This is among a large number of playbills currently being listed from out-of-town tryouts prior to the Broadway runs. Many are from early performances when revisions were common and include song titles that were cut before opening in New York. (See cut songs below.) ....... This is a beautiful October 22nd, 1955 "Playgoer" playbill from the one-week, Pre-Broadway tryout and WORLD PREMIERE engagement of the RICHARD RODGERS and OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II musical "PIPE DREAM" at the Shubert Theatre in New Haven, Connecticut. (The production would open November 30th, 1955 at the Sam S. Shubert Theatre in New York City and run for 246 performances.) ..... The musical starred HELEN TRAUBEL, WILLIAM JOHNSON and JUDY TYLER and featured MIKE KELLIN, JAYNE HELLER, G. D. WALLACE, MILDRED SLAVIN, RUFUS SMITH, JOHN CALL, GUY RAYMOND, STEVE ROLAND, KEITH KALDENBERG, HOBE STREIFORD, NICOLAS ORLOFF, WARREN KEMMERLING, WARREN BROWN, KENNETH HARVEY, RUBY BRAFF, TEMPLE TEXAS, JACKIE McELROY, MARILYN BRADLEY, LOUISE TROY, PAT CREIGHTON, SANDRA DEVLIN, JOSEPH LEON, KAZIMIR KOKICH, PATRICIA WILSON, RUTH KOBART, DON WEISSMULLER, ANNABELLE GOLD, JENNY WORKMAN and CALVIN THOMAS ..... Side note: "Pipe Dream" received nine Tony nominations, but won only one (Alvin Colt's "Best Costume Design"). The musical lost out for "Best Musical" to "Damn Yankees", the only other show nominated in that category. The two main characters in "Pipe Dream" had sadly truncated careers. WILLIAM JOHNSON died of a heart attack on March 16th, 1957 at the age of 40 and JUDY TYLER died the same year after going to Hollywood to appear with Elvis Presley in "Jailhouse Rock". Just three days after filming was completed, she was tragically killed along with her husband in a car crash in Billy the Kid, Wyoming on July 3rd, 1957. She was only 24. (Reprinted in part from the Rodgers and Hammerstein website.) ..... CREDITS: Music by RICHARD RODGERS; Book and Lyrics by OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II (Rodgers and Hammerstein collaborated on "Oklahoma!", "Carousel", "The King and I", "Me and Juliet", "South Pacific", "Flower Drum Song" and "The Sound of Music" among others); Sets designed by JO MIELZINER; Costumes designed by ALVIN COLT (Tony Award winner); Choreographed by BORIS RUNANIN; Production Staged by HAROLD CLURMAN; Produced by RICHARD RODGERS and OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II ..... DETAILS: The 40 page playbill measures 6" X 9" inches and includes full production credits, cast list, synopsis of scenes, list of musical numbers and bios of each of the leading actors, but no cast photos ..... CUT SONGS: The list of musical numbers includes "The Party Gets Going" and "I am a Witch" which were cut out-of-town ..... CONDITION: With the exception of light edge wear, this rare playbill is in excellent condition and will become 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.