The Desert Song
New York City Center
Previews Began: -
Opening Night: January 8, 1946
Closing Night: February 16, 1946
Music: Sigmund Romberg
Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II
Otto Harbach
Frank Mandel
Edward Smith
Book: Oscar Hammerstein II
Otto Harbach
Frank Mandel
Pierre, the seemingly mild-mannered son of a French general, masquerades as the “Red Shadow,” the leader of a group of Arab bandits in the Middle East, in order to have adventures and seduce his beloved Margot.
Musical Numbers
ACT ONE
High on a Hill………………………………………………Chorus
The Riff Song………………Red Shadow, Sid El Kar, Riffs
Margot…………………….Captain Paul Fontaine, Soldiers
I’ll Be a Buoyant Girl…………………………….Susan, Edith
Why Did We Marry Soldiers?……………….French Girls
French Military Marching Song……..Margot Bonvalet,
French Girls,
Soldiers
Romance…………………..Margot Bonvalet, French Girls
Then You Will Know………………………Margot Bonvalet
Pierre Birabeau,
Ensemble
I Want a Kiss……….Margot Bonvalet, Pierre Birabeau,
Captain Paul Fontaine, Ensemble
Tropics………………………………….Benjamin Kidd, Susan
The Desert Song………..Red Shadow, Margot Bonvalet
Morocco Dance of Marriage…………..Azuri, Sid El Kar,
Dancing Girls
The Desert Song (Reprise)…………………..Red Shadow,
Margot Bonvalet,
Ensemble
ACT TWO
My Little Castagnette……..Clementina, Spanish Girls
Song of the Brass Key………Clementina, Spanish Girls
One Good Boy Gone Wrong……………..Benjamin Kidd,
Clementina
Eastern and Western Love……………..Pierre Birabeau,
Sid El Kar,
Ali Ben Ali,
Male Ensemble
Let Love Go……………………Ali Ben Ali, Male Ensemble
One Flower in Your Garden…………………….Sid El Kar,
Male Ensemble
One Alone………………………………………Pierre Birabeau
The Sabre Song………….Margot Bonvalet, Red Shadow
Farewell…………………………………Pierre Birabeau, Riffs
Tropics (Reprise)………..Benjamin Kidd, Dancing Girls
CAST
OPENING NIGHT
Barbara Bailey Mardi
Dancing Girl
Jean Bartel Clementina
Joan Bishop French Girl
Native
Lady of the Harem
Lillian Bloch French Girl
Native
Lady of the Harem
William Bowers Sentinel
Riff
French Legionnaire
George Burnson Ali Ben Ali
Fred Butterworth Riff
French Legionnaire
Jean Caples Dancing Girl
Natalie Carr Dancing Girl
Walter Cassel Pierre Birabeau
Richard Charles Sid El Kar
Warren Christian Riff
French Legionnaire
Clarissa Azuri
Wilton Clary Captain Paul Fontaine
Joseph Claudio Sergeant La Vergne
Arthur Couture Riff
French Legionnaire
Rita Currier Dancing Girl
Beth Alba Cushing French Girl
Native
Lady of the Harem
Louis DeMagnus Nogi
Riff
French Legionnaire
John Donaty Riff
French Legionnaire
Barbara Downie Dancing Girl
Georgine Dwyer French Girl
Native
Lady of the Harem
Dean Etmund Riff
French Legionnaire
Charles Fries Riff
French Legionnaire
Keith Gingles Ahmed
Riff
French Legionnaire
Jack Goode Benjamin Kidd
Sterling Hall Riff
French Legionnaire
Florette Hillier Yvette
French Girl
Native
Lady of the Harem
Richard Hughes Harem Guard
Riff
French Legionnaire
Lynn Hunt Dancing Girl
Rosemary Leisen French Girl
Native
Lady of the Harem
Doris Luff French Girl
Native
Lady of the Harem
Joseph Malpasuto Riff
French Legionnaire
Allan Mars Riff
French Legionnaire
Lester Matthews General Birabeau
Suzette Meredith French Girl
Native
Lady of the Harem
Sherry O’Neil Susan
Betina Orth Florette
Dancing Girl
Tamara Page Edith
French Girl
Native
Lady of the Harem
Thayer Roberts Hassi
Antonio Rovano Sergeant DuBassac
Riff
French Legionnaire
Paul Ruth Riff Runner
Riff
French Legionnaire
Russell Sanders Riff
French Legionnaire
W. Vernon Sanders Riff
French Legionnaire
Dorothy Sandlin Margot Bonvalet
Harvey Sauber Riff
French Legionnaire
Jack Saunders Omar
Riff
French Legionnaire
Dorothy Jean Sheppard Dancing Girl
Betty Slabe Dancing Girl
Margaret Smitherum French Girl
Native
Lady of the Harem
Walter Swanson Riff
French Legionnaire
Maria Taweel Yvonne
Dancing Girl
Helen Vey French Girl
Native
Lady of the Harem
June Walks French Girl
Native
Lady of the Harem
Edward Wellman Mindar
Riff
French Legionnaire
Stanley Wolfe Riff
French Legionnaire
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