Nancy Brown was created as a starring vehicle for
Marie Cahill who portrayed the title role. The name of the character was taken from the song "Nancy Brown" by
Clifton Crawford which Cahill sang in the musical
The Wild Rose, and which was interpolated into this musical. Cahill also performed another interpolated song, the popular hit "
Under the Bamboo Tree" by
Robert Cole,
J. Rosamond Johnson, and
James Weldon Johnson, which she had sung previously in
Sally in Our Alley. A new song was written for her for this show by Cole, Johnson & Johnson which attempted to recapture a similar aesthetic to the prior tune, "The Congo Love Song". The show's new hit song, "Two Eyes" also by Cole, Johnson, and Johnson, was sung by the actor Madison Smith (as Hullybaloo) who made his Broadway debut in this production.
Nancy Brown premiered on
Broadway at the
Bijou Theatre on February 16, 1903, where it ran for a total of 104 performances; closing on May 16, 1903. The show then toured nationally, and returned to Broadway for 8 more performances at the Grand Opera House which began on October 26, 1903. The production was directed by
Frank Smithson and produced by Daniel V. Arthur. It used sets designed by
Gates and Morange and costumes by
Caroline Seidle. In addition to Cahill and Madison Smith, the cast also included
Edwin Stevens as Muley Mustapha, a.k.a. "The Bey of Ballyhoo", Judith Berolde as The Princess Barboo, Albert Parr as Mara Mustapha, Harry Brown as Socrates Finis, Al Grant as Noah Little,
Alfred Hickman as Venderhyphen Jenks, John Havens as Lord Worcestershire,
George Beban as Count Fromage de Brie,
Henry Vogel as Baron Sauerbraten, Frank Dearduff as The Grand Duke of Drinkamutchsky, Jean Newcombe as Mrs. John Jenks, Edythe Moyer as Alice, Ruby Paine as Gracie, Maud Francis as Gwendolyn, Lita Castello as Zuzu, Grace Cameron as Muriel, Helen Curzon as Rena, Leslie Mayo as Sally, Helen Lathrop as Tulu, Alice Knowlton as Tutu, Aline Boyd as Nara, Adele Archer as Maud, and Maud Sloane as Sadie. == Notes and references ==