Maurine Dallas Watkins Website
Chicago

(1926 to present)

Maurine Watkins' original stage play, Chicago, opened on Broadway December 27th, 1926, and ran for 172 performances. It has been made into two films: Chicago (Pathé, 1927); Roxie Hart (20th Century-Fox, 1942). The play was also adapted into a musical in 1975 (Chicago: a musical vaudeville) and that adaptation was used as the basis for a 2002 Mirimax film (Chicago).

Production History

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Past Productions

2010 (November 17, 18 & 19), Academy for the Performing Arts, 1905 Main Street, Huntington Beach, CA 92648. Directed by Robert Rotenberry. Photos and other information: Production Photos Staged as: Play Ball, the Original Non-Musical CHICAGO by Maurine Dallas Watkins.

2010 (March 12 to April 3), Geneva Underground Playhouse, 524 W. State Street, Geneva, IL 60132. Directed by Craig Gustafson. Staged as: PLAY BALL (the comedy which inspired the musical 'Chicago') by Maureen Dallas Watkins [Note: the poster misspelled the name, but the press release had it correctly. Also in the press release, the play is titled this way: "Play Ball" or "Chicago – the Non-Musical" by Maurine Dallas Watkins.] The Geneva Underground Playhouse seems to now be defunct.

2010 (February 4 to 8), Richland High School TheatRebels, Richland High School Auditorium, 5201 Holiday Lane, E, North Richland Hills, TX 76180. Directed by Jerry Ayers. Staged as: PLAY BALL (The 1927 script that became CHICAGO) by Maurine Watkins.


2008 (September 12-28 & Oct. 1), Crowded Kitchen Players, Barlieb-Wallace Productions, Ltd., Quakertown, PA. Directed by Ara Barlieb. Staged as: Play Ball by Maurine Dallas Watkins.

2008 (September 12-27), Albany Civic Theater, Albany, Oregon. Directed by John Elliott. Staged as: Play Ball a/k/a Chicago by Maurine Dallas Watkins. Production photos.


2004 (November 6 to 20), Epicentre Theatre Company, Sidney, Australia. Staged as: Chicago a/k/a Play Ball by Maurine Watkins.


1999 (February 27 to October 30), Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF), Ashland, Oregon.

1998 (July 16 to August 01), Santa Fe Stages.


1935 (March 13 to ??), Gate Theater, London.


1928 (November), Chicago plays Vienna, Austria, according to a letter written by Thomas Wolfe to Aline Bernstein 30 November 1928.

1927 (December to ??), Kuenstler Theater, Berlin. Directed by Leo Mittler. The cast included: Carolin Neher (Roxie), Oskar Sabo (Jake), Senta Soeneland (Mrs. Morton), and Ralph Arthur Roberts (Billy Flynn).

1927 (September 11 to ?), Harris Theater, Chicago, IL. The cast included: Francine Larrimore (Roxie Hart), Charles Halton (Amos), and Dorothy Stickney (Liz).

1927 (July to August), touring production of Chicago plays the Lurie in San Francisco. Directed by Lillian Albertson. The cast included: Nancy Carroll (Roxie), Clark Gable (Jake), Paul Fix (Amos), and Lydia Dickson (Liz).

1926 (December 30 1926 to May 1927: 172 performances), Sam Harris Theater, New York City. Directed by George Abbott (after Sam Forrest left). The cast included: Francine Larrimore (Roxie Hart) after Jeanne Eagels left cast, Charles A. Bickford (Jake), Charles Halton (Amos), Dorothy Stickney (Liz), and Edward Ellis (Billy Flynn).


How Chicago Became Play Ball

A personal viewpoint.

Today, when Maurine Watkins' original stage play Chicago is produced, the musical rights holder wants the play renamed Play Ball. This is so there is no confusion about which play is being done: the straight play or the musical.

The impetus, though, for the mis-naming this play, comes from the original title of the play (when first copyrighted). Maurine Watkins called it Chicago, or, Play Ball. However, the play was never originally produced under any title containing the words "play ball". Some of the articles that came out before and after Chicago's original production did mention the original title of the play: A Brave Little Woman. But no articles mentioned "Play Ball."

