With half the cast as women in ill-fitting costumes and scraggly wigs, the show was to run for only three nights in Tauberbishofsheim, Germany but its raucous, bawdy humor, robust singing and dancing made it a roaring success that the Army recognized at once. In addition to writing, producing and co-directing duties Wayne had to play the title role when no other G.I. would touch it. The cast included several pre-war professionals, including Hal Edwards, who’d danced in 20th Century Fox musicals, and Ray Richardson, a tenor with the Chicago Lyric Opera. Most of Ralph’s band, now led by Marty Faloon, were onstage as well, among them Future guitar great Charlie Byrd. After raiding Stadttheater Heidelberg for colorful costumes, proper wigs and scenery, the army sent the troupe on an extended eight-month tour throughout Germany, Belgium, France, Italy and Austria including stops at leading theatres in Berlin, Brussels, Paris, Rome and Vienna. The show closed in Nuremberg on January 24, 1946. GI Carmen’s cast was kept together throughout 142 performances before audiences totaling well over 250,000 G.I. and allied troops and countless civilians, including Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas in Paris and Marlene Dietrich in Berlin.