ROUGH RIDERS
SALLY DANCE
SAMMY SIMPSON
SEMI-SENTIMENTAL VERSE BY THE CANDELABRA’S GLARE
SEPTEMBER
SEYMOUR CREDIT
SONG OF A SAILOR
STANDING ON THE SIDEWALK
SUN BEAR DANCES
T’ OTHER DAY
TELL ME
THAT NEW LEAF
THE ANSWER
THE ARMY ALPHABET
THE BANDIT
THE BIG BLACK BEAR
THE BOSSIE-COW
THE CATS THEY SIT
THE COOGIE BIRD
THE EGOTIST
THE FISHER MAN
THE GREEDY GOLD-FISH
THE GREEN-EYED MONSTER
THE HERETIC
THE NAVY ALPHABET
THE OLD, OLD STORY
THE PROUD MISS MACNEAL
THE SHIP WILL GO
THE SOLDIER
THE TRAMP
THE YOUNGSTER
THEN AND NOW
THERE WAS A GOOSE
THERE WAS A WHALE
THINK IT OVER
THIS BOLD BOY
TICK TOCK
TIM JENKINS TRIED
TIME’S VAGARIES
TO WALK JIM JONES
TWO WOMEN
UNASSORTED VERSE
UNCLE DICK GAVE ME A DOLLY
VIVE LA REINE!
WHEN MC GUFFY
WHEN THE WHISTLE BLOWS
WHERE DO THEY GO?
WHO’S AFRAID?
WHO’S AFRAID?
WHY?
YE WARMING PAN
YOUNG AMERICA
The Plays
The Los Angeles Athletic Club, where Baum established The Oz Film Manufacturing Company, his own independent film studio from 1914 to 1915
THE MAID OF ARRAN
This 1882 musical play, written under the pseudonym, “Louis F. Baum”, is based on the novel A Princess of Thule by William Black. The Maid of Arran was advertised at the time as “A Play to Ensnare All Hearts and Leave an Impress of Beauty and Nobility Within the Sordid Mind of Man.” The play resets the novel from Scotland’s Outer Hebrides to Ireland, although Arran is actually located in Scotland. It was a successful melodrama, featuring elaborate stage effects, including a storm on a ship, as well as an original score by Baum himself. Unfortunately, only the songbook survives, which omits two of the songs referenced in the script. Baum played the main character and later played Con. O’Mara, the heroine’s father, in a community theatre revival.
The cover of the original song book
THE MAID OF ARRAN
An Irish Idyl
CONTENTS
CAST OF CHARACTERS
ACT I
ACT II
ACT III
ACT IV
ACT V
CAST OF CHARACTERS
SHIELA O’MARA, The Maid of Arran Agnes Hallock
OONA MAVOURNEEN, “A girl that’s Irish from top to toe” Genevieve Rogers
Marie Frances
MRS. HARRIET HOLCOMB, a disciple of Marcus Aurelius Antonius Katharine Gray
GRAY, her maid and “well broken to the harness” Cordie Aiken
THE PROPHETESS, “a relic of Arran’s greatness” Katharine Gray
CAPT. JOHN INGRAM, commanding the H.M.S. Firefly, afterwards the Malabar Frank E. Aiken; J.L. Morgan
HUGH HOLCOMB, “the fair-haired stranger,” nephew of Harriet L. Frank Baum
CON. O’MARA, with “the blood of the O’Maras in his veins” John F. Ryan (in the world community theatre premiere) L. Frank Baum
PHADRIG O’ THE PIPES, a follower of O’Mara’s John H. Nicholson
DENNIE, a waif “with the luck of a bad penny” Mike J. Gallagher
THE BOATSWAIN OF THE MALABAR C.F. Edwards
FETCHU A, a valet C.H. Dennison
ACT I
INVOCATION
Music: “The Harp That Once Through Tara’s Halls.”
THE PROPHETESS
The picture lives, breathing ruin where once was magnificence and kingly splendor. And this fair-haired stranger comes not to paint Arran in her palmy days, but in desolation. Aye! And more than this. He comes to woo our last treasure whose soul is centered in all the sweetness and honor of a kingly race. Would I could save her. But I cannot.* The Hand of Fate is here, and we must bow to her will.
