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Description The Queen of the Moulin Rouge was Broadway musical about a composer who falls in love with an actress at the Moulin Rouge nightclub in Paris during the Belle Epoque in 1899. The production ran at the Circle Theatre in New York City from 1908 to 1909. The lyrics were by Vincent Bryan with music by John T. Hall. The show starred Richard F. Carroll. The original program for the production describes it as follows: Thomas W. Ryley’s production, “The Queen of the Moulin Rouge,” written by Paul M. Potter, music by John T. Hall, lyrics by Vincent Bryan, is an attempt to portray the night-life of Paris exactly as it exists. For this purpose, the adventures of the young King of Orcanla and his bride-elect, the Princess Marotz, are narrated, as they took place on the night of the famous Quat-z-Arts Ball, the annual dance organized by the studios of the city, visitors being admitted by private invitation only. The “floats,” each containing the prettiest model of the studio, are shown as they circle around the Moulin Rouge and as they are afterwards thrown into the Seine. The peculiar songs and dances of the occasion are literally reproduced. Then are disclosed the odd resorts to which the dancers betake themselves when the ball is done. First, still in the masquerade costumes, they are seen at Madame St. Angelo’s gaming place, “The House with the Green Shutters.” Then they adjourn, for a Welsh rarebit, to the celebrated “Cafe au Rat Mort,” in front of which the tramps, rag-pickers, Apaches, and prowlers of the night defile. Then the dawn comes to end the revelry, and the roisterers escape, weary and ashamed, to meet the sweet school girls of the Academy Savourette, where the idyl of the young king and queen is consummated. Costumes designed by Will R. Barnes, Art Students’ gowns by Lubin, costumes by Buch, uniforms by Warnock Uniform Co., men’s clothes by Whitaker & Co., wigs by William Hepner, shoes by I. Miller, scenery painted by Unitt & Wickes and made by T. B. McDonald, properties by Joseph Turner. Will R. Barnes designed costumes for numerous Broadway productions between 1898 and 1924. Born in Australia, he came to the U.S. in the late 1890s and began designing costumes for a number of Joe Weber and Lew Fields’s Music Hall shows. Later he worked with the designers Cora MacGeachy and William Henry Mathews on the Hippodrome spectacles until the final show there in 1922. Barnes specialized in costumes for the lighthearted musical entertainment that was extremely popular at the time: musical comedies, operettas, revues, vaudeville productions and burlesques. The best known of these productions today is probably Naughty Marietta, which was scored by Victor Herbert. Art historian Stefanie Munsing Winkelbauer notes that Barnes’s designs show a predilection for striking contrasts and bold pattern. The National Library of Australia and the New York Public Library have large collections of his costume designs. Barnes also was known for his watercolor landscapes. New York City emerged at the turn of the century as a booming entertainment venue with some 41 legitimate theaters, the most in the world for a single city. The first three decades of the 20th century were the heyday of lighthearted musicals whose plots served as a contrivance to tie together lavish production numbers. According to Stefanie Munsing Winkelbauer, this booming industry supported dozens of costume designers, on whom the producers depended “to give their shows the necessary optical razzle-dazzle.” She further described the extravagance of the costumes: No-one expected the stories to be believable or the characters to be ordinary people: in this colorful land of make-believe, innocent snobbery, royalty galore and generous bank-accounts abounded, allowing the designers’ fancies to run riot with gorgeous gowns, stunning uniforms and saucy outfits for the chorus girls. Plots, such as they were, were often confused and banal but lent themselves to numerous changes of costume often combining wildly different geographical, social or historical themes. Original Program Guide, The Queen of the Moulin Rouge: Acts and Scenes: ACT I. First Scene—Roof of the Academy Savourette, Quarter Montparnasse. Second Scene—A Telegraph Office. Third Scene—Cafe of the Quat-z-Arts. ACT II. First Scene—Street in Mont Martra. Second Scene—Cabaret du Sourire. Third Scene—”The House with the Green Shutters.” Fourth Scene—A Police Station. Fifth Scene—Place Pigalle, in front of “The Rat Mort.” Sixth Scene—Boulevard Clichy. Seventh Scene—Roof of the Academy Savourette. The following is a list of 15 Barnes costume designs in the offered collection, compiled by George Glazer Gallery. Note that numbering system from 1 to 15 is simply for inventorying, not as numbered originally for the production, and not indicating any degree or relative importance or otherwise: No. 1: Description: Male soldier with red feather in his hat and surprised facial expression. Signed with address lower right Titled Front: #4, Bonnivard, Act I, Sc I Titled Back: 1, Fred