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A Yankee Circus on Mars is a musical in two scenes with music by Manuel Klein and Jean Schwartz, lyrics by Harry Williams, and a book by George V. Hobart. It was one of four works presented together for the grand opening of Broadway's New York Hippodrome; the others being a collection of circus acts known as Circus Tournament, the ballet Dance of the Hours, and the war drama The Raiders by playwright Carroll Fleming. These four works were performed together for the Hippodrome's first public performance on April 12, 1905. Produced by Frederic W. Thompson and Elmer S. Dundy, A Yankee Circus on Mars continued to play together with these other works at the Hippodrome for 296 performances; closing on December 9, 1905. These works then toured the United States together; beginning a national tour in Chicago in February 1906.

The cast of A Yankee Circus on Mars included Felix Haney as King Borealis, Benjamin F. Grinnell as the Messenger from Mars, and Albert Hart as Signor Thunderairo among others.

Plot

The Yankee Circus is in financial trouble and may be forced to close. When King Borealis of Mars, a fan of earthly entertainments, discovers this, he sends a messenger from Mars to Earth with the offer to rescue the circus with the financial backing providing the circus will travel to the planet Mars to perform for the martians. A gigantic spaceship transports the Yankee Circus to Mars, and they perform for King Borealis and the martians.

References

Citations

1. Gänzl, p. 782
2. Bloom, 119-120
3. Dietz, p. 281-283
4. "The New Hippodrome Opens". New York Sun. April 13, 1905. p. 5.
5. Dietz, p. 281
6. "HIPPODROME CIRCUS SETS OFF FOR CHICAGO; Let's Hope the Elephants Won't Heel the Cars Over. BIG TRAIN FULL OF WONDERS 310 People, 8 Elephants, 18 Lions, and Ponies Innumerable Start to Astonish the West". The New York Times. February 19, 1906. p. 9.
7. Dietz, p. 282

Bibliography

• Bloom, Ken (2013). Routledge Guide to Broadway. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 9781135871161.
• Dietz, Dan (2022). "A Yankee Circus on Mars". The Complete Book of 1900s Broadway Musicals. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. ISBN 9781538168943.
• Gänzl, Kurt (1994). The Encyclopedia of the Musical Theatre, Volume 1. Schirmer Books.

External links

• ​A Yankee Circus on Mars​ at the Internet Broadway Database

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• 1905 musicals
• Broadway musicals
• Musicals set in circuses
• Musicals by George V. Hobart
• Musicals by Jean Schwartz
• Musical theatre stubs