Guides: U.S. Army "Blueprint Specials" and Other Soldier Shows: OK, USA!

Introduction

OK, USA! is available online in the UNT Digital Library Soldier Shows collection.

The last published Blueprint Special was tried out at Fort Slocum in New Rochelle, New York, and the final "blueprint" was published in June 1945. The show was based around the concept of soldiers going on leave to visit the United States, which because of the length of time they have been overseas is now as foreign and exotic to them as any of the other countries where they have been stationed.

There are numerous versions of the title, which can be spelled OK, USA or Okay, USA, with or without periods, commas, and exclamation point. The published "blueprint" gives two versions of the subtitle:

OK, USA: A Guide Book in Music and Comedy [Cover title]
OK, USA: A Musical Guide Book to the States [Title page]
"OK, USA!" A Soldier Shows Blueprint Special [Title in sample program. The phrase "A Soldier Shows Blueprint Special" is more of a running title for the series than a subtitle for this show.]

The script is illustrated throughout with cartoons in the same style as the image on the cover, but no credit to the illustrator is given.

The score includes a great deal more copyrighted material than previous shows and, as with other soldier shows, "Army Hit Kits," and similar entertainment material, the usage of copyrighted material was restricted to performances for a private audience of soldiers.Today most—perhaps all—of the copyrights have expired.

There are copyright notices inside the front cover for "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody" (Copyright 1919, Irving Berlin Music Co.) and "Brooklyn Cantata" (Copyright 1942 by George Kleinsinger and Mike Stratton). The following disclaimer also appears on the cover of the script:

Copyrighted material contained in these scripts may be used only for stage presentation in Soldier Shows within military areas by members of the armed forces and civilians engaged in the war effort, before audiences of such personnel but not for profit or charge. It may also be used for special radio broadcasts limited to the above named audience.

The show also incorporates these copyrighted songs:

The "Pepsi Cola Radio Jingle" (originally called "Nickle, Nickle"), by Alan Kent (lyrics) and Austen Croom-Johnson (who adapted the melody from the old hunting song, "D'ye ken John Peel?")
A brief instrumental quotation from the song "Did You Ever See a Dream Walking?", originally written by Harry Revel (music) and Mack Gordon (lyrics) for the 1933 film Sitting Pretty
The Stephen Foster song "Old Black Joe" (Published in 1860, this song's copyright had long expired by 1945.)

Performances of the "Pepsi Cola Radio Jingle" and "Old Black Joe" are specified in the script, but the printed music does not appear in the score of this show.

Front Cover

Inside Front Cover

Questionnaire

"This book is a combination of several books, or sections. Each section covers a specific phase of the production of this Soldier Show. The sections should be separated by carefully removing the cover staples. The individual sections should then be distributed to those members of the Soldier Show Production Staff who will be working from them."

Section I

Contents

Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Soldier Shows

Sample Program

Section II

"In order to conserve paper by keeping the total print order to a minimum, six copies of Section II (Script) are included. The extra copies should be used by members of the cast."

Script with Lyrics and Stage Directions [copy 1]

Script with Lyrics and Stage Directions [copy 2]

Script with Lyrics and Stage Directions [copy 3]

Script with Lyrics and Stage Directions [copy 4]

Script with Lyrics and Stage Directions [copy 5]

Script with Lyrics and Stage Directions [copy 6]

Section III

Costumes

Section IV

Scenery

Lighting

Orchestrations

There is no full score. The conductor's score consists mainly of a melodic line and important cues. The vocal part is a lead sheet containing only the melody and lyrics for each song. The rest of the score consists of individual instrumental parts. The "Brooklyn Cantata" appears only in the piano part, where it is rendered as a piano-vocal score.

"The music has been assembled to that each instrument has a complete routine of the show in proper sequence."

"The orchestrations have been voiced so that they will sound well with a minimum of one trumpet, three saxophones, piano, and drums. If more of the instruments which have been scored are available, they of course should be used. Additional instruments, up to and including a full band, may be used. The pianist's and conductor's parts have been thoroughly cued. If necessary the entire show can be played by piano alone."

Section V

Section VI

Section VII

Section VIII

Section IX

Section X

Section XI

Section XII

Section XIII

Section XIV

Section XV

Section XVI

Section XVII

Section XVIII

Section XIX

Section XX

Back Cover

Creative Team

Unlike the previous blueprint specials, this publication does not contain any information at all on the writers, composers, lyricists, and other members of the creative team. With the exception of pre-existing commercial works incorporated into the show, the creative team, like the authors of so many government publications, is anonymous.

Two extant programs (one from a performance in Bad Kissingen, Germany, and the other from a performace in Mannheim, Germany) provide a hint of who created some of the songs and instrumental music, but contain no information on the authors of the sketches. The show as described in these programs differs somewhat from the published materials, but it is not clear whether the live performance represents a revision of the published materials or vice versa. Ralph Blane was the music director of the live production.

