ABSTRACT
Operetta retained its firm grip on the American stage at the start of the twentieth century, several alternatives— especially revues and musical comedies— were attracting enthusiastic followers. Moreover, the publishing industry was increasing its strength— and it used these revues and musical comedies as an important showcase for the newest popular songs and dances. The idea for the revue came from Paris, where audiences enjoyed annual performances that satirized the preceding year's main events in a series of scenes. The dance energy of revue shows was legendary, and their popularity helped to desegregate Broadway theaters. The musical comedy that Cook devised for Bert Williams and George Walker was In Dahomey. Like In Dahomey— and very much unlike the current operettas— Little Johnny Jones made use of American characters and vernacular, slangy speech that had much more in common with much of its audience than the elegant language of the operetta librettos.
