The original Broadway production of A Connecticut Yankee opened at the Vanderbilt Theatre on November 3, 1927, after tryouts in Stamford and Philadelphia. Directed by Alexander Leftwich and choreographed by Busby Berkely, the production starred William Gaxton, Constance Carpenter and June Cochrane. The show was a commercial and critical success, playing an impressive 418 performances. Gilbert W. Gabriel of the … Read More
1976 Broadway
After tryouts in Wilmington, Washington, D.C. and Boston, Rex premiered on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on April 25, 1976. Edwin Sherin was credited as director, though Harold Prince had been brought in to assist during the show’s rocky out-of-town tryouts. The Broadway production starred British actor Nicol Williamson, with American actress Penny Fuller playing the dual roles of Henry’s … Read More
1970 Broadway
Starring 57-year-old entertainer Danny Kaye, and featuring songs from 68-year-old composer Richard Rodgers, Two by Two opened on Broadway on November 10, 1970. Adapted from Clifford Odets’ 1954 play The Flowering Peach, based on the biblical story of Noah and the ark, the musical is a buoyant, comical and ultimately touching portrait of a man who learns that being God’s … Read More
1967 Television Broadcast
Presented as a 90-minute television special, Androcles and the Lion premiered on NBC-TV on November 15, 1967. Starring Norman Wisdom as Androcles, with Geoffrey Holder as the Lion, Noël Coward as Caesar and Patricia Routledge as Megaera, the production also featured such theatre notables as Ed Ames, Brian Bedford, John Cullum and Inga Swenson. Of his score, Richard Rodgers said, … Read More
1965 Broadway
After tryouts in New Haven and Boston, Do I Hear A Waltz? opened on Broadway on March 18, 1965 at the 46th Street Theatre. Directed by John Dexter, the production starred Elizabeth Allen and Sergio Franchi; other principal cast members included Carol Bruce, Madeleine Sherwood, Julienne Marie, Stuart Damon, Fleury D’Antonakis and Jack Manning. Reviews were mixed, with Walter Kerr … Read More
2013 New York City Center
Directed and choreographed by Warren Carlyle, with musical direction by Rob Fisher, On Your Toes played a limited run at New York City Center as part of their Encores! series. Susan Pilarre staged the George Balanchine choreography for the “Slaughter on Tenth Avenue” ballet. Opening May 8, 2013, the production featured Christine Baranski, Kelli Barrett, Walter Bobbie, Jeremy Cohen, Joaquin … Read More
1983 Broadway Revival
The second Broadway revival of On Your Toes, directed by the show’s original director, 95-year-old George Abbott, was a rousing success, winning the Tony Award for Best Revival. The production opened on March 6, 1983 at the Virginia Theatre, where it ran for 505 performances. Natalia Makarova and Lara Teeter starred, with Christine Andreas, George de la Peña, Betty Ann … Read More
1954 Broadway Revival
The first Broadway revival of On Your Toes, directed by George Abbott and choreographed by Goerge Balanchine, opened on October 11, 1954 at the 46th Street Theatre, where it ran for 64 performances. The show starred Bobby Van and Vera Zorina. Elaine Stritch, playing the role of Peggy Porterfield, sang the newly interpolated song “You Took Advantage of Me,” originally … Read More
1939 Motion Picture
Though it does not include any singing, the film adaptation of On Your Toes does feature several Rodgers & Hart melodies as background music, and the movie concludes with Rodgers’ jazz ballet “Slaughter on Tenth Avenue.” Directed by Ray Enright, adapted by Sig Herzig and Lawrence Riley and written by Richard Macauley and Jerry Wald, the film stars ballerina Vera … Read More
1937 West End
After its successful New York opening, On Your Toes opened at the Palace Theatre in London’s West End on 5 February 1937. Jack Whiting and Vera Zorina starred as Junior and Vera.