Souvenir program from performance at Kurtheater in Baden Kissingen, Germany
(Included in the materials accompanying the article "A Pair of Jokers" from "The Hidden Stories: End of World War II and Postwar Period" on the "Eaglehorse" 2nd Squadron / 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment website.)

Souvenir program from performance at UFA Palast Theater in Mannheim, Germany
(Included in the Bernard Horowitz Collection at the Veterans History Project, sponsored by the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.)

Synopsis

Overture

ACT ONE

Scene 1. Hurry, Hurry!
Song: "A Trip Round The USA"

A group of soldiers are about to land in the USA, which is described as an exotic land completely foreign to those used to army living conditions. For example, the CAPTAIN must explain the concepts of bathing, private bathrooms, and women. In the opening number, BUGSY acts as a kind of carnival barker, urging the soldiers to reacquaint themselves with American customs after having spent so much time abroad.

Scene 2. New York
The soldier JERRY is talked into buying several tickets to dance with DOLLY, a very unattractive dance hall hostess. (The orchestra is instructed to strike up instrumental versions of several songs, including "Dinah," "Tea for Two," and a conga, but none of this music appears in the published "blueprint" materials. Presumably each orchestra is expected to play whatever tunes they already know or have on hand.) Each dance ends abruptly, and when JERRY tries to put a move on DOLLY, their couch collapses, a bell rings, a pinball-style "TILT" sign pops up, and the scene ends.

Scene 3. Texas
Song: "Way Down Texas Way"

Three bowlegged cowboys get thrown out of a saloon, then sing a song about life in Texas, "where they ain't yet recognized the USA."

Scene 4. Boston

A stuffy pair of Boston Brahmins meet their children's new warbrides. They are taken aback when TOM brings home GOONA (a large Eskimo) and DICK brings home a TONGA-BONGA, the female Tarzan. They learn with some relief that their daughter HARRIET (a WAC) has married a doctor, until he turns out to be a howling, terrifying WITCH-DOCTOR.

Scene 5. Chicago
Song: "My Chicago"

Scene 6. Virginia
Songs "Old Black Joe" and "Pepsi-Cola Jingle"

COLONEL THREEOAKS waxes nostalgic for ante-bellum days while his daughter anxiously awaits her soldier beau, whom her father suspects of having yankee sympathies. He becomes annoyed when an offstage quartet sings the Stephen Foster song "Old Black Joe," then follows it up with a Pepsi-Cola jingle. (The music for these songs is not included in the blueprint materials.) When his daughter's beau shows up, the COLONEL spots a copy of Yank magazine in the young man's pocket and immediately shoots him dead.

Scene 7. Brooklyn
Song: "Brooklyn Cantata"

ACT TWO

Overture

Scene 8. Atlantic City
"Miss America"
"A Pretty Girl Is Like A Melody"

The orchestra is instructed to play a "short overture" (not included in the score), which segues into a brief instrumental quote from the song "Did You Ever See a Dream Walking?" followed by JOE singing "Miss America" (an original song, not the song that Bert Parks made famous). We are treated to a pageant featuring six cross-dressing BATHING BEAUTIES in ludicrous costumes inspired by various branches of the U.S. Army: Miss Infantry, Miss Cavalry, Miss Signal Corps, Miss Air Corps, Miss Airborne, and Miss Quartermaster. Everyone joins together in a dance to the Irving Berlin song "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody."

Scene 9. San Francisco
"Tonight In San Francisco"

Scene 10. Kentucky

Two HILLBILLIES prepare a disgusting concoction. A GOVERNMENT OFFICER says it will be perfect for serving as "PX Beer."

Scene 11. New Orleans
"When He Comes Home"

Scene 12. Washington

Scene 13. Oregon
"The Tall Pines"

A group of Indians sing and perform a ritualistic dance in the forest. Although the scene is supposed to be in Oregon, the song lyrics refer to the "Navajo."

Scene 14. Hollywood

Scene 15. OK, USA!
"You're Okay, USA"

Musical Numbers

"A Trip Round the USA"

"'Way Down Texas Way"

"My Chicago"

"The Brooklyn Cantata"
Copyright 1942, George Kleinsinger (music); Mike Stratton (lyrics)

"Miss America" (incorporates an instrumental quote from the 1933 song "Did You Ever See a Dream Walking" by Harry Revel and Mack Gordon, and the music and lyrics of the 1919 song "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody," by Irving Berlin.)

"Tonight in San Francisco"

"When He Comes Home"
Copyright 1945 by Words and Music, Inc.; words and music by Frank Loesser

A sheet music arrangement of "When He Comes Home" was published by Words and Music, Inc. with the copyright date of 1944, but the Catalog of Copyright Entries gives the copyright date as February 6, 1945.

"When He Comes Come" sheet music and audio recording available online from Illinois Digital Archives.

"The Tall Pines"

"You're Okay, USA"

U.S. Army "Blueprint Specials" and Other Soldier Shows