Babes in Toyland is a 1903 operetta by Victor Herbert, which wove together various characters from Mother Goose nursery rhymes into a musical — mainly because librettist Glen MacDonough wanted to cash in on the Wizard of Oz phenomena sweeping Broadway that year. It features some of Herbert's most famous songs - among them "Toyland", "March of the Toys", "Go To Sleep, Slumber Deep", and "I Can't Do The Sum". The title song "Toyland" and "March of the Toys" occasionally show up on Christmas compilations. Broadway theatre[1] is often considered the highest professional form of theatre in the United States. ... Victor August Herbert (February 1, 1859–May 26, 1924) was a popular composer of light opera. ... The Majestic Theatre is a Broadway theatre on 247 West 44th Street in Manhattan, New York City. ... Julian Mitchell (born May 1, 1935) is a British screenwriter, especially for TV. He was screenwriter for many Inspector Morse episodes. ... 1903 (MCMIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Friday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... Operetta (literally, little opera) is a performance art-form similar to opera, though it generally deals with less serious topics. ... Victor August Herbert (February 1, 1859–May 26, 1924) was a popular composer of light opera. ... A page from a late 17th century handwritten and illustrated version of Charles Perraults Contes de ma mère lOye (Mother Goose Tales) depicting Puss in Boots. ... A libretto is the complete body of words used in an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, sacred or secular oratorio and cantata, musical, and ballet. ... For the film, see The Wizard of Oz (1939 film) The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is a childrens book written by L. Frank Baum and illustrated by W.W. Denslow. ... Broadway theatre[1] is often considered the highest professional form of theatre in the United States. ...

A new book and lyrics for the show were written for the Light Opera of Manhattan (LOOM) in the 1970s by Alice Hammerstein-Matthias (the daughter of Oscar Hammerstein II) and director-producer William Mount-Burke. LOOM played this operetta as a Christmas show for several weeks each year thereafter for about a decade with considerable success, and the rewritten book and lyrics has since been used by other companies. The ensemble becomes a mechanical militia of toys for the "March of the Toys," and children from the audience are brought up to help "wind-up" the toy dancers. Light Opera of Manhattan was an Off-Broadway repertory theatre company that produced light operas, principally the works of Gilbert and Sullivan, 52 weeks per year, in New York City between 1968 and 1989. ... For work done with Richard Rodgers, see Rodgers and Hammerstein Oscar Hammerstein II (July 12, 1895 – August 23, 1960) was a New-York born writer, producer, and (usually uncredited) director of musicals for almost forty years. ...

Plot with spoilers included

1903 version

The basic and wildly illogical story is about orphans Alan and Jane. They live with their wicked uncle Barnaby, who wants to steal their fortune. He arranges for them to be shipwrecked and lost at sea, but somehow they survive and end up in Toyland, where they have a series of adventures with Mother Goose characters. Tom is accused of having done away with the evil Toymaker and is tried for murder, but is exonerated. Upon their return, Barnaby prepares a glass of poison for them, but accidentally drinks it himself and dies, leaving the children free to enjoy their fortune. Other characters include pirates (who work for Barnaby) and goblins (who once worked for him, but rebelled after he insulted the goblin king). A page from a late 17th century handwritten and illustrated version of Charles Perraults Contes de ma mère lOye (Mother Goose Tales) depicting Puss in Boots. ...

Large audiences were drawn to the musical by the spectacular settings and sets (e.g., the Floral Palace of the Moth Queen, the Garden of Contrary Mary) of Toyland.

1970s version

In the 1970s version, which is more sentimental than the original, the two unhappy children, Jane and Alan, run away from home. Their parents, who are always putting work and discipline before play and pleasure, are too busy for them, so the young siblings set out for a place where they will be understood. The children believe that Toyland, a magical land of spirited toys, will deliver them from their hardships. When they arrive, the Toymaker welcomes them with open arms. He warns them not to become too caught up in the fantasy, but soon the toys of Toyland draw them in with their singing and dancing.