*Frank Joslyn Baum adds to the melodrama by quoting this sentence as “But I can not!” (Baum, 38).
Following this invocation, we are introduced to a young Irish couple, Oona Mavourneen (last name reported in Act 5th.) and Dennie, as well is to their friend Phadrig, who plays the Uilleann pipes. The next scene introduces us to Hugh Holcomb, a painter from London, and his friend, John Ingram. Heavily condensing the events of the novel until shortly before the leaving, Hugh tells Ingram he intends to marry Shiela O’Mara (the novel depicted a long courtship between Lavender and Sheila--here it is only implied), the daughter of the island’s king. Ingram (referred to above his lines as “Capt.”) confesses to Hugh that he loves Shiela as well. (In the novel, Ingram loved her more like a niece, and scoffed at the idea of marrying her, though it seems it may have crossed his mind more than once.) The next scene introduces Shiela, and brings Ingram, Hugh, Shiela, Phadrig, Oona, and Dennie together on stage. Phadrig asks Shiela to sing of the legend of the castle.
“The Legend of Castle Arran”
SHIELA
In the days when our Isle was a kingdom
And O’Mara was lord of it all,
Then the fairest of Arran’s fair daughters
Reign’d a princess in this Castle Hall.
Oh, her eyes were the brightest, her hand was the whitest, and heart of the tightest had she.
And she had a lover, and he was a rover, and sailed the blue seas o’er did he.
CHORUS
Sail’d the seas o’er,
Sail’d the seas o’er
Sail’d the sea over did he...
SHIELA
And she had a lover, and he was a rover, and
CHORUS
Sail’d the seas over did he.
SHIELA
But the day came when he had to leave her
And sail to far Africa’s shore
And he vow’d that he’d never deceive her
But tho’ absent would love her the more,
With a kiss on her lips, then he row’d to his ship, she cable did slip and away,
And she utter’d no moan of the grief he had sown when he left her alone, on that day.
CHORUS
Left her alone,
Left her alone,
Left her alone on that day...
SHIELA
She utter’d no moan of the grief he had sown when he
CHORUS
Left her alone, on that day.
SHIELA
Then she sat herself down at her window
To watch for his coming again
With her eyes gazing far o’er the waters
On her sweet face a look as of pain,
Though her fond heart was burning, she stifled its yearning, her eyes were turning astray,
But he came back no more from far Africa’s shore until Death came and bore her away.
CHORUS
Bore her away,
Bore her away,
Death came and bore her away...
SHIELA
He came back no more from far Africa’s shore Until
CHORUS
Death came and bore her away.
After this, Hugh tells Shiela he would like her to consider marrying him. Much of the rest of the act uses dialogue straight out of the novel, names changed where appropriate. O’Mara expects Shiela to marry, and he wants her to marry the man of her choice. She chooses Hugh. Ingram admits Hugh has won her. In the evening, Phadrig asks Con. to sing an old highland song. Con. detests these old tunes. (In the novel, Mackenzie expresses contempt for Gaelic, despite it being his native tongue. He disdains the lang
uage’s lack of a present tense, and favors English songs about the present. Gaelic songs are all about sad partings of the past or uncertain futures. He likes English songs about people in love.) Phadrig prods Con. some more, so he sings.
“When O’Mara Is King Once Again”
CON.
(Bravura.)
Arran is me home,
And the pride of Ireland’s coast,
And her kings of old,
As we’re often told,
Of their riches and power could boast,
So the legends say:
High above the sea
Stands O’Mara’s Castle so grand,
And tho’ waves have dash’d, and the lightning’s flashed,
And its shores been lash’d by the storms of ten centuries.
Firm, undaunted, stands she still, and so, thro’ time forever will
Our pride, our hope, and emblem, ‘til the O’Mara is King once again,
‘Til O’Mara is King once again!
Ruin’d tho’ it stands,
And now crumbling to decay,
Ev’ry stone that’s here,
To our mem’ry’s dear,
As a relic of some better day,
When our country was
Free as Heaven’s sun
And throng’d with warrier’s bold
Men who fought for right in the battle’s fight
And whose pow’r and might were the wonder of nations.
