Memphis Bound

The score was adapted and augmented by Don Walker and Clay Warnick, with a libretto credited to Albert Barker and Sally Benson, "with gratitude to W. S. Gilbert and Sir Arthur Sullivan.

"[1] The original production starred an all-black cast including Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, Avon Long, Billy Daniels, Ada Brown, and Sheila Guyse.

[10] John Wildberg, who had successfully presented Philip Yordan's Anna Lucasta with an African-American cast on Broadway the previous year, was producer;[11] Robert Ross directed, assisted by Eva Jessye, with Vinton Freedley credited for "personal supervision" of the show.

)[1] "Growing Pains," an original duet for Robinson and 8-year-old actor Timothy Grace,[15] was strongly flavored by a Duke Ellington sound,[4] while the Gilbert and Sullivan material was arranged as swing music[11] with a boogie-woogie edge.

[16] Avon Long, known for playing Sportin' Life in the 1942 Broadway production of Porgy and Bess, provided additional solo dancing, using a full-body movement style contrasting with Robinson's foot-based work.

[17] John Chapman of the New York Daily News gave the Broadway production a rave review, saying "It has been too many years since I have seen a musical with the zip, the stomp, and the whoosh of Memphis Bound.

"[5] Bob Francis of Billboard magazine similarly praised the Pinafore segments and the stars over the original elements of the book,[18] commenting: "If two actors could put Memphis over for a smash, it should be Robinson and Long.