The Music of Toyland, Part 3

And now for another medley, this one is from 1927 and features four musical selections from Babes in Toyland: "In the Toymaker's Shop," "Never Mind, Bo Peep," "Toyland," and "I Can't Do The Sum." (For lyrics, see the previous entries in the "Music of Toyland" series. This was recorded by the Victor Light Company.

Max Liebman's Babes in Toyland

Back in the early days of television, there were few pre-recorded programs. So, when Oldsmobile sponsored Max Liebman's television adaptation of Babes in Toyland in 1954, it was actually performed live. Luckily for future generations, a kinescope recording was made. (A 1950 television adaptation of Toyland is now lost to time because of no recording being made or preserved.) Featuring quite a lot of Victor Herbert's music and Bil Baird's marionettes, the performance delighted audiences so much that the production was re-mounted in 1955.

The story begins with a little girl (Ellen Barrie) lost in a department store (an establishing shot of the store uses the song "Hail to Christmas") and asking the Santa Claus (Dave Garroway) there for help. Although he's tired, he calls the little girl's mother and reads her a story while waiting for the girl's mother to arrive. Of course, the book selected is Babes in Toyland. (A novelization of the operetta had been published in 1904. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get a copy in time for these blogs.)

The Toyland scenes opens with a lengthy musical sequence ("Toyland" and instrumentals of "Don't Cry, Bo Peep," "I Can't Do The Sum," "Floretta" and other pieces) celebrating the engagement of Tom Tucker (Dennis Day) and Jane Piper (Jo Sullivan in 1954, Barbara Cook in 1955). Silas Barnaby (Jack E. Leonard) disapproves and tries to convince Jane to marry him instead. When she refuses, he fires Tom from his job at the toy factory. Jane doesn't mind, saying that even as paupers, they'll still love each other.

Shortly, Jane helps her younger siblings Ann (Karin Wolfe) and Peter (Edward Brian in 1954, Dickie Belton in 1955) with their homework, resulting in a performance of "I Can't Do The Sum." Tom arrives and promises Jane a "Castle in Spain."

We are then introduced to Grumio (Wally Cox), the lead toymaker at the factory. His friends are the toys (portrayed by the marionettes), who come to life and dance to music. Grumio even sings "Never Mind, Bo Peep" to a toy version of the character (a dancer identified as Bo Peep appeared earlier). Barnaby arrives and yells at Grumio, then asks to see the new toy soldiers, who dance to "Military Ball" with some other toys.

Then is the engagement party of Tom and Jane, which features the song "Barney O'Flynn." Then a pair of clowns perform music and tricks.

Ann and Peter receive an invitation to a party on Ice Cream Mountain. This takes them into the Spider Forest, where the two children fear for their lives as a tree and other creatures (especially a giant spider, played by two people in one costume) frighten them.

Tom, Jane and Grumio come to find the children. Noting how late it is, Tom performs "Go to Sleep." Barnaby arrives and captures Tom, tying him up and is about to feed him to a buzz saw to cut him in half when Grumio activates the Toy Soldiers who march out (to "March of the Toys" of course) and stop Barnaby's plot, Jane freeing Tom just in time, and the soldiers putting the villain in the stocks. Then, there is a reprise of "Toyland."

Santa finishes by telling the little girl "how they lived happily ever after": Tommy Tucker organized an orchestra and Jane's a lead vocalist, Little Bo Peep found her sheep and doing very well in the sweater business, Grumio became a school teacher and got a television program, and Barnaby "is a very, very unhappy man, and that makes him very happy."

The little girl's mother arrives and thanks Santa, who then wishes peace to the audience.

The final view of Toyland

To modern standards, this entertainment may seem very weak in plot, but in 1954, audiences enjoyed the humor and music being broadcast into their homes more than trying to follow the story. Unlike today, they couldn't start a video and there were few stations. It appears that the production was broadcast in color, but kinescope recordings are always black and white. Considering few homes had color televisions, most audiences in 1954 likely saw it in black and white anyway.

