The Merry Monarch (play)

The Merry Monarch
Marie Jansen in The Merry Monarch
Written by	Adaptation of L'étoile by J. Cheever Goodwin, new music by Woolson Morse
Date premiered	18 August 1890
Place premiered	Broadway Theatre (41st Street)
Original language	English

The Merry Monarch is an 1890 comic opera that debuted at the Broadway Theatre in New York City. It is an English adaptation of L'étoile by J. Cheever Goodwin, with new music by Woolson Morse.

Presented by actor-manager Francis Wilson and his company, which also featured Marie Jansen, The Merry Monarch debuted on August 18, 1890, and ran for 49 performances, through October 4. Though this was not considered a long run for the time, the show was turning large profits, and crowds were being turned away from every performance. The New York Times reported on September 29 that the play was sure to gross at least $87,000 during the run, "the largest amount by many thousands ever taken at the theatre in the same period at regular prices." But the theatre had other contractual engagements that prevented a longer run, and it was announced that the production would return the following fall. The play immediately went on the road, also playing to packed houses. The play returned after the long run of Wang concluded, and ran from October 5 through December 26, 1891, for 84 more performances. On the second run, a young Lulu Glaser served as the understudy for star Marie Jansen. It may have run longer, but Wilson was anxious to bring out his next play The Lion Tamer, which immediately followed.

The stage manager for the production was Richard Barker, and costume designs were by Percy Anderson. Scenery was by Homer Emmons, Henry E. Hoyt, and Plaisted, and the orchestra conducted by Signore A. De Novellis

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