The busy parents must find a way to bring the young runaways back home. They send a private eye to search for their children, but he sees an opportunity for personal gain in his trip to Toyland; he forces Jane and Alan to help him steal the Toymaker’s plans for a new marching toy soldier. When the parents arrive in Toyland via hot air balloon, they too fall under the spell of the mystical land. Arguments break out, toys are wounded, and Jane and Alan get lost in the woods outside of Toyland. As the parents and toys search for the children, the characters and audience alike discover the true meaning of Christmas.

Adaptations

Most people know of the operetta from film versions; either Laurel and Hardy's 1934 version (reissued as March of the Wooden Soldiers, it includes only five of Herbert's songs and almost none of the original book), or the Technicolor remake from 1961 from Walt Disney featuring Ray Bolger, Tommy Sands, and Annette Funicello. This one had a heavily revised plot, but much of the Herbert music, although much of it was played in an entirely different tempo from that intended by the composer, and the songs had a completely new set of lyrics. Film is a term that encompasses motion pictures as individual projects, as well as the field in general. ... Laurel and Hardy, in a promotional still from their 1937 feature film Way Out West. ... Babes in Toyland is a 1934 musical comedy film starring Laurel and Hardy. ... Logo celebrating Technicolors 90th Anniversary. ... Babes in Toyland is a 1961 musical film, directed by Jack Donohue, produced by Walt Disney, and distributed to theatres by Buena Vista Distribution. ... Walter Elias Disney (December 5, 1901 – December 15, 1966), was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, visionary, and philanthropist. ... Bolger, circa early 1930s Ray Bolger (January 10, 1904 – January 15, 1987) was an American entertainer of stage and screen, best known for his portrayal of the Scarecrow (and the farmworker Hunk) in the 1939 film classic, The Wizard of Oz. ... Tommy Sands (born August 27, 1937) is an American pop music singer and actor. ... Funicello on the Mickey Mouse Club. ...

The 1933 Betty Boop cartoon Parade of the Wooden Soldiers was rather freely adapted from Babes in Toyland. Betty Boop from the opening title sequence of the earliest entries in the Betty Boop Cartoons. ... Parade of the Wooden Soldiers is a 1933 Fleischer Studios animated short film starring Betty Boop. ...

In addition, a 1954 adaptation for television featured Wally Cox, Dave Garroway, and Jack E. Leonard. A 1960 adaptation for television featured Shirley Temple as the old gypsy Floretta, Angela Cartwright as Jane, and Jonathan Winters as Barnaby. It was shown as an episode on the anthology series The Shirley Temple Show. A 1986 made for television version featured Drew Barrymore, Pat Morita, and Keanu Reeves, only two songs from the Victor Herbert score, a new plot, and many new songs by Leslie Bricusse. 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Wallace Maynard Cox (born December 6, 1924; died February 15, 1973) was a television and motion picture actor. ... Dave Garroway (b. ... Jack E. Leonard (April 24, 1910 - May 10, 1973) was a comedian who made frequent appearances on television variety and game shows. ... Year 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1960 calendar). ... Shirley Jane Temple (born April 23, 1928), later known as Shirley Temple Black, is an American diplomat and former film child actress. ... Angela Cartwright (born September 9, 1952 in Altrincham, Cheshire) is a British-born American actress, best known as a child actress for her roles in the film The Sound of Music and in the US television series Lost in Space. ... Jonathan Winters (born November 11, 1925 in Dayton, Ohio) is an American comedic actor. ... In the 1950s and 1960s, Shirley Temple made a brief return to show business with two television series. ... 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Drew Blyth Barrymore (born February 22, 1975) is an American actress and film producer. ... Noriyuki Pat Morita Noriyuki Pat Morita 森田 沢之 Morita Noriyuki, (June 28, 1932 – November 24, 2005) was a Japanese American actor who is probably best known for playing the roles of Arnold on the TV show Happy Days and Mr. ... Keanu Charles Reeves (first name pronounced Key-Ah-New, born September 2, 1964 in Beirut, Lebanon) is a Canadian actor. ... Leslie Bricusse (born 29 January 1931) is a British lyricist. ...

See also

Light Opera of Manhattan Light Opera of Manhattan was an Off-Broadway repertory theatre company that produced light operas, principally the works of Gilbert and Sullivan, 52 weeks per year, in New York City between 1968 and 1989. ...

External links

• Description of Troupe America’s touring version
• Description of Spokane, Wash. preview