The 1955 restaging runs at a brisker pace, cutting some dialogue and getting the run time down from 78 minutes to 75, and that includes an additional Christmas carol and a good-bye from Oldsmobile. The kinescope recording of that one is sharper, though it has other issues as well. It also does more close ups, as well as changing some of the cast. Otherwise, it is the same adaptation.

Barbara Cook plays Jane in 1955

Wally Cox as Grumio in 1955

The recording of the 1954 version was released on DVD by a budget company, offering a very soft print. However, both have since been released on DVD by Video Artists International. Probably not the greatest version of Toyland to check out, but if you're really interested, by all means, I'd recommend picking it up.

And Oz connections? Jack E. Leonard (Barnaby) would later voice the Sign Post in Journey Back to Oz and Bil Baird eventually adapted The Wizard of Oz with his puppets. (It's also worth noting that his puppets are the ones in the famous "Lonely Goatherd" scene from The Sound of Music.)

The Music of Toyland, Part 2

Again, with thanks to David Maxine, we have this recording of a medley of songs from "Babes in Toyland" released in 1910.



Lyrics:

Don't Cry, Bo Peep
What is the matter, Little Bo Peep?
I have been careless and lost my sheep.
Say, have you seen them, Jack and Jill,
During your journey up the hill?
They're not on the hilltop,
Perhaps in the wood,
They may have met with Red Riding Hood.

Don't cry, Bo Peep, don't cry,
To find your sheep we'll try
We'll seek them far,
We'll seek them wide,
We'll seek them low and high!

Don't cry, Bo Peep, don't cry,
To find your sheep we'll try
We'll seek them far,
We'll seek them wide,
We'll seek them low and high!

Oh, Sallie Waters and Miss Muffet too,
Have my stray lambkins been seen by you?
Better ask Curly Locks fresh from the fair
She or Boy Blue may have seen them there.
Where they are hiding Tom Tucker may know
Simon or Peter or Bobby Shaftoe!

Never mind, Bo Peep, we will find your sheep,
No matter where they be!
So be gay Bo Peep,
Though astray your sheep
Soon home again you'll see!

Give a smile Bo Peep
For a while your sheep
May cruise in pastures new
Never mind Bo Peep
We will find your sheep
And bring them home to you

Baa! Baa! Baa!
It was the black sheep that led them away!
Baa! Baa! Baa!
For this the rascal shall certainly pay!
(Baa! Baa! Baa!)
Led them away by the tales that he told
(Baa! Baa! Baa!)
Far from the meadow and far from their home
Baa! Baa! Baa!
Baa! Baa! Baa!
Baa! Baa! Baa!

Never mind, Bo Peep, we will find your sheep,
No matter where they be!
So be gay Bo Peep,
Though astray your sheep
Soon home again you'll see!

Give a smile Bo Peep
For a while your sheep
May cruise in pastures new
Never mind Bo Peep
We will find your sheep
And bring them home to you

I Can't Do The Sum
If a steamship weighed ten thousand tons
And sailed five thousand miles,
With a cargo large of overshoes,
And carving knives and files,
If the mates were almost six feet high,
And the bos'n near the same,
Would you subtract or multiply,
To find the captain's name?

Oh!— Oh— Oh!—
Put down six and carry two,
Gee! but this is hard to do;
You can think and think and think
Till your brains are numb,
I don't care what teacher says,
I can't do the sum.

If Clarence took fair Gwendolin
Out for an auto ride,
And if at sixty miles an hour,
One kiss to capture tried,
And quite forgot the steering gear,
On her honeyed lips to sup,
How soon could twenty men with brooms,
Sweep Clare and Gwennie up?

Oh!— Oh— Oh!—
Put down six and carry two,
Gee! but this is hard to do;
You can think and think and think
Till your brains are numb,
I don't care what teacher says,
I can't do the sum.

If Harold took sweet Imogene
With him one eve to dine,
And ordered half the bill of fare,
With cataracts of wine,
If the bill of fare were thirteen ninety five,
And poor Harold had but four,
How many things would Harold strike,
Before he struck the floor?

