In 1927, when Show Boat premiered on Broadway, popular vocalists would occasionally record a single from a Broadway show, but cast albums were not regularly produced, in part due to technological restraints. Of course, that changed in 1943, when Oklahoma! debuted as a full cast album, just in time for Christmas. Three years later, Show Boat got its first official … Read More
1927 Original Broadway Production
On December 27, 1927, crowds trickled into the Ziegfeld Theatre on 54th Street, the first to witness the latest show from Florenz Ziegfeld – a highly anticipated affair. The pre-show scene was described the following day in the New York Times review: “There they milled about elegantly in the lobby, were pictured by flashlight photographers, and finally got to their … Read More
Only Make Believe
Gaylord Ravenal and Magnolia meet by chance on the wharf and are instantly smitten. To abide by the laws of social propriety, they pretend to have known each other already. This “almost” love song, in which the romantic leads express their attraction conditionally, became a signature of Oscar Hammerstein’s work. Later examples include “If I Loved You,” “People Will Say … Read More