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Allegro


Music by Richard Rodgers | Book and Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II

Rodgers & Hammerstein’s innovative experiment Allegro chronicles nearly four decades in the life of a man, Joseph Taylor, Jr., from cradle through a midlife, personal revelation. The first Broadway musical to be staged by a director who was also its choreographer (the legendary Agnes de Mille), Allegro opened on Broadway on October 10, 1947 at the Majestic Theatre, where it ran for 315 performances. After a City Center Encores! staging in 1994, the show received an acclaimed revival at Classic Stage Company in 2014, directed by John Doyle. Today it is hailed for leading the way for what is often referred to as a “concept” musical, and is often cited as inspiration for many musicals that followed. Stylistically ahead of its time, Allegro remains an innovative landmark in the Rodgers & Hammerstein canon.

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Photo Archive

Stills from the 1947 Original Broadway Production
Stills from the 2014 Classic Stage Company
Historical Features

So Far: A History of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Allegro In this comprehensive essay, reprinted from the liner notes for the 2009 studio cast recording of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Allegro... READ MORE