Performed at the Knickerbocker Theatre, New York on December 29th, 1919.

Cast of Characters

Illustrated Music Cover

TOM LARKINS John E. Young (a rich young man, composer of a musical comedy "The Lemon Girl") ARTHUR GRIFFIN Tyler Brooke (a sculptor, Tom's friend, who shares his apartment) SANDY SHARP HUGH FAIRCHILD ROCKWELL GIBBS (Friends of Tom and Arthur) Richard Pyle John Reinhard Howard Johnson PROFESSOR BARLOW   (an eccentric scientist) George Schiller IRA MAPES   (a student of entomology) Bernard Thornton SLOOCH   (a correspondence school detective) Jack Donohue IRVING   (Tom's servant) William Cameron MRS. ZENOBIA WISE Eda Von Buelow BETTY   (her youngest daughter, aged 17) Marguerite Zender VERA   (her eldest daughter, aged 28) Minerva Grey PAULA LILY PEARL (Completing the quintette of Mrs. Wise's daughters) Mary Milburn Marguerite St.Clair Margery West MRS. LARKINS   (Tom's grandmother from Keokuk) Sarah McVicker TESSIE BLYTHE   (Tom's fiancée) Fay Marbe MOYA   (a friend of Tessie) May Thompson Members of a Musical Comedy Company:   KITTY MARY CISSIE GERALDINE MABEL TOTTIE DOTTIE PEARL EVANGELINE BEATRICE LETTY RUBY DOLORES Marie Salisbury Georgie Sewell Miriam Medie June White Audrey Burton Flora Crosbie Virginia Eastman Lucille Kent Edna Stillwell Irene Wylie Mildred Rogers Odell Cunningham Juanita Moore

Synopsis of Scenes

MIDI Files

• Overture

ACT I   -   Bachelor apartment shared by Arthur Griffin and Tom Larkins.

• No. 1 - Opening Number - "It's hard to be true to one when I'm not built that way.  I may promise, but it's two to one before the week is out I'll stray..."
• No. 2 - Quintet - Tom, Arthur, Hugh, Rocky and Sandy - "When a man's made up his mind to marry, he should leave no relics of his past about..."
• No. 3 - Song and Dance - Professor - "On a critical inspection of such things as you and me, you will find upon reflection just what fools these mortals be..."
• No. 4 - Elixir Motive
• No. 5 - Angel Face Song - "There's a type of girl, a pure and perfect pearl; you must know her, so do I.  Seventeen or so, with her neck a bit too low..."
• No. 6 - Song - Betty - "It's hard to be true to one when I'm not built that way.  I may promise, but it's two to one before the week is out I'll stray..."
• No. 7 - Duet - Paula and Sandy - "When you are lonely, wanting one only, someone's lonely too.  While you're longingly waiting for someone..."
• No. 8 - Quintet - Rocky, Pearl, Sandy, Paula and Tom - "Since you won my heart, we must not, cannot part;  just think how drear life would appear..."
• No. 9 - Finale Act I

ACT II   -   The Same.

• No. 10 - Entr'acte No. 1
• No. 11 - Song - Arthur - "A single man is hard to please in his heart's desire;  yet finds in ev'ry girl he sees something to admire.."
• No. 12 - Duet - Tom and Tessie - "To argue's absurd when you gave me your word ... There're sev'ral that I gave my word to ... You said there was none..."
• No. 13 - Melodrama
• No. 14 - Dance Excentrique
• No. 15 - Encore to Dance
• No. 16 - Lullaby - Tom - "I'm in wrong I clearly see, things could not be worse;  this job is no place for me.  Now it's Good-night, nurse..."
• No. 17 - Duet - Betty and Arthur - "Whenever you're needing a little harmless speeding, my roadster has just room enough for two..."
• No. 18 - Song - Tessie and Girls - "I wish that someone could tell me, why, when a party is through Home Sweet Home they must play in a sad sort of way..."
• No. 19 - Finale Act II - "I can't be your 'all of the time', your 'ever and ever', but may be your 'once in a while' will do.  To Arthur, to Arthur, to Arthur! ..."

ACT III   -   The Hotel Lounge.

• No. 20 - Entr'acte No. 2
• No. 21 - Opening Number - "Oh, take me to a cabaret where I can hear a jazz band play a one-step or a trot;  I don't care what, I'll dance it any way..."
• No. 22 - Song - Tessie and Girls - "Hatty is the quiet kind who knows all that's on your mind ... That's Hatty!  And she's a dream..."
• No. 23 - Quartet - Sandy, Pearl, Rocky and Paula - "When I've been slaving at the office all day, wilting my collar to captivate the mighty dollar..."
• No. 24 - Duet - Betty and Arthur - "I chance to be the youngest of my big family, and it is not the source of joy some say it is..."
• No. 25 - Song - Tom - "I'm so easily tempted by graces and glances of all of the feminine sex, that my life is crowded with foolish romances..."
• No. 26 - One Step - Arthur and Moya
• No. 27 - Duet - Arthur and Moya - "If I had ever seen you dancing before I'd met you time and time again..."
• No. 28 - Finale Act III - "If I had someone like you, my dear, to cheer today, tomorrow, my life would be brighter with someone like you..."

External Link:

Score of "I might be your once-in-a-while" at MusOpen.

American Musical Theatre

   Page created 29 September 2016 .