Babes in Toyland (operetta) - Definition

Victor Herbert's 1903 operetta Babes in Toyland wove together various characters from Mother Goose nursery rhymes into a musical — mainly because librettist Glen MacDonough wanted to cash in on the Wizard of Oz phenomena sweeping Broadway that year. Kids Little Jane and Little Allen are swept away to a fantastic land with fantastic settings (e.g., the Floral Palace of the Moth Queen, the Garden of Contrary Mary) allowed for lots of spectacle to bring the audiences in. Most people know it from movie versions; either the 1934 Laurel and Hardy version March of the Wooden Soldiers (which includes almost none of Herbert's songs or book), or the 1961 Technicolor remake from Disney featuring Ray Bolger, Tommy Sands, and Annette Funicello. A 1986 made for television version featured Drew Barrymore, Pat Morita, and Keanu Reeves. Herbert's title song "Toyland" occasionally shows up as a Christmas carol on holiday compliations.