Rivernhalls Referred to in Original Program: Major General Bonnivard No. 2: Description: Pierrot (jester) figure in white and black polka dots, playing a banjo Signed with address in lower right Title Front: Male Chorus, Act II, Sc I, Pierrot Title Back: 14, 4, [illegible] No. 3: Quick Description: Man wearing purple suit with purple checkered pants Signed with address in lower right Title Front: Quat-z-arts, boy, artist Title Back: 11 Referred to in Original Program: Apparently present at the Quat-z-Arts Ball No. 4: Description: Man wearing Russian hat with feather in it, sword in belt, blue coat, red thigh high boots, and red pants Signed with address in lower right Title Front: Quat-z-arts, boys Title Back: n/a Referred to in Original Program: Apparently present at the Quat-z-Arts Ball No. 5: Description: Man with somber expression, red feather in top hat, sword in pants, blue and red soldier uniform Signed with address in address in lower right Title Front: Male chorus, act II, Sc I, “Mussar”, 1803 Title Back: n/a No. 6: Description: man with red hat and black suit pointing to the right, holding a ticket, perhaps a train conductor Signed with address in lower left Title Front: Sasha, Act I, Sc I Title Back: 19, 3, 14G mad, Mr. Russell, Carter Daltar, all blue No 7: Description: woman with brown hair and a white feather in her headband, yellow dress with pink sash and black detailing, thick pearl necklace Signed with address in lower right Title Front: Quat-z-arts, girl, act I, Sc II Title Back: 8 Referred to in Original Program: Apparently present at the Quat-z-Arts Ball No. 8: Description: woman with brown hair and tan hat with large adornment of flowers, pearl necklace, elbow-length white gloves, purple dress with white detailing, and holding a lorgnette Signed with address in lower right Title Front: Olga, Act I, Sc II Title Back: 13 Referred to in Original Program: Olga Zu Linar No. 9: Description: woman with brown hair, large pink and purple hat adorned with lilies, pink and purple dress with floral detailing, white lace shall, thick white necklace Signed with address in lower right Title Front: Quat-z-arts, lady, Act I, Sc II Title Back: 14 Referred to in Original Program: Apparently present at the Quat-z-Arts Ball No. 10: Description: Woman with dark brown hair, large pink sun hat with white roses, baby pink dress with lace sleeves, pink heels, holding lorgnettes Signed with address in lower right Title Front: #4 ½, 8th showgirl, Act I Title Back: 1b, 4, 62100, R, Beliuout, #3 No. 11: Description: Man with top hat and large white feather, red suit with jacket on one shoulder, sword in pants Signed with address in lower right Title Front: #4B, Mr. Rorke, Hussar, 8-show-girls, act II Title Back 6R, 16 No. 12: Description: man wearing red riding coat with riding boots, holding a black satchel in left hand and white cloak in right hand, black riding cap Signed with address in lower right Title Front: n/a Title Back: 2, Russell No. 13: Description: Woman with white hair and a clownish hat, light blue dress with billowing sleeves and gold detailing Signed lower left Title Front: Pierrot-boys, “wrap”, act I, Sc II, guliance Title Back: 33 No. 14: Description: Woman with white sun hat with a feather and white and orange flowers, white lace dress with orange floral detailing, holding white parasol Signed with address in lower right Title Front: 10, act I, #4, 6th show girl, Act I Title Back: 4, S, #2, 1R, Le clair, 10/15 No. 15: Description: Man with light blue suit and black top hat smoking a cigarette and holding a cane behind his back Signed with address in lower right Front Title: Quat-z-arts, Boy , Act I, Sc II, St. Etienne Title Back: 17, this Dr. Vassey, Whoruell, 6 1/8. 19 W. 31st st Referred to in Original Program: Apparently present at the Quat-z-Arts Ball Condition: Each generally very good variously with the usual overall light toning, wear, soiling, soft creases, handling expected for working costume designs. Each slightly bowed from shrinkage, can flatten as framed. Some minor glue residue and associated abrasions verso. Some scattered chips to corners, scattered other wear and short tears to edges. References: “Olympic Theatre, Queen of Moulin Rouge, August 29 1909.” Chicago Public Library. https://cdm16818.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/CPB01/id/4750/ (17 January 2025). “The Queen of Moulin Rouge.” Internet Broadway Database. 2001-2025. https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/the-queen-of-the-moulin-rouge-6619 (17 January 2025). “Will R. Barnes.” Internet Broadway Database. 2001-2010. http://www.ibdb.com/person.php?id=25434 (13 May 2010). “Will R. Barnes Costume Designs for Alfred Hill’s Tapu.” National Library of Australia. http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-an3703095 (13 May 2010). Winkelbauer, Stefanie Munsing. Wake up and dream! Costume Designs for Broadway Musicals 1900-1925 from the Theatre Collection of the Austrian National Library. Vienna: Hermann Böhlaus Nachf, 1986. pp. 16-17, 22, 31-34.
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