Oh!— Oh— Oh!—
Put down six and carry two,
Gee! but this is hard to do;
You can think and think and think
Till your brains are numb,
I don't care what teacher says,
I can't do the sum.

If a woman had an English pug,
Ten children and a cat,
And she tried in seven hours to find
A forty dollar flat,
With naught but sunny outside rooms,
In a neighborhood of tone,
How old would those ten children be,
Before they found a home?

Oh!— Oh— Oh!—
Put down six and carry two,
Gee! but this is hard to do;
You can think and think and think
Till your brains are numb,
I don't care what teacher says,
I can't do the sum.

If a pound of prunes cost thirteen cents
At half past one today,
And the grocer is so bald he wears
A dollar five toupee,
And if with ev'ry pound of tea,
He will give two cut glass plates,
How soon would Willie break his face,
On his new roller skates?

Oh!— Oh— Oh!—
Put down six and carry two,
Gee! but this is hard to do;
You can think and think and think
Till your brains are numb,
I don't care what teacher says,
I can't do the sum.

Hail to Christmas
Hail to Christmas!
Joyous Christmas!
Be gay the day draws near!
Hail to Christmas!
Joyous Christmas!
Be gay the day draws near!

Now Kris Kringle
Dear Kris Kringle
Will bring our king to be!
Now Kris Kringle
Dear Kris Kringle
Will bring our king to be!

Here from all Toyland!
Near and far!
Far and near!
All to our fair, come!
To make merry here, merry here!

Here from all Toyland!
Near and far!
Far and near!
All to our fair, come!
To our fair,
To our fair,
All to our fair, come
To make merry here,
At our fair.

Hail to Christmas!
Joyous Christmas!
Be gay the day draws near!
Hail to Christmas!
Joyous Christmas!
Be gay the day draws near!

Now Kris Kringle
Dear Kris Kringle
Will bring our king to be!
Now Kris Kringle
Dear Kris Kringle
Will bring our king to be!

Come where pleasure invites
'Neath the glittering lights
Singing a glad song
Loud and strong
As we journey along

Come where music enchants
Sway there swift in the dance
Letting the night fly
'Till the sun's high

Letting the night fly
The night quickly fly by
The night quickly fly
'Till the sun is on high
Come and dance!
Come and dance!
Come and dance!

Come where pleasure invites
'Neath the glittering lights
Singing a glad song
Loud and strong
As we journey along

Come where music enchants
Sway there swift in the dance
Letting the night fly
'Till the sun's high
Letting the night fly
'Till the sun's high
 Letting the night quickly fly
'Till the sun is on high!

Hail to thee joyous Christmas
Hail to thee joyous Christmas
Hail to thee! Hail to thee!
Hail to thee! Hail to thee!
Hail to thee! Hail to thee!

To our fair,
To our fair,
All to our fair, come
To make merry here,
At our fair.

Hail to Christmas!
Joyous Christmas!
Be gay the day draws near!
Hail to Christmas!
Joyous Christmas!
Be gay the day draws near!

Now Kris Kringle
Dear Kris Kringle
Will bring our king to be!
Now Kris Kringle
Dear Kris Kringle
Will bring our king to be!

Laurel and Hardy in Toyland

Poster

The first film version of Babes in Toyland appeared in 1934. It was one of several films to showcase the famous comedy duo of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. This was just before studios would try out Technicolor, so the film was made in black and white, though it is available today in a colorized version. (And also a 3D version.) But sound film had definitely made its debut by now, so the film was a musical, though Laurel and Hardy did not sing any songs.

And now, being an Oz fan and as I'm sure many Oz fans are reading, let's get the Oz connections out of the way. (There may be even more.) The film was released by MGM, who would—of course—release their own version of The Wizard of Oz five years later. The producer was Hal Roach, who played the Cowardly Lion in L. Frank Baum's silent film version of The Patchwork Girl of Oz. Oliver Hardy played a farmhand who briefly disguises himself as a tin woodman in the 1925 silent comedy version of The Wizard of Oz. Finally, Charlotte Henry, who plays the heroine here, had been considered to play Dorothy in a never-realized version of Oz by Samuel Goldwyn.