In a letter accompanying the copyright findings when the search was forwarded to the Estate lawyers, the letter's author (Calvin ("Bud") E. Hayden, Jr.) stated that he did not know whether the first copyrighted version of Chicago (February 26, 1926) was any different from the second copyrighted version (March 18, 1927).

In order to determine whether any of Watkins' other plays were worth renewing the copyrights on, Sheldon Abend (his American Play Company had been managing Chicago's rights for many years) was asked to read and judge the literary worth of all her plays. But in that process, neither copyrighted version of Chicago appears (to my research) to have been so analyzed. There was no report on Chicago mentioned in the probate file, though there were detailed synopses and analysis of the other plays; Chicago's merits seem not to have been in question. And so, since it doesn't appear that anyone actually made a determination on whether the second version (the 1927 published script titled Chicago) was any different from the first copyrighted version (1926, titled Chicago, or, Play Ball), the decision seems to have been made to use the original copyrighted title in reference to the play. But they are two different entities. In the end, perhaps the name change was intended to cover the bases (pun not necessarily unintended); this way, both versions were lumped together by referring to the play (either version) as Chicago a/k/a Play Ball.

Sadly, though, this only adds confusion since the play was never "known" as Play Ball except by someone familiar with the play's copyright history.

While perhaps creating a more encompassing name for the play may make sense from a protection standpoint, it is rather inexact. And confusing. Which version of the play is being produced? (Or which version should be produced?) When one contracts for the rights to production, the only script anyone has access to is the published script from 1927; the 1926 version that bore the subtitle "or, Play Ball," is not available to the general public, and exists only as a manuscript in the Library of Congress. There, being granted the right to read that script requires permission from the scattered heirs to the Watkins Estate (there's about 20 now).

Besides, Chicago is what the play had been produced and known as for some 45 years already. Two adaptations had already been made (Chicago), the silent film version supervised by Cecil B. DeMille, and Roxie Hart, the 1942 MGM film) and both referred to their source as "Chicago by Maurine Watkins."Even to this day, the stage and film musical versions credit their source as "Chicago by Maurine Dallas Watkins."


That brings me to a related point. The same "misnaming" also happened to Miss Watkins' name (and through the same process and personalities that created the new title). On her adult works, her name always appeared as "Maurine Watkins,". It was only in the first copyrighted version of Chicago and a very few other works including one post card to Dorotha Watkins that has survived: a postcard (1916), her editorials for the Tansylvanian—the literary publication of Transylvania College (1916-1917), a letter to President R. H. Crossfield of Transylvania College (1917), and her copyrighted scripts for the stage plays Henrietta's Mother (1922), Marsh-Land (1923), Chicago, or, Play Ball (1926), So Help Me God! (1928), and Tinsel Girl [later to be used as the basis for the film The Strange Love of Molly Louvain] (1931)juvenalia, that her middle name, "Dallas," was listed. (According to her cousin, Dorotha Watkins Jacobsen, Maurine gave herself that middle name in honor of her father's Missouri county of birth, Dallas, to which the family returned every summer.) The moniker "Maurine Dallas Watkins" was most often associated with her earlier, not her later, mature works.

So, instead of referring to the play as "Chicago by Maurine Watkins"—the way it was when first produced and the way the subsequent published script has always refered to the play and its author, now (after Miss Watkins' death, that is) there has been a requirement to call it "Chicago a.k.a. Play Ball by Maurine Dallas Watkins," "Play Ball a.k.a. Chicago by Maurine Dallas Watkins," and most recently as "Play Ball by Maurine Dallas Watkins."

Despite this misunderstanding, the cover and title pages of the musical script [book] of Chicago (1975) published by Samuel French lists its source this way: "Based on the Play 'Chicago' by Maurine Dallas Watkins."


