Cinderella at School: The 1881 Musical Comedy: Complete Book and Lyrics (19th Century American Musicals)

The surprise hit of the 1880s, "Cinderella at School" won the praise of critics and audiences alike. In a rave review, The New York Times found the musical "remarkably clever...fresh and entertaining from beginning to end." Freely adapted from the British comedy "School," Woolson Morse updated it to an American locale and turned it into a comedy of contemporary life. It was one of the few musicals of the era to have both book and score written by the same person. Produced by the legendary Augustin Daly, the musical ran for over one hundred and sixty performances, a lengthy run for its time. Largely forgotten today due to his untimely death in 1897 at the age of 39, Morse was considered a prominent composer of Broadway musicals during his lifetime. Along with his partner, J. Cheever Goodwin, the Rodgers and Hammerstein of their day, they wrote some of the biggest hits of the 1890s including "Wang," "The Merry Monarch," "Panjandrum", "Dr. Syntax" (a reworking of "Cinderella at School,") and "Lost, Strayed or Stolen". At the time of his death, it was noted that his achievements were "universally pronounced the best American contribution to light opera."