MUSICAL THEATRE ARCHIVES
Here is some musical theatre trivia about events that happened during THIS month in the past:
May 11, 1888 Israel Isidore Baline was born today, but we know him better as Irving Berlin.
May 8, 1892 Italian baritone Ezio Pinza was born today. Primarily a star of opera, he gained lasting fame at the age of fifty-seven as the man Mary Martin wanted to ‘wash right out of her hair’ in South Pacific.
May 10, 1899 Fred Astaire was born today.
May 23, 1921 After decades of white actors doing blackface, Shuffle Along, the first show written by African Americans, opened on Broadway in 1921.
May 7, 1937 Shall We Dance premiered today, pairing America’s favorite dance team for the seventh time. Fred Astaire introduced the classic ‘They Can’t Take That Away from Me,’ which was nominated for an Oscar, while Fred and Ginger danced and sang on roller skates to ‘Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off.’
May 16, 1946 Annie Get Your Gun opened on Broadway today, and it became the biggest hit for composer Irving Berlin, running for nearly three years.
May 21, 1959 Gypsy opened on Broadway
May 24, 1966 Mame opened on Broadway today starring Angela Lansbury, Bea Arthur, Jane Connell, and Frankie Michaels.
May 30, 1971 Idina Menzel began defying gravity today.
May 2, 1984 Stephen Sondheim bounced back after the debacle of Merrily We Roll Along (sixteen performances), Sunday in the Park with George opened on Broadway today.
May 12, 1988 One of the most ill-fated musicals of all time opened: Carrie. Three days later, it closed.
May 18, 2003 One Day More! Well, maybe not: Les Miserables closed today for the first run on Broadway.
May 8, 1892 Italian baritone Ezio Pinza was born today. Primarily a star of opera, he gained lasting fame at the age of fifty-seven as the man Mary Martin wanted to ‘wash right out of her hair’ in South Pacific.
May 10, 1899 Fred Astaire was born today.
May 23, 1921 After decades of white actors doing blackface, Shuffle Along, the first show written by African Americans, opened on Broadway in 1921.
May 7, 1937 Shall We Dance premiered today, pairing America’s favorite dance team for the seventh time. Fred Astaire introduced the classic ‘They Can’t Take That Away from Me,’ which was nominated for an Oscar, while Fred and Ginger danced and sang on roller skates to ‘Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off.’
May 16, 1946 Annie Get Your Gun opened on Broadway today, and it became the biggest hit for composer Irving Berlin, running for nearly three years.
May 21, 1959 Gypsy opened on Broadway
May 24, 1966 Mame opened on Broadway today starring Angela Lansbury, Bea Arthur, Jane Connell, and Frankie Michaels.
May 30, 1971 Idina Menzel began defying gravity today.
May 2, 1984 Stephen Sondheim bounced back after the debacle of Merrily We Roll Along (sixteen performances), Sunday in the Park with George opened on Broadway today.
May 12, 1988 One of the most ill-fated musicals of all time opened: Carrie. Three days later, it closed.
May 18, 2003 One Day More! Well, maybe not: Les Miserables closed today for the first run on Broadway.
Radio City Music Hall main entrance – 1934. From the New York Public Library collections.
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