So, when someone is producing the play and being required to call it Play Ball, is the public really going to know what play they are seeing? Does producing the play under this new title shoot the producer in the foot, making it more difficult to target the desired audience, or does it just open up new controversies and opportunities for clever producers (and press agents)? And would Maurine Watkins have approved...and laughed?

See also the "Copyright History" tab.

Copyright History

Copyright Search Information: A copyright search was done for the Law Offices of Stephen P. Smith, Jr., Barnett National Bank Building, Jacksonville, Florida 32202, in 1971 or 1972. On February 11, 1972, a letter was sent from Calvin ("Bud") E. Hayden, Jr., partner with Stephen P. Smith, Jr., to Mr. C. R. Leonard, Trust Department, The Florida National Bank of Jacksonville, regarding "Maurine Watkins' Copyrights." As Mr. Hayden stated, the letter contained "a Search Report compiled for the Estate [of Maurine Watkins] by a researcher of the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C."


Copyright of original play manuscript, 1926: "CHICAGO, or, PLAY BALL. A satirical comedy in prologue and three acts. By Maurine Dallas Watkins. Registered in the name of Maurine Dallas Watkins, under D 74543, following the deposit of one copy February 26, 1926. Claim to renewal copyright received in the name of Maurine Dallas Watkins as author, on March 31, 1953."

Copyright of published script, 1927: "CHICAGO, by Maurine Watkins. Registered in the name of M. Watkins, under A 972053 following publication March 18, 1927. Claim to renewal copyright registered under R 142547, upon application received in the name of Maurine Watkins as author, on January 10, 1955."

Note: This 1927 script is the only version that has been published. (The 1997 republication, Chicago: With the Chicago Tribune Articles that Inspired It by Thomas Pauly, contained a page-for-page re-copying of the original published script.) The 1926 version with the subtitle "Play Ball" was never published and is only available forviewing at the Library of Congress--with the proper permission.

The subtitle "Play Ball" does not appear in the name of this published script, nor did "Play Ball" ever appear in the advertising nor in any newspaper accounts of the play. Therefore, when contracting for production rights, there is no logical reason why "Play Ball" should be any part of the references to the play.

Copyright of Best Plays of 1926-27, 1927: "THE BEST PLAYS OF 1926-27, AND THE YEAR BOOK OF THE DRAMA IN AMERICA; edited by Burns Mantle. Contents: CHICAGO by Maurine Watkins, and other works. Registered in the name of Dodd, mead and Co., Inc., under A 1013039 following publication October 28, 1927. Claim to renewal copyright registered under R 158222, upon an application received in the name of Lydia Sears Mantle as widow of the author, on October 27, 1955."

Copyright of the silent film, Chicago, 1928: "CHICAGO. DeMille Pictures Corp. 1928. 9 reels. From the play by Maurine Watkins, produced by Sam H. Harris. Credits: Director, Frank Urson; screenplay, Leonore J. Coffee; film editor, Anne Bauchens. Registered in the name of Pathé Exchange, Inc., under L pub 24955 following publication February 6, 1928. No renewal found." [Though not specifically named, the implication here is that the play bears the same name as the silent film version of it.]

Copyright of film Roxie Hart, 1942: "ROXIE HART. (Based on the play CHICAGO, by Maurine Watkins). By Nunnally Johnson and [Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp.] (8 reels). Registered in the name of Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp., under A 11111 following publication February 20, 1942. Claim to renewal copyright registered under R 475966, upon an application received in the name of Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corp. as proprietor of copyright in a work made for hire, on January 2, 1970."

Find a Script

Both the original stage play Chicago (1926, by Maurine Dallas Watkins) and the republication Chicago: With the Chicago Tribune Articles that Inspired It, Maurine Dallas Watkins, Thomas H. Pauly, 1997) are once more out-of-print as of this writing. Your library or Interlibrary Loan system will be your best option in obtaining a copy of the play to read. Amazon and other booksellers can help you find a copy to buy, but as of September 2018 those copies were generally starting at $99.00.

The scripts for the musical version of Chicago (1975, book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander, Lyrics by Fred Ebb) are also available through booksellers and limany libraries. And, you can also get them through the Samuel French web site.