Mother Goose

After Mother Goose (Virginia Karns) steps out of a giant book and sings "Toyland," we see Toyland, a merry land surrounded by a wall and gates, just across a crocodile-infested river from the dreaded Boogeyland, where the Boogeymen live. Of course, there is a toy factory in Toyland, who make toys for Santa Claus to deliver on Christmas Eve. Children play merrily when they are not in school, and even some of the houses appear to be dollhouses. And (on special permission from Walt Disney), Mickey Mouse and the Three Little Pigs appear. (Mickey is portrayed by a costumed monkey, the character almost unrecognizable; two children and a little person play the Pigs.)

Bo Peep

Much of the story concerns the home of Mother Peep (Florence Roberts) who lives in a shoe, and in addition to having so many children and her daughter Bo Peep (Charlotte Henry), also boards Stannie Dum and Ollie Dee, who work for the Toymaker. When Silas Barnaby (played by the fabulous Henry Brandon under his real name Heinrich von Kleinbach) threatens to foreclose on the unpaid mortgage unless Bo Peep marries him. When Mother Peep tells Ollie and Stannie of this, Ollie says he will give her all of his money and borrow the rest from the Toymaker. Only thing is, Stannie borrowed all of Ollie's money to buy pee-wees, so they must ask for the entire sum, Ollie claiming that he and the Toymaker were like "like that" (crossing his fingers).

At the toy factory, Ollie is suddenly hesitant to ask the Toymaker (William Burress) about the money, especially after Stannie knocks paint on him. Suddenly, Santa Claus (Ferdinand Munier) arrives to check on an order for 600 1-foot high toy soldiers. Stannie reveals that he got the order mixed up and that he produced 100 6-foot high toy soldiers. Activating one, it causes chaos in the factory and Stannie and Ollie are fired.

Bo Peep and Barnaby

Meanwhile, Bo Peep, rejecting Barnaby again, loses her sheep and is comforted by Tom-Tom Piper (played by the dashing Felix Knight) in the song "Never Mind, Bo Peep." As the townsfolk search for the sheep, Tom-Tom romances Bo Peep and they fall in love.

Ollie and Stannie

Being unable to pay Barnaby, Ollie and Stannie scheme to help Mother Peep by getting the paperwork for the mortgage. Hiding Ollie in a box, Stannie delivers it to Barnaby with a "Do Not Open Until Christmas" stamp on it. As Stannie leaves, he says "Good night, Ollie," spoiling the entire plan. Barnaby has King Cole (Kewpie Morgan) sentence the two to a ducking and then banishment to Boogeyland. After Ollie is dunked, Bo Peep agrees to marry Barnaby on condition that the charges are dropped. Barnaby claims to befriend Stannie, and when Ollie is mad that he had to go through the indignity of dunking, he pushes Stannie into the water. Stannie takes this calmly and then reveals that he still holds the watch that he was protecting for Ollie, now ruined by water damage.

Barnaby's Wedding

On Barnaby's wedding day, he marries Bo Peep, given away by Ollie, who, before Bo Peep's veil is removed and the bride kissed, demands the mortgage form. It being torn up, the veil is removed, revealing that Barnaby actually married Stannie. We may assume that as the intended bride wasn't there, this was an easy annulment. Tom-Tom celebrates this victory for Bo Peep by singing her "Castle in Spain."

Tom-Tom

As he can no longer threaten Bo Peep with the mortgage, Barnaby plans to get revenge by doing away with Tom-Tom, pignapping one of the Little Pigs and placing sausage in Tom-Tom's home to pin the crime on him. Tom-Tom is sent to Boogeyland, and Bo Peep follows after him. Ollie and Stannie discover that the sausages are actually made of beef and find the missing pig in Barnaby's cellar. Since the crime is made clear, everyone begins searching for Barnaby.

