Babes In Toyland

Babes in Toyland (1903) is a libretto by Glen MacDonough. Written for an operetta composed by Victor Herbert, MacDonough’s libretto is a story for children and adults alike. Taking inspiration from beloved Mother Goose nursery rhymes, MacDonough crafted an American classic that has been adapted countless times for theater, film, and television. As though losing their parents wasn’t traumatic enough, Alan and Jane are forced to live with their wicked Uncle Barnaby. When he becomes aware of the massive fortune they stand to inherit, he hatches a plan to get them out of the way. Sent to sea with sailors Gonzorgo and Roderigo, Alan and Jane are soon lost in a terrible shipwreck. Somehow, they survive and are taken to the garden of Contrary Mary—who had nearly been forced to marry Barnaby. When their Uncle discovers their location, Alan and Jane are kidnapped and taken to the Forest of No Return, where a benevolent queen offers to protect them from the treacherous Spider’s Den. Eventually, the children make their way to Toyland, where they must make a final stand against Barnaby and the Master Toymaker. Babes in Toyland is a tale of romance and adventure from Glen MacDonough, a legendary figure of early Broadway. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Glen MacDonough’s Babes in Toyland is a classic of American children’s fiction reimagined for modern readers.

Babes in Toyland was one of the most influential and underrated bands of the 1990s. They rode the wave of the Minneapolis grunge scene crafting a unique sound composed of self-taught instrumentation and unabashed banshee raging vocals. Their stage presence was enigmatic, their lyrics vitriolic, and their Kinderwhore fashion ironic and easy to emulate. But what made them most inspiring was their ethos and a unique brand of sisterhood that inspired fans to create Riot Grrl and form legendary bands such as 7 year Bitch, Bikini Kill, and Hole. Despite the media's politicization of them as an "all-female" band, the Babes insisted their music wasn't a political statement but about personal expression. They would dismiss labeling their act as feminist, but their actions sent a positive message of what a female space within music could look like. Now, almost 30 years after their most seminal record, Fontanelle, was released, the legend of the band is being resurrected and re-spun to reclaim their proper space and context in the history of music and women in rock.

Retelling of the story of how Jane & Alan are pursued by their evil uncle.

One of Victor Herbert's most enduring and popular operetta, Babes in Toyland was an immediately success when it was first produced on Broadway in 1903. Hailed by The New York Times as "remarkably successful," the musical went on to have numerous revivals both on stage and screen. For many years it was a staple of summer stock theatres and produced regularly in schools becoming a classic of the American musical stage. Over its 100 year history numerous changes have been made to MacDonough's original libretto, including adding songs and updated dialogue. Published from an early draft, this edition contains MacDonough's original version as he envisioned the show.

Titles include: Overture * Lemonade * Never Mind Bo Peep We Will Find Your Sheep * Jane * Before and After * Floretta * Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary * I'm in a Hurry * Barney O'Flynn * Just a Whisper Away * He Won't Be Happy Till He Gets It * I Can't Do the Sum * Melodramatic Music * Go to Sleep Slumber Deep * The Spider's Den * Hand in Hand * Entr'acte (Hand in Hand) * Hail to Toyland * Toyland * Just a Joy! * Beatrice Barefacts * March of the Toys * Reprise -- Just a Whisper Away * Finaletto * Introduction and Processional * Our Castle in Spain * Danse Excentrique * Finale.