
149:Florodora
72:Owen Hall
26:Florodora
837:Observer
795:Archived
756:IBDB.com
722:, Chip (
675:Broadway
322:Synopsis
303:West End
262:chorines
246:Broadway
216:(1908).
204:(1903),
198:(1901),
158:Broadway
137:West End
127:West End
119:Broadway
111:West End
103:Broadway
95:Broadway
90:Broadway
85:West End
1101:at the
943:24 June
654:in the
140:revival
130:revival
122:revival
114:revival
106:revival
98:revival
1118:Script
1072:
1047:
819:
584:Act II
363:Act II
213:Havana
152:is an
56:Lyrics
1082:" in
701:film
535:Act I
327:Act I
273:'
135:2006
125:1931
117:1920
109:1915
101:1905
93:1902
88:1900
83:1899
42:Music
1070:ISBN
1045:ISBN
945:2007
817:ISBN
293:and
236:and
67:Book
710:sic
244:on
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