Ladies First is a musical in three acts with music by A. Baldwin Sloane and both book and lyrics by Harry B. Smith.[1] It was based on Charles H. Hoyt's 1897 play A Contented Woman. Directed by Frank Smithson and produced by Harry Frazee, it premiered at Broadway's Broadhurst Theatre on October 24, 1918.[2] In the middle of its New York run it transferred to the Nora Bayes Theatre where it closed on March 15, 1919, after 164 performances.[3]
Ladies First was created as a starring vehicle for Nora Bayes who played the role of Betty Burt.[3] It was originally titled Look Who's Here during tryout performances prior to its Broadway run.[2] The musical included two interpolated songs by George Gershwin as the composer: "The Real American Folk Song (is a Rag)" (lyricist Ira Gershwin under the pseudonym Arthur Francis) and "Some Wonderful Sort of Someone" (lyricist Shuyler Greene).[2]