A Boogeyman

Finding shelter in Boogeyland, Tom-Tom sings "Go To Sleep" to Bo Peep as the Sand Man arrives. (He is accompanied by little men.) Barnaby arrives and summons the Boogeymen, masked hairy men with sharp claws. Ollie and Stannie found Barnaby's secret passage to Boogeyland (it was in his well) and lead Bo Peep and Tom-Tom back to Toyland as Barnaby takes lead of the Boogeymen.

The Soldiers march

As the Boogeymen invade Toyland, Stannie and Ollie use a cannon and toy darts to fight them. While it helps a little, they realize a more effective plan would be to activate the 6-foot high toy soldiers, who march out to "March of the Toys," driving the Boogeymen out of Toyland and finally defeating Barnaby (burying him under blocks that spell "RAT"). As the Boogeymen fall into the river outside of Toyland, Ollie tells Stannie to send them a parting shot of darts from the cannon. It flips around and shoots Ollie, Stannie having to remove the darts one by one.

Behind the scenes

As noted, the plot bears little resemblance to the original operetta. Gone are Alan and Jane. Mary does appear, but only as a minor character. (She is seen gardening.) However, like the operetta, the Toymaker is not a cheerful, kindly man, and Barnaby does force the girl he wanted to marry by condemning the man she does love. And, of course, a young couple manages to finally win out over Barnaby. Aside from the above mentioned musical numbers, "I Can't Do The Sum" is played as an instrumental over Stannie and Ollie's scenes to suggest their silly nature. Many other pieces of music by Herbert serve as underscoring.

Despite the plot not being like the operetta, the film is very good on its own merits. Laurel and Hardy's humor has aged very well. The romantic plot is a little corny, but considering that this is an old-time fantasy world, we can forgive that. Perhaps the fully costumed creatures (Mickey Mouse, the Little Pigs, Hey Diddle Diddle and the Boogeymen) show some limitation, but otherwise the film is still quite enjoyable.

Because the film was such a big hit in 1934, it became a popular re-release for MGM, being released under the titles Laurel and Hardy in Toyland, Revenge is Sweet, and most famously as March of the Wooden Soldiers, which many home video releases use on the case, despite using the original "Babes in Toyland" cut. (This latter re-release cut the "Go To Sleep" sequence, some of the more intense altercations between Bo Peep, Barnaby and Tom-Tom, and a little music.) It is currently available on DVD, Blu-Ray, 3D Blu-Ray, Amazon Instant Video, Hulu, and Vudu. Personally, I'd recommend watching the black and white original as I've yet to see a convincing colorization.

A number of pieces about this film spell "Boogeyland" and "Boogeymen" as "Bogeyland" and "Bogeymen." As the film itself uses the double "O" sound (versus the alternative, which is a British slang word for nasal mucous), I've used it in this article.

The Music of Toyland, Part 1

Fans of early musical theater have often bemoaned that no complete recording of the score of Babes in Toyland has been made available. That doesn't mean, however, that there have not been recordings of the songs and score. Alongside the look at various adaptations, we'll also be looking at different recordings of the score that I can turn up.

This is four tracks from a 1935 recording, provided to me by David Maxine of Hungry Tiger Press, a big Babes in Toyland fan. He wrote a little about the musical (and shows his original poster for it) at his blog. David notes that what makes this collection special is that the vocalist on "Toyland" is none other than Bessie Wynn, the original Tom-Tom from 1903.

Lyrics:

Toyland
When you've grown up my dears,
And are as old as I,
You'll often ponder on the years
That roll so swiftly by, my dears,
That roll so swiftly by.
And of the many lands,
You will have journeyed through,
You'll oft recall
The best of all,
The land your childhood knew!
Your childhood knew...

Toyland. Toyland.
Little girl and boy land.
While you dwell within it,
You are ever happy then.
Childhood’s joy-land.
Mystic merry Toyland,
Once you pass it’s borders,
You can never return again.