And
still our boys can bravely fight, and soon the world will see a sight,
When Ireland’s sons her wrongs shall right, and O’Mara is king once again,
And O’Mara is King once again!
Phadrig explains that this is a mere metaphor. Con. O’Mara is the king of Arran, but Arran is in decline, and his title less meaningful. Ingram asks Con. about Dennie. He is a waif who was washed up on the shores, so he was taken in and raised. To prove that Dennie is well-educated, Con. asks him to perform a song and dance.
“A Rollicking Irish Boy”
DENNIE
I’m a lad that’s always glad to fling me foot and I’m never sad,
The mountains ring whene’er I sing for I am blithe and gay.
The girls all think whene’er I blink that at their ways I had meant to wink
Which makes their hearts all a jump wid joy
I’m a rollicking Irish boy.
There’s just one little lass who smiles whene’er I pass,
And makes my heart go bumpety bump,
A rollicking Irish lass.
The girls know I love her,
It’s my belief they’re mad wid grief,
They snub me now and, and never bow
To this rollicking Irish boy!
[Dance.]
Not long ago I’d have ye know I was ask’d to McGinneses ball to go,
I polish’d up me Sunday suit and started for to see
What I could find to suit me mind in the fashion of sensible womankind
To go wid me and dance wid me
A rollicking Irish girl.
It’s aisy for to look for fishes in a brook,
But if they havn’t a mind to bite,
Its divil a man will ye hook
First Katy she refused me,
And Biddy McCree said she’d go wid me,
But Oona went wid much content
Wid this rollicking Irish boy!
[Dance.]
And so, Shiela and Hugh leave to get married, Dennie joins Ingram’s crew on the H.M.S. Firefly, and the others remain on the island.
The Prophetess appears once more. Hugh asks her who she is, but she merely proceeds with her prophecy, stepping between him and Shiela. It seems Baum took the prophetic, irritating aspects of John the Piper and placed them on this character to make Phadrig, who has a much bigger role in the play than John the Piper had in the book, more likeable.
ACT II
As the second and longest act begins, Shiela and Hugh have been married six months, and the marriage is in serious trouble. Hugh is disappointed with Shiela because she has failed to acclimate herself to England. She does not enjoy the same things Hugh enjoys, such as going to Mrs. Lorraine’s parties.
They go to meet Hugh’s Aunt Harriet, and using Black’s dialogue almost exclusively, Shiela and Harriet take a disliking to one another, and Harriet insists Shiela cannot wear her hair down as she always had in Ireland. She has Gray take her scales and measure out appropriate portions for Shiela to eat, despite Hugh’s protests. Most importantly, she insists on quoting from Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (misspelled Antonius throughout the play, but correctly spelled in the novel), telling Shiela his advice is the way to live, and insisting Shiela ask Hugh to buy a copy of the book Ingram gave to her.
Back home, Shiela dreams of being back on Arran with Oona and Phadrig. Oona sings a reprise of a chorus from “The Legend of Castle Arran.” Then Oona and Phadrig arrive to visit Shiela. (In the novel, Mairi came accompanied by a valet named M’Alpine, but he soon left--he probably became Fetchu A in the productions that note said character in the programs.) They have brought natural gifts for her.
“Oona’s Gift”
OONA
It’s a basket of rubbish from Arran I’ve brought,
As a gift to our darling Colleen.
It would be a reminder of home-life I thought,
And its no place beside it is seen.
Sure ye live in a city of wonders I know,
In the land of the English the mist and the fog
But here’s a wee treasure all England can’t show,
It’s a bit of the old Irish sod.
Sure ye live in a city of wonders I know,
In the land of the mist and the fog,
But I’ve brought you a present all England can’t show,
It’s a tuft of the old Irish bog.
Sure your new London home is a palace so grand,
And you in your silks are its queen.
But you’ve not yet forgotten your dear native land,
And you’re still our old Shiela, I ween.
Then welcome these mosses of Arran so green,
And a bunch of dried seaweed I found on the shore.
