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The Red Mill

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description The Red Mill Overview

The Red Mill is a 1906 Broadway operetta composed by Victor Herbert with libretto by Henry Blossom, set in 17th-century Holland. The operetta tells the story of two American travelers who become entangled with the innkeeper of the Red Mill and his daughter, featuring such musical numbers as "Moonbeams" and "Every Day Is Ladies' Day With Me." Its original production ran for 274 performances and was significant for being the first Broadway show to use a moving illuminated sign—the eponymous red mill with rotating sails—as an advertising feature outside the theater. The Red Mill was revived several times, including a 1945 production featuring Eddie Foy Jr.

help The Red Mill FAQ

Who composed the music for The Red Mill operetta?

The Red Mill was composed by the prominent Irish-American composer Victor Herbert, with a libretto by Henry Blossom. It premiered on Broadway in 1906 and became one of Herbert's most famous works. Herbert is considered one of the founding fathers of the American musical theater.

What famous songs are featured in The Red Mill?

The most enduringly famous song from the operetta is Moonbeams, which remains a popular standard. Another notable musical moment is The Streets of New York, which concluded the show. These songs helped define the Tin Pan Alley era of popular music.

Did The Red Mill win any major theatrical awards?

The Red Mill premiered in 1906, long before the Tony Awards were established in 1947. However, it was a massive commercial hit, running for 274 performances. It was also famously revived on Broadway in 1945, bringing the Victor Herbert classic back to the stage for a new generation.

What is the plot of The Red Mill?

The operetta is set in Holland and follows two American vaudevillians who get stranded in a tiny village and stumble into a plot involving the Burgomaster's daughter and her secret lover. They hide out in a haunted red windmill to avoid the local authorities. The story is a classic comedy of errors filled with mistaken identities and romantic entanglements.

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