Considered the first successful American operetta influenced by Gilbert and Sullivan, "The Little Tycoon" is one of the lost gems of the American musical theatre. It also ranks as one of the first American musicals to have the book, lyrics and music all produced by the same person. Written three years before "The Mikado," the plot revolves around Alvin, a young man, who pretends to be a Japanese nobleman in order to impress the father of his dream girl. After its Broadway engagement in 1886, where its run was extended by popular demand, the operetta went on to be produced across the country with over 2,000 performances and continued to be produced into the 20th century.