The loveliest bunch of our wild flow’rs ere seen,
They’re a gift to our Shiela galore.
Sure ye live in a city of wonders I know,
Many grand sights have you seen,
But here are some gems that all England can’t show,
All the way from old Arran so green.
Phadrig pins a shamrock on Shiela’s dress. Hugh discovers them in his house and expresses contempt for the Irish, despite having appeared to like them while on Arran. Ingram also appears. He confesses to Shiela his love for her, and she asks him to leave. Unsurprisingly fickle, she never wants to see him again. Hugh orders him to never again set foot in the house. (In the novel, Lavender forbids Sheila from seeing him. She interprets it as meaning she cannot even acknowledge him on the street, which Frank regrets when he learns it, but is pleased with her obedience to him.)
ACT III
This act begins with Mrs. Holcomb on her deathbed. Shiela takes in with her. Not that Mrs. Holcomb likes her anymore, but is trying to make up for her good-for-nothing nephew’s abuses of her. Oona and Phadrig come with her, and Mrs. Holcomb acts just as contemptuously to the Irish as Hugh had.
Mrs. H.
(contemputously)
Oona, where did you get such an outlandish name as that?
OONA
I-I don’t know.
Mrs. Holcomb proceeds to insult Oona’s dress, pronunciation (maroon for marine, etc,), and status. (In the novel, Mrs. Lavender attacks Sheila for having a servant-girl for a guest, despite the fact that Mairi is her cousin. When Mackenzie comes to visit, he agrees with Mrs. Lavender, in keeping with the customs of the English.)
Mrs. H.
Gray, write* my signature.
*The prompt book, in writing not in Baum’
s hand, has this crossed out and replaces it with “forge” in order to spoon-feed the audience. Here she is signing her fortune away to Ingram. Hugh arrives in time to protest.
HUGH
The seeds of discord which separated me from the woman I love were sown by this man under the guise of friendship. Behind that quiet smile is a heart that all hell cannot match for falsehood and deceit. Watch him, and he is harmless. Trust him and he will bury his fangs into the deepest recesses of your heart.*
*This line has no precedent in the novel, and really not even the play. Although Ingram proves the villain in Act 4th, and hints at it in the end of Act 3rd, the only thing he seems to have done is give Mrs. Holcomb the Marcus Aurelius book, which he did to no ill effect in the novel. Frank Joslyn Baum, in To Please a Child, erroneously places this statement in Act 4th. The line here is quoted from that source (40), which has many punctuation errors and slight misquotes, though I was not able to compare them side by side without going up to the tenth floor and getting it, which I did not do to avoid potential theft of my materials.
Near the end of the act, Ingram arrives and Mrs. Holcomb dies. Ingram insists on having the forged codicil held by Phadrig. Phadrig pulls a gun out in response and Ingram flees.
ACT IV
The act begins with the Boatswain of the H.M.S. Malabar calling for a song, “Sailing” which is not printed in the promptbook and has been lost. When the song ends, he greets Hugh, aboard the ship. The Boatswain informs Hugh that the captain of the ship is none other than John Ingram. Hugh understands that the the trip is to India. Ingram appears and tells Hugh about his “evil genius” plot in an excruciatingly bad speech. Hugh is to be chained up in the prison hold, and abandoned in India upon arrival. Dennie, the Boatswain, and the sailors begrudgingly follow orders and chain him up.
A stowaway appears and Dennie confronts him and asks him for the password. Phadrig is shocked that Dennie has failed to recognize him, but Dennie eventually lets him proceed. Phadrig visits Hugh in the prison hold and tells him the story of Tim Mulligan, who was in a similar situation. Though Hugh interrupts him several times, he eventually allows Phadrig to complete the story. It seems this Tim Mulligan was chained up in the prison hold of some other ship, but unbeknownst to his captors, he had a saw that could cut through iron. Realizing that the noise would alert them to what he was doing, he sang as loud as he could to drown out the noise, expecting the others aboard would not try to put a stop to the racket, as he was a good singer. Phadrig gives Hugh such a saw, and Hugh provides the song.
Complete Works of L. Frank Baum Page 879