"Paris mes Amours" JOSEPHINE BAKER Olympia Panoramique '59 Paris, France Program

Description

This is a rare 1959 souvenir program from a performance of "PARIS MES AMOURS" starring the legendary JOSEPHINE BAKER and Her Company at the Olympia Music Hall in Paris, France ..... The show starred JOSEPHINE BAKER who was supported by FERNAND SARDOU, JEAN-MARIE PROSLIER, GEORGE REICH, JACQUES DALES, LES JAZZ-BALADINS, ROBERT MAVOUNZI, LES GIMMA BOYS, OLIVIA PALM, MICHELLE DE MARLE, ERIC LAUDUN, CECILE TCHERNOVA, BABY DIAMOND, JEAN MOUSSY, ANNE-MARIE ROYER, JIMMY BAWERS, ADA POTKOVAC, RAOUL CELADA, VERA LAZELLE, MICHEL STANY, RINO ADIPIETRO, RAMON SOLE, MARIE CECILE ZISSLER, ZVONKO POTKOVAC, ANNY LEFEBURE, LENA SKERLA, HUGUETTE DATHANE, SALLY KEOGH, DEBBY CHOATE and SERGE BARTHELY ..... 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.) ..... CREDITS: Orchestra conducted by GASTON LAPETRONNIE; Choreographed by GEORGE REICH; Produced by BRUNO COQUATRIX ..... DETAILS: The oversized 24 page program measures 8 1/4" X 10 5/8" inches and includes individual photos of each of the performers, promotional text (in French), list of scenes and musical numbers and several photos of Josephine Baker ..... CONDITION: With the exception of light creasing 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 sleeve and backed by stiff cardboard.
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