When you've grown up, my dears,
There comes a dreary day.
When 'mid the locks of black appears
The first pale gleam of gray, my dears,
The first pale gleam of gray.
Then of the past you'll dream
As gray-haired grown-ups do,
And seek once more
Its phantom shore,
The land your childhood knew!
Your childhood knew...

Toyland. Toyland.
Little girl and boy land.
While you dwell within it,
You are ever happy then.
Childhood’s joy-land.
Mystic merry Toyland,
Once you pass it’s borders,
You can never return again.

Floretta

I am a Romany Rye, A timorous sprite of the wildwood, I dabble in magic, Both comic and tragic, A witch I have been from my childhood Great is my mystical might, The blizzard and avalanche mind me, I'm also a voodoo, At casting a hoodoo, A qualified artist you'll find me! Floretta! Floretta! The gypsy am I, the past or the future To tell you I'll try! Your fortune I'll read from Your palm at a glance, Pray notice I also Collect in advance! Are you unhappy in love? And does she presume to ignore you? I'll give you a philtre Which quickly will wilt her And cause her to madly adore you! If to be painfully rich You'll find yourself ready and willing, You may acquire millions, Or billions or trillions, By buying this charm for a shilling! Floretta! Floretta! The gypsy am I, the past or the future To tell you I'll try! Your fortune I'll read from Your palm at a glance, Pray notice I also Collect in advance!

Go To Sleep
Jane: See that shadow sway!
Alan: There is nothing, dear.
Jane: You must near me stay!
Alan: I am watching here.
Jane: Hark, the fairies call!
Alan: No, that cannot be.
Jane: See that ogre tall!
Alan: 'Tis a cypress tree.

Tree Spirit: Go to sleep
Slumber deep!
Little girl, o, sleep, while watch we keep
Dream and rest, That is best
Till you hear the morning song from bough and nest!

Jane: Look what's passing by!
Alan: I can nothing see.
Jane: I could really cry!
Alan: Come then close to me.
Jane: Is the morning near?
Alan: 'Tis not far away.
Jane: Much the night I fear!
Alan:  Soon will dawn the day.

Tree Spirit: Go to sleep
Slumber deep!
Little girl, o, sleep, while watch we keep
Dream and rest, That is best
Till you hear the morning song from bough and nest! 

Babes in Toyland

For many families, a Christmas staple is a story titled Babes in Toyland. For some, it's a play a local theater company might put on. Or maybe it's a movie or TV program. Or maybe it's a picture book or an audio presentation. Or maybe it's a few pieces of music that are heard throughout the Christmas season.

The funny thing about Babes in Toyland is that no two film or TV versions have the same plot. And none of them faithfully follow the libretto of the original operetta.

Babes in Toyland draws off of the nursery rhymes of Mother Goose and some conventional fairy tale characters. The original operetta was whirled into production thanks to the success of producer Fred Hamlin and direction Julian Mitchell's previous wonder: The Wizard of Oz, a musical extravaganza they'd worked with L. Frank Baum on. In fact, Toyland replaced Oz at the Majestic Theater in New York. Even some of the cast members of Oz went on to Toyland.

The operetta's libretto shows that it owes some similarities to the Oz musical with a large, sprawling cast that travel to some fantastic place. The New York Public Library suggested more similarities when they covered the musical. But the greatest difference was the music by Victor Herbert. The songbook from The Wizard of Oz didn't exist because it was constantly revised with new songs being added and old ones dropped. But Babes in Toyland had a more conscious set of musical numbers related to it. Like Oz, many songs were comical, and not all were necessary to the plot. Indeed, after its first tryout, five numbers were dropped, and during its return engagement and second tour, three new numbers were added.

The two musical constants of Babes in Toyland are the song "Toyland" and the theme "The March of the Toys," also known as "The March of the Wooden Soldiers." These numbers have even found life outside of the musical. There was a third quite popular song, "I Can't Do The Sum," but it seems to have fallen out of popularity. A possible fourth is the song "Go to Sleep" which can easily be used as a lullaby.

