"Feeries & Folies" JOSEPHINE BAKER in Folies Bergere 1949 Paris, France Program

Description

This is a rare programme (playbill) from "FEERIES and FOLIES", a 1949 production at the Folies Bergere in Paris, France. The headliner was the legendary JOSEPHINE BAKER who was supported by COLETTE FLEURIOT, JEAN LUTHY, MARCEL LEBAS, VERONICA BELL, FREDERIC BEY, LUSKA, MONETTE LERIER, DANDY, YVONNE MENARD, GISELE COLLINE, ELIANE MERYL and MADELEINE LEYSTER ..... Biography: American born JOSEPHINE BAKER (1906-1975) landed a role in the road company of Sissle and Blake's
Shuffle Along
(1923) at the age of 17 and made her Broadway debut the following year in
The Chocolate Dandies
(1924). She appeared with Ethel Waters in the floor show at New York's Plantation Club and soon became a crowd favorite. In 1925, at the peak of France's obsession with American Jazz and all things exotic, Baker traveled to Paris to perform in
La Revue Negre
at the Theatre des Champs-Elysees. She made an immediate impression on French audiences, however it was the following year, at the Follies-Bergere Music Hall that Baker's career would reach a major turning point. In a performance called
La Folie du Jour
, Baker danced wearing little more than a skirt made of sixteen bananas. The show was wildly popular with Parisian audiences and Baker was soon among the highest paid performers in Europe, having become an overnight sensation. Her striking beauty cemented her celebrity status as she rivaled Gloria Swanson and Mary Pickford as the most photographed women in the world. She returned to the United States periodically, but her talents were never fully appreciated due primarily to racism and the American public's unwillingness to accept the idea of a black woman with so much sophistication and power. She dedicated the last years of her life fighting for racial equality. Josephine reluctantly agreed to perform at New York's Carnegie Hall in 1974 for a benefit. Due to previous experience, she was nervous about how the audience and critics would receive her. This time, however, cultural and racial growth was evident and Josephine received a standing ovation before the concert even began. The enthusiastic welcome was so touching that she wept openly on stage. On April 12th, 1975, just days after performing at the Bombino Theatre in Paris, Josephine slipped into a coma and died from a cerebral hemorrhage. (Reprinted in part from the Bio.True Story website.) ..... DETAILS: This 36 page programme measures 5 1/4" X 8 3/8" inches and includes production credits (all text in French), list of performers, individual photos of each of the leading performers including JOSEPHINE BAKER and wonderful vintage advertising ..... CONDITION: With the exception of the start of splits at the top and bottom seam and minor edge wear, this rare program is in excellent condition and will make a wonderful addition to the collection of any musical theatre aficionado or historian. This item will be carefully packaged in a protective, carded sleeve and backed by stiff cardboard ..... SHIPPING DISCOUNTS: Check my "Other Items" for additional rare Broadway playbills and other theatre related memorabilia. Multiple purchases qualify for shipping discounts when all items are combined into a single payment. Please wait for a revised invoice before sending payment ..... THANKS !!!
Pay me securely with any major credit card through PayPal!