Presented at the Stoll Theatre in London, the first major London revival of Show Boat opened April 17, 1943. Presented by Prince Littler, the production played 265 performances, with Mark Daly as Andy, Gwyneth Lascelles as Magnolia, Bruce Carfax as Ravenal, Pat Taylor as Julie, Mr. Jetsam as Joe and Hester Paton Bronson as Parthy.
1936 Motion Picture
Released by Universal Studios on May 14, 1936, the first musical motion picture adaptation of Show Boat was written by librettist Oscar Hammerstein II. The film featured Irene Dunne as Magnolia and Allan Jones as Gaylord Ravenal, and director James Whale insisted on casting certain members of the original Broadway cast, including Paul Robeson singing his signature song, “Ol’ Man … Read More
1932 Broadway Revival
Show Boat made its first return to Broadway shortly after its initial run. Opening May 19, 1932 at the Casino Theatre, the revival was directed by Oscar Hammerstein II and choreographed by Sammy Lee. The cast included Tess Gardella as Queenie, Dennis King as Gaylord Ravenal, Helen Morgan as Julie, Eva Puck as Ellie, Paul Robeson as Joe, Norma Terris … Read More
1928 West End Premiere
With almost no break after the Broadway opening of Show Boat, the creative team skipped across the pond to begin production on the show’s West End premiere at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, a house to which Hammerstein would return throughout his career. Hammerstein took the opportunity to fine tune certain aspects of the libretto, making small adjustments to the … 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
1953 Original Broadway Production
The original Broadway production of Me and Juliet opened at the Majestic Theatre on May 28, 1953 after playing out-of-town previews at the Shubert Theatres in New Haven and Boston. Rodgers & Hammerstein’s lesser-known musical comedy about the backstage romances and heartbreaks of a long-running Broadway musical featured Isabel Bigley, Bill Hayes and Joan McCracken. The production ran for 358 … Read More
1996 Original Broadway Production
Sixty-one years after its film premiere, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s State Fair finally made its way to the Broadway stage. Starring Kathryn Crosby, John Davidson, Andrea McArdle, Donna McKechnie and Scott Wise, State Fair opened at the Music Box Theatre on March 27, 1996. With a new book adapted from Hammerstein’s screenplay by Tom Briggs and Louis Mattioli, the Broadway production … Read More
1962 Motion Picture
Seventeen years after Rodgers & Hammerstein’s 1945 movie musical (which had been adapted from the 1933 non-musical film State Fair), a new film version of State Fair was created using most of the pair’s original music. With its setting moved to Texas, the 1962 film starred Ann-Margaret, Pat Boone, Bobby Darin and Pamela Tiffin. Since Oscar Hammerstein had passed away … Read More
1945 Original Motion Picture
After the massive success of Oklahoma!, Rodgers & Hammerstein were asked to write a musical film adaptation of 20th Century Fox’s 1933 family comedy State Fair. With Oscar Hammerstein II penning the screenplay and lyrics, Richard Rodgers composed a rich score, sweeping audiences to the Iowa State Fair alongside the eager and excited Frake family. Starring Jeanne Crain, Dana Andrews, … Read More
2012 City Center
Nearly 60 years after its Broadway debut, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Pipe Dream made a triumphant return to the New York stage as part of the Encore! series at New York’s City Center, opening March 28, 2012. This concert adaptation by playwright David Ives starred Will Chase, Laura Osnes, Tom Wopat and Leslie Uggams. The limited revival of the often-overlooked Pipe … Read More