Unidentified actor, possibly George W.
Denham, as Barnaby

The one constant of Babes in Toyland in all of its incarnations is the villain, Mr. Barnaby, usually portrayed as the crooked man from his crooked house. He seems to be after something in most versions that require him to marry one of the much younger heroines and do away with someone. The heroes and heroines shift in different versions. The original operetta and some TV adaptations include the brother and sister pair Jane and Alan, and along with them are Tom-Tom the Piper's Son (sometimes Tom Piper), Contrary Mary (or Mary Quite Contrary, often just called Mary), Little Bo Peep, and sometimes Miss Hubbard who may or might not also be the Old Woman Who Lived In A Shoe.

While looking over scripts for this blog, I discovered that there are two very different scripts that claim to be the original operetta. One seems to be the original 1903 script (containing songs removed before the Broadway debut), while the other seems to be a revision from the 1930s or after. (Mary mentions having toys of Shirley Temple, Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck.) The plots are largely the same, with some big alterations.

Bessie Wynn as Tom Tom

In Act 1, Barnaby is the uncle and legal guardian of Jane and Alan and he wants them done away with so he can claim their sizable inheritance. He hires Gonzorgo and Rodrigo, two scoundrels, to have the two children drowned. He then throws a party to get in the good graces of Mary, who doesn't attend. Tom, in love with Jane, sees through Barnaby's scheme and decides to look for her and her brother, who turn up in gypsy clothes after he leaves. Barnaby proposes to Mary, but is spurned. As her mother wants her to marry Barnaby, Mary decides to leave to join Tom.

Jane and Alan

Barnaby, finding his niece and nephew alive, has Gonzorgo and Rodrigo take them to the Forest of No Return (or the Spider Forest) and leave them. Jane sees a moth caught in a web and Alan frees it. Alan and Jane go to sleep and are attacked by a giant spider. A bear, sent by the Moth Queen, defeats the spider and it and an Oak tree confirm that Alan and Jane are safe in the Forest.

A Butterfly

Mabel Barrison as Jane

In Act 2, the four refugees arrive in Toyland, but Barnaby and the Widow Piper (and the rest of the children) are also there, looking for Mary to make her marry Barnaby. A puppeteer called Marmaduke disguises Alan, Jane, and Mary as marionettes as the Master Toymaker begins to conspire with Barnaby, who captures Tom. Alan shortly helps the Toymaker's assistant Grumio by marching as the Captain of the Wooden Soldiers. The Master Toymaker seizes Marmaduke's "marionettes," who overhear the Toymaker and Barnaby conspire to kill the Widow Piper's children by giving them toys that will come to life and attack them. (The Toymaker reveals that his kindly demeanor is an act to make children accept these toys.) When the Toymaker puts this plan into action, the toys burn down the Toymaker's castle, killing the Toymaker. Grumio had run off with Mary's sister Jill, Alan had made Jane and Mary leave before the toys were brought to life, and Barnaby, Gonzorgo and Rodrigo had left just before the toys "came to life." Alan escapes the fire.

William Norris as Alan

Amy Ricard as Mary

In Act 3, Alan is condemned to die, Barnaby claiming that he led the "outlaws" that killed the Toymaker. Barnaby says he'll clear Alan's name if Mary marries him. But after she does, he goes back on his word. Gonzorgo and Rodrigo try to assist Alan with suicide by offering him poisoned wine. However, Mary and Tom try to find a widow to marry Alan so he may be freed (if a condemned man marries a widow and supports her, his name may be cleared according to Toyland law). When they discover their own mother married Marmaduke, it seems Barnaby has won, and he comes in to gloat and feign sorrow over Alan's forthcoming execution, but he accidentally drinks Alan's poisoned wine. Dying, he leaves Mary a widow, able to save Alan by marrying him, which she does.

Already, we can see why later versions change the plot considerably. Many parts of it become disturbing as time goes on, and the large, sprawling cast of main characters becomes a little too confusing. In the early 1900s, when this was the big form of entertainment and could go for hours, this was fine. As entertainment developed in the Twentieth Century, more focused plots became more of an important factor.

