I’m a fan of Broadway musicals. Want to know how it started?
Sure.
When I was an adolescent and young teen in the 1940s, I enjoyed reading, mostly about animals. So I made frequent trips to the library.
And I noticed that they also had 78-rpm phonograph records to borrow. But I had a growing collection of popular songs, so I didn’t look through them. Then I noticed something different. There were albums containing several records. What were they, I wondered.
And they were … ?
Broadway musicals. Like the 1943 show Oklahoma
starring Alfred Drake.
and the 1945 show Carousel
starring John Raitt.
I borrowed the albums and soon became a fan of both shows and both singers.
So that was the start?
Yep. But it grew from there. Going off to college slowed me down a bit, but shortly after graduation I went to my first musical production on Broadway.
It was … ?
Wish You Were Here. It opened in June 1952 and closed in November ’53, but I managed to slip in there and see it.
Not too popular?
I guess. But I was blown away. Yes, it was my first. But there was more to it than that. The show was about an adult summer camp, and they had built the stage up and had put in a fully functioning swimming pool.
And the stage had a large, tilted mirror in the back so the audience could see what was going on in the pool. And there was a basketball court. And a rainstorm. Quite an experience.
I guess.
The New York drama critics had mixed opinions. But there had been an inherent problem. With a swimming pool as part of the set, there was no possibility off trying out the show on the road. In other cities, where the inevitable glitches show up. So opening night had its problems, but they were fixed.
But not enough to save the show.
No. Anyway, I’m now enjoying the music of the show on a CD. Too bad there’s not a DVD of the whole show.
So that was my start at enjoying Broadway musical shows.
So have you seen many shows?
Quite a few. Some on Broadway and others at regional or dinner theaters. Let’s see how many I can remember.
- Wish You Were Here
- Guys and Dolls
- South Pacific
- Kiss Me Kate
- Oklahoma
- The Most Happy Fella
- Man of La Mancha
- West Side Story
- Half a Sixpence
- Carousel
- Oliver
- Lil Abner
- Brigadoon
- Jersey Boys
- Wicked
- Phantom of the Opera
- Sweet Charity
- Chicago
- Les Miserables
- 42nd Street
- Bye Bye Birdie
- Annie
- Cats
- Beauty and the Beast
- The King and I
- Kismet
- The Sound of Music
- The Music Man
- Singing in the Rain
- Hello Dolly
- Milk and Honey
- Fiorello
- 1776
- A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
- Godspell
- Young Frankenstein
- The Buddy Holly Story
- A Joyful Noise
- Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
- Damn Yankees
- Barnum
- Fiddler on the Roof
- George M
- Titanic
- State Fair
- Me and Juliet
- Carnival
- Into the Woods
- Little Shop of Horrors
- On a Clear Day You Can See Forever
- Flower Drum Song
- Evita
- Porgy and Bess
- Showboat
- Once on This Island
- Where’s Charley?
- Stop the World — I Want To Get Off
- Destry Rides Again
- The Pajama Game
- My Fair Lady
- The Wizard of Oz
- Barnum
- A Chorus Line
- Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street
- Jerome Robbins’ Broadway
I’d say that’s quite a few.