The Dollar Princess is a musical in three acts, with music by Leo Fall, adapted into English by Basil Hood with lyrics by Adrian Ross (from the 1907 Die Dollarprinzessin with a German-language libretto by A. M. Willner and Fritz Grünbaum, after a comedy by Gatti-Trotha). It opened in London at Daly's Theatre on 25 September 1909, running for 428 performances. The London production starred Lily Elsie, Joseph Coyne, W. H. Berry and Gabrielle Ray. The young Gladys Cooper played a small role.
It also had a very successful run on Broadway, with a new book and lyrics by George Grossmith, Jr. and additional numbers by Jerome Kern, opening on 6 August 1909 and running for 288 performances. Valli Valli, Adrienne Augarde and Louie Pounds starred in the New York production.
In late Victorian and Edwardian Britain, "Dollar Princess" was the nickname given to American heiresses. Playgoer and Society Illustrated wrote, "To the average playgoer there is something very attractive in watching the antics of the vulgar when surrounded by the refinement of art which he can neither understand nor appreciate.... Miss Lily Elsie, as Alice, shows even an improvement on her performance in The Merry Widow. The inimitable Mr. Joseph Coyne has put a lot more into his part than was possible on the first night.... He is great! His American accent is a thing to listen to...."
Roles and London cast list
Freddy Fairfax – Robert Michaelis
Harry Q. Conder (a multi-millionaire) – Joseph Coyne
Mr. Bulger (Conder's confidential clerk) – W. H. Berry
Dick (cousin to Conder) – Evelyn Beerbohm
John, Earl of Quorn (Conder's groom) – Basil S. Foster
Sir James Mcgregor (Conder's footman) – Willie Warde
Duke of Stonehenge (Conder's butler) – F. J. Blackman
Vicomte de Brésac (Conder's chef) – Garnet Wilson
Lieut. Grant (U.S.A.) – Harold Deacon
Olga (a lion queen) – Emmy Wehlen
Daisy (Dick's sister) – Gabrielle Ray
Dulcie Du Cros (a Californian girl) – May Kinder
Sadie Von Tromp (her friend) – Gladys Cooper
Lady Augusta – Phyllis Le Grand
Lady Dorothy – May Hobson
Lady Gwendoline – Gertrude Glyn
Lady Margaret – Marion Lindsay
Hon. Editha Dalrymple – Dolly Dombey
Alice (Conder's sister) – Lily Elsie
Synopsis
English version
A young American oil tycoon, when recruiting domestic staff, takes on a succession of impoverished members of the European aristocracy. But the servants he selects are all very well connected. "Tho' we came here in the steerage, all are members of the peerage." His sister, who has money, later follows the course of true love and takes a job in another household pretending to be impoverished.
American version
Three plot lines take place concurrently: First, an American girl, the daughter of the President of the Coal Trust (the Dollar Princess), falls in love with a young Englishman and tries to win his heart. Meanwhile, the millionaire father has an affair with a supposed Countess, who turns out to be a lion tamer. Also, his niece, Daisy, marries a young Marquis, but she refuses to be anything but his friend.
Musical numbers
Act I - Conder's House in New York. No. 1 - Chorus - "We're the household of the great Mister Harry Conder, drawn from ev'ry ancient state over the ocean yonder!" No. 1a - Alice - "A self-made Yankee maiden, she isn't greatly drawn to castles mortgage-laden, and coronets in pawn!" No. 2 - Daisy and Quorn - "I'm very sorry if you've thought I do not serve you as I might! ... Oh, no! Not that, but still you might be more attentive" No. 3 - Freddy - "A little maiden by the way, so simple, sweet and fair, is not the love for whom I pray, you meet her ev'ry where!" No. 4 - Alice and Freddy - "The people round that I am paying must be good-looking, that's my whim! It's what papa is always saying" No. 5 - Olga, Conder, Dick and Bulger - "Myself the Countess I'll introduce: Olga Alaska Tabasco Kachewska! ... Can you repeat it, please?" No. 6 - Finale Act I - "And now assemble all my household here! Let ev'rybody instantly appear! Before in feast we give our joy expansion, I'll introduce"