MUSICAL THEATRE ARCHIVES
Here is some musical theatre trivia about events that happened during THIS month in the past:
April 16, 1927 Edith ‘Edie’ Adams was born today. Adams won a Tony for Best Featured Actress as Daisy Mae in L’il Abner. Then, she played Julie Andrew’s Fairy Godmother in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s television version of Cinderella.
April 23, 1928 Shirley Temple was born today, and just six years later, she would single-handedly lift America right out of the Depression with her sunshiny personality and song-and-dance routines that leapt off the movie screens.
April 1, 1929 Jane Powell was born today. She was launched to fame in Royal Wedding playing Fred Astaire’s sister. Her most memorable role came from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.
April 6, 1941 The theater community gathered in the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria to pay homage to the recently deceased Antoinette Perry. The American Theatre Wing presented awards for achievement in the previous season. In recognition of Perry, they would come to be known as the Tony Awards. First year’s recipients included David Wayne and Michael Kidd for Finian’s Rainbow, Agnes de Mille for Brigadoon, and Kurt Weill for Street Scene.
April 28, 1941 Ann-Margaret was born today. She made her musical debut playing a R&H ingenue in the 1962 remake of State Fair. She also sexed it up in musicals like Viva Las Vegas and Bye Bye Birdie.
April 7, 1949 Some Enchanted Evening…South Pacific opened on Broadway today.
April 10, 1952 Singin’ in the Rain opened across America today
April 14, 1960 Bye, Bye Birdie, perhaps the first stage musical to acknowledge the ‘rock and roll’ sound permeating American music, opened on Broadway today.
April 26, 1970 Company opened on Broadway today.
April 21, 1977 Annie opened on Broadway today starring thirteen-year-old Andrea McArdle.
April 11, 1991 Miss Saigon opened on Broadway today.
April 22, 1993 First it was a record album, then a movie, then, inevitably, a stage musical: The Who’s Tommy opened on Broadway today.
April 25, 1996 Rent opened the door for a new era in contemporary musicals, which opened today.
April 23, 1928 Shirley Temple was born today, and just six years later, she would single-handedly lift America right out of the Depression with her sunshiny personality and song-and-dance routines that leapt off the movie screens.
April 1, 1929 Jane Powell was born today. She was launched to fame in Royal Wedding playing Fred Astaire’s sister. Her most memorable role came from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.
April 6, 1941 The theater community gathered in the Grand Ballroom of the Waldorf Astoria to pay homage to the recently deceased Antoinette Perry. The American Theatre Wing presented awards for achievement in the previous season. In recognition of Perry, they would come to be known as the Tony Awards. First year’s recipients included David Wayne and Michael Kidd for Finian’s Rainbow, Agnes de Mille for Brigadoon, and Kurt Weill for Street Scene.
April 28, 1941 Ann-Margaret was born today. She made her musical debut playing a R&H ingenue in the 1962 remake of State Fair. She also sexed it up in musicals like Viva Las Vegas and Bye Bye Birdie.
April 7, 1949 Some Enchanted Evening…South Pacific opened on Broadway today.
April 10, 1952 Singin’ in the Rain opened across America today
April 14, 1960 Bye, Bye Birdie, perhaps the first stage musical to acknowledge the ‘rock and roll’ sound permeating American music, opened on Broadway today.
April 26, 1970 Company opened on Broadway today.
April 21, 1977 Annie opened on Broadway today starring thirteen-year-old Andrea McArdle.
April 11, 1991 Miss Saigon opened on Broadway today.
April 22, 1993 First it was a record album, then a movie, then, inevitably, a stage musical: The Who’s Tommy opened on Broadway today.
April 25, 1996 Rent opened the door for a new era in contemporary musicals, which opened today.
Richard Rodgers, Irving Berlin and Oscar Hammerstein II, seated in back is Helen Tamiris. They are watching hopefuls who are being auditioned on stage of the St. James Theatre, 1948. From the Musical Theatre History collection of the Library of Congress.
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