Category Archives: History

Today in Musical History: Forbidden Broadway

Posted on January 15, 2021 by boz

The original version of the long-running revue Forbidden Broadway opened Jan. 15, 1982, at Palsson’s Supper Club in New York City. It upgraded from Off-Off-Broadway to Off-Broadway status on May 4 and ran for 2,332 more performances at the venue. … Continue reading →

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Today in Musical History: An American in Paris

Posted on January 11, 2021 by boz

The Oscar-winning film An American in Paris, the pinnacle of MGM’s Freed Unit musicals, received its wide release on Jan. 11, 1952. The story centers around expat painter Jerry, who has moved to Paris after WWII and is quickly caught in … Continue reading →

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Today in Musical History: High Hat

Posted on January 8, 2021 by boz

The January 8, 1978, episode of The Carol Burnett Show (the 15th installment in the 11th — and final — season of the CBS variety series) featured the Emmy-winning mini-musical “High Hat,” a comic tribute to the 1930s Fred Astaire/Ginger … Continue reading →

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Today in Musical History: Yentl

Posted on January 6, 2021 by boz

The Oscar-nominated musical Yentl received its wide release on Jan. 6, 1984, some 15 years after Barbra Streisand originally secured the film rights. Produced by Larry DeWaay with Rusty Lemorande and Streisand, the film is based on Leah Napolin and … Continue reading →

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Today in Musical History: The Wiz

Posted on January 5, 2021 by boz

L. Frank Baum’s Oz stories have been musicalized countless times, including the currently running Wicked. The first Broadway version was a 1903 adaptation with book and lyrics by Baum himself in which Dorothy traveled with her pet cow, Imogene. Broadway … Continue reading →

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Today in Musical History: Galavant

Posted on January 4, 2021 by boz

The musical TV series Galavant premiered Jan. 4, 2015, on ABC. The first season included eight episodes, aired in back-to-back pairs over four weeks. The second (and final) season included 10 episodes, aired in the same pattern. After cancellation, composer … Continue reading →

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Today in Musical History: Forty-Five Minutes from Broadway

Posted on January 1, 2021 by boz

Forty-Five Minutes from Broadway, George M. Cohan’s sixth Broadway musical, opened Jan. 1, 1906, at the New Amsterdam Theatre and ran for 90 performances, closing March 17. It reopened November 5 at the New York Theatre with the cast almost … Continue reading →

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Today in Musical History: City of Angels

Posted on December 11, 2020 by boz

The Tony-winning City of Angels opened Dec. 11, 1989, and ran on Broadway for 879 performances at the Virginia (now August Wilson) Theatre. The musical weaves two plots: the real world of a writer turning his book into a screenplay … Continue reading →

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Today in Musical History: Spring Awakening

Posted on December 10, 2020 by boz

The Tony-winning Spring Awakening, based on Frank Wedekind’s 1891 play, opened Dec. 10, 2006, on Broadway and ran 859 performances at the Eugene O’Neill Theatre. It had taken seven years of development, including workshops in San Diego and New York … Continue reading →

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Today in Musical History: Dear Evan Hansen

Posted on December 4, 2020 by boz

The Tony-winning Dear Evan Hansen opened Dec. 4, 2016, at the Music Box Theatre and has run for 1,363 performances so far. Its road to Broadway began with three readings in May to September 2014, then a full workshop in … Continue reading →

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