Thursday, January 11, 2007
1/11 In Musical Theater History
On this day in 1927 at the Royal Theater is the Opening night of the musical Piggy, (83p) by Lew Brown and Cliff Friend, based on the play The Rich Mr. Hoggenheimer. This show is one of the few musicals in history that decided to change its title after opening night. The new title: Told You So. The...
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Wednesday, January 10, 2007
1/10 In Musical Theater History
Opening today at the Globe Theater in 1910 is the new Gustav Luders musical The Old Town (171p). The Shubert Brothers introduce a new composer to Broadway this day in 1914, Sigmund Romberg, who writes the music to the review The Whirl of the World (161p), opening today at the Winter Garden. Romberg...
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Tuesday, January 9, 2007
1/9 In Musical Theater History
Chauncey Olcott’s A Romance of Athlone (88p) opens this day at the 14 th Street Theater in 1899. More play than musical it does leave behind one endearing classic: My Wild Irish Rose. Anna Held divorces her common-law husband Florenz Ziegfeld this day in 1913. Held has been infuriated by Ziegfeld’s...
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1/8 In Musical Theater History
The road company of Kiss Me Kate opens at the Broadway Theater this day in 1951 for 8 performances. Opening today at the Off Broadway Village Gate Theater in 1974 is Earl Wilson Jr’s revue Let My People Come (1,327p). Following the lead of Hair, there is ample nudity in the show. Producer Joseph...
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Sunday, January 7, 2007
1/7 In Musical Theater History
Al Jolson opens in Big Boy (56p) at the Winter Garden Theater this day in 1925. It is the shortest run of a Jolson show in 10 years, showing the waning of his popularity and leading the Shuberts to suggest that he move to Hollywood. Vaudeville stars Gracie Allen and George Burns wed today in 1926....
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1/6 In Musical Theater History
Wallack’s Theater opens this day in 1882. The first Broadway Theater built in Herald Square, Macy’s now stands on its site. Opening this day at the Knickerbocker Theatre in 1902 is The Toreador (146p). The plot of the Ivan Caryll and Lionel Monckton musical is about a discharged servant who tries...
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Friday, January 5, 2007
1/5 In Musical Theater History
Opening today in 1914 is the first of Florenz Ziegfeld’s Midnight Frolics on the roof of the New Amsterdam Theater. Ziegfeld will use the shows to try out new talent, especially comics. Eddie Cantor, Will Rogers and Ann Pennington will play the roof shows before graduating to the downstairs Follies....
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Thursday, January 4, 2007
1/4 In Musical Theater History
Today in 1926 Irving Berlin marries Western Union heiress Ellin Mackay, much against the wishes of her anti-Semite father, who disinherits her. The New York tabloids have followed the story closely, calling it “The Love Affair of the Decade”. The marriage, Berlin ’s second, will last for 60yrs; as a...
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Wednesday, January 3, 2007
1/3 In Musical Theater History
Opening this day at the Globe Theater in 1928 is Rodgers and Hart’s She’s My Baby (71p), starring Clifton Webb and Beatrice Lillie. The show is one of the most obscure of the team’s 1920s works and is produced by Charles Dillingham, with a book by Harry Ruby and Bert Kalmar. In its first edition of...
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Tuesday, January 2, 2007
1/2 In Musical Theater History
Al Jolson, currently playing at the Winter Garden Theater in Sinbad, collapses after tonight’s show in 1918. When he recovers three weeks later, the Shubert Brothers cut his weekly performances from 6 to 4 so as not to lose their star performer. Librettist/lyricist Harry B Smith passes away this day...
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