This is a rare piece of sheet music for the title song printed for the Pre-Broadway engagement of the OTTO HAUERBACH and KERRY MILLS comedy with music "THE FASCINATING WIDOW" at the Colonial Theatre in Chicago, Illinois. (The production would open September 11th, 1911 at the Liberty Theatre in New York City and run for 65 performances.) ..... The musical starred JULIAN ELTINGE in dual roles and featured EDWARD GARVIE, JAMES SPOTTSWOOD, GILBERT DOUGLAS, CHARLES W. BUTLER, JAMES E. SULLIVAN, FRANK WENTWORTH, CARRIE E. PERKINS, RUTH MAYCLIFFE, JUNE MATHIS, STELLA TRACEY, MARIE BAXTER, MAY THOMPSON, JEAN CANTWELL, GLADYS BRESTON, BELLE DESMOND, MARGARET MACKENZIE, SYLVIA MANN and ETHEL BAKER ..... Biographical note: JULIAN ELTINGE (1883-1941) was an American vaudeville star and is often called the greatest female impersonator in theatrical history. Eltinge played his first female role at age ten. A graduate of Harvard, he entered vaudeville in 1904, soon commanding one of the highest salaries in show business. During a successful tour of the United States and Europe in 1907, he gave a Command Performance for King Edward VII. His stage successes included "The Fascinating Widow" (1911), written for him, in which he played the dual roles of Mrs. Monte and Hal Blake; "The Crinoline Girl" (1914) and "Cousin Lucy" (1915). He continued working in vaudeville from 1918 to 1927 and also starred in several silent films. (Reprinted in part from www.britannica.com) ..... CREDITS: Book and Lyrics by OTTO HARBACH ("Bright Eyes", "The Cat and the Fiddle", "Roberta", "The Firefly", "Wildflower", "Sunny", "Rose-Marie", "Song of the Flame", "The Desert Song", "No, No, Nanette"); Music by KERRY MILLS; Sets designed by DODGE and CASTLE; Costumes designed by HAYDEN and Company and FRANCES of New York; Choreographed by JACK MASON; Broadway Production Directed by GEORGE MARION; Produced by A. H. WOODS ..... DETAILS: The oversized eight page piece of sheet music measures approx. 10 3/4" X 13 3/4" inches and is copyrighted 1910 by F. A. Mills, New York City ..... CONDITION: (Please Note!) There are tape repairs at the seam, a name written at the top of the cover, the same name stamped at the top of the title page, minor soiling at the top of the front cover, the start of a split at the top seam and moderate creasing. Despite these flaws, this rare piece of sheet music will make a wonderful addition to the collection of any musical theatre aficionado or historian. This item will be carefully packaged in a protective sleeve and backed by stiff cardboard.