SAN FRANCISCO (22 September 1998) -- San Francisco-based 42nd Street Moon adds NYMPH ERRANT to its collection of lost musicals, a show Cole Porter himself felt was one of his best. Rarely performed since its 1933 London opening, Porter,s racy musical follows a young

Englishwoman,s worldwide search for romance and adventure (as well as somewhat more earthly pleasures). The score includes such saucy songs as "Experiment, "It,s Bad For Me, and "The Physician, all replete with delightfully naughty double entendres. NYMPH ERRANT, presented in concert version by 42nd Street Moon, proves that art deco-era musicals were every bit as risqué as their pre-Code film counterparts, and reunites audiences with several 42nd Street Moon favorites along the way. NYMPH ERRANT will play October 28 through November 15 (press opening: October 29) at New Conservatory Theatre Center, San Francisco: tickets may be purchased by calling 415/861-8972.

NYMPH ERRANT, the fifth production in 42nd Street Moon,s "DELICIOUS DAMES OF BROADWAY! season, follows young Evangeline Edwards who is just graduating from finishing school in Switzerland and returning to Oxford to live with her maiden aunt. Taking her schoolmistress, parting advice -- "Experiment -- to heart, however, she instead elects to travel with a French revue producer, which leads her to romantic adventures with a variety of men in Paris, Athens, Venice, and a Turkish harem. Along the way she finds several of her schoolmates who have chosen the less virtuous life and, despite her best efforts, she eventually reaches Oxford as virginal as she left it (although perhaps not for long).

This delightfully wicked story was originally a book by the same name, by acclaimed author James Laver, which was received with critical acclaim, popular success, and religious and moral indignation. Britain,s greatest theatrical producer at the time, Charles B. Cochran, was given the book by his wife while on a business trip to Berlin to take his mind off theater; the savvy gent immediately saw its stage potential and purchased the option. Cochran chose Romney Brent, the centerpiece of London society and an equal wit in four languages, to adapt the novel to the stage and direct the production. Brent worked with Cole Porter for several months on the collaboration, living most of the time in the same house and meeting daily. This unusually close partnership reaped great benefits for the show; in fact, Cole Porter called this his best score, and Romney Brent,s book the best he ever set to music. In a happy turn of events, Brent contacted a former sweetheart, Margaret de Mille, to learn that her sister, Agnes, was just beginning her career as a dancer and choreographer. Agnes de Mille was brought in to choreograph NYMPH ERRANT and, despite the fact that only four of the eight chorus girls had any dance experience, she eventually trained them to an astonishing level that would presage her revolutionary lifelong contribution to musical theater.

As opening date for the original production drew closer, tensions and expectations rose. Worried that the play,s racy nature would cause a ban on its production, Cochran struck a deal with the censor: in exchange for the censor,s passing the rest of the script, he agreed to remove a scene set in a German nudist colony (and its attendant song, "Sweet Nudity). The Fox Film Corporation broke precedent by purchasing the screen rights to the show one week before it opened (although the film was never made and the rights never released). Finally, NYMPH ERRANT opened in 1933, starring Gertrude Lawrence as Evangeline. Although reviews for the score and for Lawrence were generally full of praise, several critics expressed disdain for the independent and unrestrained nature of the leading female. Even today, NYMPH ERRANT is nearly unique, a musical written without a love interest or a sole leading man. 42nd Street Moon,s production will be only the second American production to date; the only other production was mounted Off-Broadway in 1982.

42nd Street Moon,s production of NYMPH ERRANT stars many of 42nd Street Moon audiences, favorites, including Caroline Altman (FANNY, JUBILEE, GOODTIME CHARLEY) as Evangeline. Also featured will be 42nd Street Moon co-founder Stephanie Rhoades (SILK STOCKINGS, SOMETHING FOR THE BOYS, SOMETHING SORT OF GRANDISH), Steve Rhyne (SOMETHING FOR THE BOYS, DO I HEAR A WALTZ?), Steve Patterson (REDHEAD, SOMETHING FOR THE BOYS), Paula Sonenberg (GIRL CRAZY, ROBERTA), Amy Cole, Donna Cima, George Quick, Sara Clark, Anandah Carter, Lianne Marie Dobbs, John McWhorter, Tom Jermain, and Corey Schaffer. NYMPH ERRANT will be directed by 42nd Street Moon co-founder Greg MacKellan, with music direction by Brandon Adams, and choreography by Berle Davis.

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