The Belle of New York (musical)

The Belle of New York is a musical comedy in two acts, with book and lyrics by Hugh Morton and music by Gustave Kerker, about a Salvation Army girl who reforms a spendthrift, makes a great sacrifice and finds true love. Opening on Broadway at the Casino Theatre on 28 September 1897, it ran for only 64 performances. After a more encouraging American tour, it subsequently transferred to London at what was then called the Shaftesbury Theatre in 1898, where it was a major success, running for an almost unprecedented 674 performances, and became the first American musical to run for over a year in the West End. The Standard stated that the entire Broadway cast "numbering sixty-three persons" was brought over to London, "the largest stage troupe from the other side of the Atlantic that has ever professionally visited this country." The uniquely American plot and quirky characters were viewed as refreshing by London critics.