 THE RED MILL
Operetta in 2 Acts. Music by Victor Herbert : Original book & lyrics
by Henry Blossom. New Book by Milton Lazarus: Additional lyrics by
Forman Brown. Musical arrangements by Edward Ward: As produced by Edwin
Lester at the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera Association
Original:
Knickerbocker Theatre, Broadway - 24 September, 1906
Empire Theatre, London - 26 December, 1919
Revised
Ziegfeld Theatre, Broadway - 16 October, 1945
Palace Theatre, London - 1 May, 1947 (revision by Harold Purcell
Story:
Two Americans, "Kid" Conner and "Con" Kidder are
in Holland. Tina, daughter of the proprietor of the local Inn, befriends
the two. She tells her father Willem that Kid and Con plan to make her
a Broadway "star." Unable to pay for their stay at the Inn,
the two attempt to escape through a window, but are caught by the local
Burgomaster, who forces them to pay off their hotel bill by working for
as waiter and "interpreter" for the tourists.
The Burgomaster's daughter, Gretchen, has been promised in marriage
to the Governor of Zeeland, a man for whom she has no interest. Bertha,
the Burgomaster's sister, helps Gretchen avoid this arranged marriage
by hiding her in the "haunted" Red Mill. Gretchen really loves
a young sailor, Christian. Kid and Con agree to help Gretchen elope with
Chris, provided they can sail with them to New York. The Burgomaster
learns of these plans and detains Christian; meanwhile his daughter cannot
be found!
It is the day of the wedding. The Governor, who actually has a long-standing
affection for Bertha, arrives. Terrified he'll learn of Gretchen's absence,
the Burgomaster offers a reward for her discovery and hires the finest
detectives in Europe. Kid and Con arrive for the job, disguised as Sherlock
Holmes and Doctor Watson.
After much romantic subterfuge, known to all but the Burgomaster, Bertha,
heavily veiled, takes the place of Gretchen at the wedding and marries
the Governor. Both Gretchen and Chris suddenly reappear, and when the
Burgomaster learns from Pennyfeather, a family retainer, that Christian
is actually the son of a wealthy banker, he consents to a double marriage,
and forgives Con and Kid for their duplicity. Everything ends happily
with the joyful prospect of a voyage for the young people back to America,
to prosperity and to the excitement of life in Old New York!
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