In 1792 New Orleans, Robert, a French revolutionist wanted by the Crown, is caught and put aboard The New Moon to stand trial in France. Mutiny is instigated by his beloved Marianne, and everyone on board starts a new, flourishing island republic which comes under attack from the French just as a revolution there changes everything…

Robert is a young French aristocrat whose revolutionary inclinations force him to flee his country. He sells himself as a bondservant to planter and shipowner Monsieur Beaunoir and his family in New Orleans.

As the police of Paris are looking everywhere for him, Robert cannot tell Beaunoir or his beautiful daughter Marianne whom he has fallen in love with, that he is of noble blood. Eventually he is tracked down by Vicomte Ribaud, the detective villain, and put on the ship The New Moon so that he can be deported back to France.

Robert thinks that he has been betrayed by Marianne, who has gained her father’s consent to travel on the same ship, pretending she is in love with Captain Duval. There is a mutiny, but Robert takes charge and the bondservants come into power. Everyone goes ashore on the Isle of Pines and a new republic is founded which flourishes under Robert’s guidance.

But Marianne, her pride hurt, at first refuses to marry Robert. Then Vicomte Ribaud makes a final attempt to conquer the island for the King of France. He is surprised to hear from the French Commander that there has been a revolution in France, and that all aristocrats like himself must die unless they renounce their titles.

While he, ever the Royalist, goes to his inevitable doom, there follows a happy reunion for Citizen Robert and Citizeness Marianne.

In the Premiere Production, Romberg’s 1928 operetta hit, The New Moon, played for 519 performances on Broadway at the Imperial and Casino Theatres starring Evelyn Herbert, Robert Halliday and William O’Neal.
It includes many famous Romberg tunes such as “Lover, Come Back to Me”, “Wanting You”, “Stout-hearted Men”, “Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise”, and “One Kiss”.