Little Nellie Kelly

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Little Nellie Kelly is a musical with a book by George M. Cohan and music and lyrics by him as well. The show premiered in 1922 and was a tribute to Cohan's Irish-American heritage. The story is set in New York City and Ireland and follows the life of Nellie Kelly, a young Irish immigrant who falls in love with Jerry, a New York City policeman. However, when Nellie's father is wrongfully accused of a crime, the family is forced to flee to Ireland, where Nellie eventually meets and marries Dennis, a young Irishman.

The musical is a celebration of Irish culture and features a number of traditional Irish songs, including "Mother Machree" and "The Harp That Once Through Tara's Halls." The show also includes several original songs by Cohan, including "Nellie Kelly, I Love You" and "Mary Is a Grand Old Name."

Little Nellie Kelly was a popular success and has been revived several times, both on Broadway and in regional productions. It has been adapted for film twice, in 1922 and 1940, and was also adapted into a 1952 musical film titled The Belle of New York, starring Fred Astaire and Vera-Ellen.