Gershwin–Tip-Toes Overture

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We are finally getting around to the exploration of the Gershwin’s musical, Tip-Toes. It opened on December 28, 1925 and remains one of our favorites.

This show fits the prototype of the mindless form known as musical comedy; two conniving brothers set up their sister as a stylish beauty in order to hook a wealthy bachelor. Of course, the plan works and the sister, Tip-Toes Kaye, falls in love with Steve Burton, and he falls in love with her.

The only thing remotely realistic in the plot was the Florida land boom that peaked in 1925.

While the plot by Guy Bolton and Fred Thompson was predictable, the score written by the Gershwin Brothers was anything but. Alexander Woollcott’s review called the score “sweet and sassy.” Lorenz Hart praised Ira’s lyrics in a letter to him: “Your lyrics … gave me as much pleasure as Mr. George Gershwin’s music…”

The score included some lovely songs, including “Nice Baby,” Looking for a Boy,” “When Do We Dance,” “That Certain Feeling” and “Sweet and Low Down.”

The cast included Jeannette MacDonald as Sylvia Metcalf and Robert Halliday as Rollo Metcalf (singing “Nice Baby,” the second song in Act One) and Queenie Smith as Tip-Toes Kaye (singing “Looking for a Boy,” the third song in Act One, “These Charming People,” the sixth song in Act One and “That Certain Feeling,” the seventh song in Act One).

Allen Kearns played Steve Burton and sang “When Do We Dance,” the fifth song in Act One.

Once again, the pit orchestra was blessed by the duo pianos of Ohman and Arden.

The score was restored and produced by Rob Fisher and recorded by New World Records with funding from the Ira and Leonore Gershwin Fund at the Library of Congress. The CD is sold as a set with the restored version of Tell Me More (80598-2), which was restored and produced by Tommy Krasker, with music direction by Rob Fisher.

We are going to start off with the Overture to the show, with John McGlinn leading a spirited version of the music. For those who would like to know which song is being played, we have an outline of the music:
1. “When Do We Dance” starts at 0:30;
2. “Nice Baby” starts at 1:10;
3. “Looking for a Boy” starts at 1:48;
4. “That Certain Feeling” starts at 3:00; and
5. “Sweet and Low Down” starts at 3:45.