Woodland is described as "a Forest Fantasy". The book and lyrics are by Frank Pixley and the music by Gustav Luders. It was originally produced at the Studebaker Theatre, Chicago, on 4 September 1904. It transferred to the New York Theatre on 21 November, 1804 with a slightly different cast.
Dramatis Personæ
KING EAGLE (ruler of Woodland) | Dore Davidson |
PRINCE EAGLE (heir to the throne) | Cheridah Simpson |
BLUE JAY (a tramp politician) | Harry Bulger |
ROBIN REDBREAST (college mate of the Prince) | Chas. H. Bowers |
GENERAL ROOSTER (chief of police) | Frank Doane |
JUDGE OWL (chief Justice of Woodland) | Stanley H. Forde |
DR. RAVEN (court physician) | Frank D. Nelson |
CARDINAL GROSBEAK (representing the Church) | Harry N. Pyke |
LIEUTENANT SPARROW (commanding the Cadets) | Grace King |
MISS NIGHTINGALE (concert singer, betrothed to the Prince) | Ida Brooks Hunt |
MRS. POLLY PARROT (a gossiping widow) | Ida Mulle |
LADY PEACOCK (a society leader) | Emma Carus |
MISS TURTLE DOVE (a country ingenue) | Margaret Sayre |
MISS JENNY WREN | Helen Hale |
LADY HAWK (the Prince's cousin) | Louida Hilliard |
ACT I - King Eagle's Royal Court in the Forest, just before sunrise.
- No. 1 - Opening Chorus & Solo - Owl - "Who-Who-Who! Who-Who-Who! Behold the sentinel birds of night on guard..."
- No. 2 - Duet - Cuckoo & Dove, with Chorus - "When I meet an Ingenue, I'm en-raptured... How romantic! ..."
- No. 3 - Song of the Nightingale - "Oh list how the groves resound, each bird to its mate is cooing..."
- No. 4 - Song - Blue Jay & Chorus - "I'm an old blue jay and I've come to stay; you'll be tickled to death to know me..."
- No. 5 - Duet - Wren & Blue Jay - "Don't imagine ev'ry girl who may set your heart a-whirl will surrender to your charms..."
- No. 6 - Prince Eagle's Entrance and Song - "Raise each loyal voice, let us all rejoice, we unite with rare delight..."
- No. 7 - Finale Act I - "I'm the monarch of all I survey, and ev'rything's coming my way..."
ACT II - The Birchen Grove - the following morning.
- No. 8 - Opening Chorus & Solo - Sparrow - "Clear the way! Blithe and gay, soldiers brave are we..."
- No. 9 - Song - Rooster & Female Chorus - "With some barn-yard fowls lived an elderly hen of a motherly turn of mind..."
- No. 10 - Quintet - Blue Jay, Cuckoo, Owl, Rooster & Raven - "On the hitherward side of the hills of Hope..."
- No. 11 - Song - Peacock & Chorus - "Our up-to-date society is built upon the plan that money makes the mare go..."
- No. 12 - Trio - Prince Eagle, Dove & Nightingale - "Is no one here to meet me? No Nightingale to greet me? ..."
- No. 13a - "The Contest" - Nightingale, Wren, Parrot, Cuckoo, Blue Jay, Rooster & Owl - "The test we'll now begin..."
- No. 13b - Entrance of Canary Birds - "My bird, sweet bird! Pray tell me why you roam..."
- No. 13c - Entrance of Blue Birds - "When wintry skies are cheerless and days are dark and drear..."
- No. 13d - Coon Song - Wren & Chorus - "I'm happy tonight,for my spirits are light, and my banjo again is in tune..."
- No. 13e - Song - Dove & Chorus - "All the birds of song one day had a long dispute they say..."
- No. 13f - End of Contest - "Huzza, the dove has won! Huzza, the dove has won! ..."
- No. 14 - Song - Blue Jay - "When I settle soon to bus'ness and reforms inaugurate, we will have another Eden..."
- No. 15 - Ensemble - Blue Jay, Prince Eagle, Owl & Nightingale - "Here ends the race which thus far you have led..."
- No. 16 - Finale Act II - "Why hesitate? Get down to facts, cut off debate, see how it acts..."
MIDI Files
- External Links
- Programme from original production
- Vocal Score from IMSLP
Page modified 22 May 2017