However, that is not to say that changing the plot is unfaithful to the property. During its first performances, tours, and revivals, Babes in Toyland changed. Songs would be dropped and added and dialogue and jokes changed out to suit the audiences. In later years, stage productions would follow the suit of the film adaptations and create wholly new plots, utilizing as much of the original music as they wanted, often supplementing them with new songs. Thus, the many new versions of Babes in Toyland have been written tailored around the audiences and performers. The big mainstays were the music and some of the characters and settings, especially Barnaby.

Unlike many other popular fantasies of the early 20th century, there were no silent film adaptations of Babes in Toyland. When we consider that the real star of the show was the music, it makes sense that this was not a property that people would be quick to photograph. No film version of Babes in Toyland would be released for 31 years after its debut.

Here's a list of the pieces of music as it appeared in the New York premiere:

Act 1

• Prologue
• Don't Cry, Bo-Peep (Never Mind, Bo-Peep, We Will Find Your Sheep)
• Floretta
• Mary Mary
• Barney O'Flynn
• I Can't Do the Sum
• Go to Sleep, Slumber Deep

Act 2

• Christmas Fair Waltz: Hail to Christmas
• The Legend of the Castle
  
• Song of the Poet
• March of the Toys
• Military Ball
• In The Toymakers Workshop
• Toyland (In the early script I found, the Toymaker sings this song, but it seems by the time the show reached New York, it had been reassigned to Tom)
• My Rag Doll Girl

Act 3

• An Old-Fashioned Rose
• Before and After
• Jane
• Maybe the Moon Will Help You Out

These numbers were cut by the time the show premiered in New York and do not appear to have been reused in later versions.

• With Downcast Eye
• The Men
• The Healthfood Man
• If I Were a Man Like That
• Mignonette

These numbers were eventually added in by the time the show closed again in 1905.

• Beatrice Barefacts
• He Won't Be Happy Till He Gets It
• Don't Be a Villain
• Our Castle in Spain
  

Note on the pictures used: these are all from the New York Public Library's collection, aside from the sheet music cover, which was from an eBay auction. Unless otherwise noted, all cast pictures are believed to be from the original 1903 cast.

A thought on gay movies

Since coming out last year, I finally watched some gay themed movies. I mentioned Maurice, and of course there was Brokeback Mountain and Milk, and Netflix has let me try out a number of others for a low monthly cost. I found a few gems, like Priest and Far From Heaven, and really enjoyed Clapham Junction. My real love has been the documentaries, but that's just outside the scope of what I want to talk about now.

There was one I finished watching last night that actually took me months to watch. It's called eCupid, and it's about a guy who's about to turn 30 and is bored with his relationship, and installs this curious app called "eCupid" that promises to find him love. What it does is mess up his life so that he and his boyfriend break up and he can practically choose any guy he wants. In the end, he realizes he's been a selfish jerk and he gets back together with his boyfriend.

I've heard plenty about stereotyping gays and while this movie didn't present a host of flamboyant "queens," just about everyone except two characters were gay men, all but one being fit and handsome. (That one character was actually pretty cool.) As a dieting 27 year old who probably isn't going to get any better looking without surgery, I did have to do a double take about this. Yes, it's set in West Hollywood, but the idea presented is that this is what we are, when I know there's many people who don't fit the bill at all.

The other issue was that there was only one female character, played by Morgan Fairchild who voices the app and plays a waitress who helps our wayward couple get back together. It isn't so much that it was a chiefly male cast (otherwise, let's chuck The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies in), but that women were being undervalued in their roles in the gay community, just because we aren't interested in romantic relations with them. We have sisters, mothers, aunts, friends, coworkers, even ex-girlfriends and wives, and people we pass on the street. I'm not going to accuse the filmmakers of misogyny, but the lack of women felt disturbing.

I don't know. I mean, the big message was good, be good to your partner, but the smaller messages kind of spoiled it for me.