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70-434: Kiss Me, Kate was Porter's response to Rodgers and Hammerstein 's Oklahoma! and other integrated musicals ; it was the first show he wrote in which the music and lyrics were firmly connected to the script. The musical premiered in 1948 and proved to be Porter's only show to run for more than 1,000 performances on Broadway . In 1949, it won the first Tony Award for Best Musical . Producer Arnold Saint-Subber conceived

140-479: A Best Actress Oscar nomination for leading lady Dorothy Dandridge . Rodgers and Hammerstein also received a special Pulitzer Prize in 1944 for Oklahoma! . The original production of Carousel was directed by Rouben Mamoulian and opened at Broadway's Majestic Theatre on April 19, 1945, running for 890 performances and closing on May 24, 1947. The cast included John Raitt , Jan Clayton , Jean Darling , Christine Johnson and Bambi Linn . From this show came

210-854: A "brief run", according to the Encyclopedia of the Musical Theatre . The Royal Shakespeare Company staged a production which opened at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre , Stratford-upon-Avon , on February 10, 1987, toured the UK from March to May, and then played at London's Old Vic Theatre from May 19, 1987. Directed by Adrian Noble and staged by Ron Field , the production starred Nichola McAuliffe and Paul Jones as Lilli/Kate and Fred/Petruchio, with Tim Flavin and Fiona Hendley as Bill/Lucentio and Lois/Bianca. The gangsters were played by Emil Wolk and John Bardon , who shared

280-796: A 3½-week pre- Broadway tryout at the Shubert Theatre in Philadelphia starting December 2, 1948, the original Broadway production opened on December 30, 1948, at the New Century Theatre , where it ran for nineteen months before transferring to the Shubert , for a total run of 1,077 performances. Directed by John C. Wilson with choreography by Hanya Holm , the original cast included Alfred Drake , Patricia Morison , Lisa Kirk , Harold Lang , Charles Wood and Harry Clark . Brooks Atkinson of The New York Times praised

350-481: A Shadow ", " Something Wonderful ", " I Have Dreamed ", and "Shall We Dance?" The King and I was followed by Me and Juliet , which opened at the Majestic Theatre on May 28, 1953. When Oklahoma! returned to Broadway on August 31, 1953, with The King and I , Me and Juliet and South Pacific all still playing, Rodgers and Hammerstein had four shows appearing on Broadway at once. The King and I

420-563: A long career. His first London success came in 1959 with the musical Lock Up Your Daughters and by 1961 he had three hits running simultaneously. He also directed both the West End and Broadway productions of Oliver! as well as its U.S. national tour and the 1983 London and 1984 Broadway revivals. His operatic credits included The Love of Three Oranges , The Angel of Fire , and Ernani . In 1981 Coe received an Antoinette Perry Award nomination as Best Director for A Life, and in 1982 he won

490-491: A musical based on Lynn Riggs ' stage play Green Grow the Lilacs . When Jerome Kern declined Hammerstein's offer to work on such a project and Hart refused Rodgers' offer to do the same, Rodgers and Hammerstein began their first collaboration. The result, Oklahoma! (1943), marked a revolution in musical drama. Although not the first musical to tell a story of emotional depth and psychological complexity, Oklahoma! introduced

560-628: A number of new storytelling elements and techniques. These included its use of song and dance to convey and advance both plot and character, rather than act as a diversion from the story, and the firm integration of every song into the plot-line. Oklahoma! was originally called Away We Go! and opened at the Shubert Theatre in New Haven in March 1943. Only a few changes were made before it opened on Broadway, but three would prove significant:

630-552: A return visit to Leeds Grand Theatre in May 2018. The Roundabout Theatre Company presented a revised third Broadway revival of Kiss Me, Kate with Kelli O'Hara as Lilli Vanessi/Kate, Will Chase as Fred Graham/Petruchio, Stephanie Styles as Lois Lane/Bianca, and Corbin Bleu as Bill Calhoun/Lucentio. The production is directed by Scott Ellis and choreographed by Warren Carlyle , with minor "feminist" updates by Amanda Green to make

700-518: A score directly for film. It was a great success, winning Rodgers and Hammerstein their lone Oscar together, for the song " It Might as Well Be Spring ", but it was also unadventurous material for them, compared with several of their Broadway shows. In 1962, an unsuccessful remake of the musical film was released. In 1969, the St. Louis Municipal Opera presented the world stage premiere of State Fair starring Ozzie and Harriet Nelson. The production

770-437: A series of innovative and influential American musicals . Their musical theater writing partnership has been called the greatest of the 20th century. Their popular Broadway productions in the 1940s and 1950s initiated what is considered the "golden age" of musical theater. Five of their Broadway shows, Oklahoma! , Carousel , South Pacific , The King and I and The Sound of Music , were outstanding successes, as

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840-428: A star. Because the efforts of Rodgers and Hammerstein were so successful, many musicals that followed contained thought-provoking plots with mature themes, and in which all the aspects of the play, dance, song, and drama, were combined in an integrated whole. Stephen Sondheim has cited Rodgers and Hammerstein as having had a crucial influence on his work. Rodgers and Hammerstein also use the technique of what some call

910-725: A supporting alto lead. Although there are exceptions to this generalization, it simplifies the audition process and gives audiences an idea of what to expect vocally from a Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. However, this formula had been used in Viennese operetta , such as The Merry Widow . William A. Everett and Paul R. Laird wrote that Oklahoma! , "like Show Boat , became a milestone, so that later historians writing about important moments in twentieth-century theatre would begin to identify eras according to their relationship to Oklahoma! " In The Complete Book of Light Opera , Mark Lubbock adds, "After Oklahoma! , Rodgers and Hammerstein were

980-441: A tribute to Shakespeare in which they explain that knowing Shakespeare is the key to romance ("Brush Up Your Shakespeare"). The company prepares for the conclusion of the play, the wedding of Bianca and Lucentio, even though they are now missing one of the main characters. However, just in time for Katherine's final speech, Lilli arrives onstage ("I Am Ashamed That Women Are So Simple"). Fred and Lilli wordlessly reconcile on stage, and

1050-414: A young Chinese woman who illegally comes to America in hopes of marrying a wealthy young Chinese-American man, who is already in love with a Chinatown nightclub dancer. The young man's parents are traditional Chinese and want him to marry the new Chinese immigrant, but he is hesitant until he falls in love with her. Though this musical did not achieve the popularity of the team's five most famous musicals, it

1120-794: Is based on the story of the Austrian Von Trapp Family . Starring Mary Martin as Maria and Theodore Bikel as Captain von Trapp, it opened on Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on November 16, 1959, garnering much praise and numerous awards. It has been frequently revived ever since. The show was made into a film in 1965 starring Julie Andrews as Maria and Christopher Plummer as the Captain. It won five Oscars , including Best Picture and Best Director , Robert Wise . Hammerstein died in August 1960, before

1190-589: Is based upon two short stories by James A. Michener from his book Tales of the South Pacific , which itself was the winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1948. For their adaptation, Rodgers and Hammerstein, along with co-writer Joshua Logan , won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1950. The song " You've Got to Be Carefully Taught " was controversial due to its support of interracial marriage . Rodgers and Hammerstein refused to remove it from

1260-625: Is being forced to stay at the theatre by the gangsters, but Howell doesn't believe her and wants to discuss wedding plans. Fred insidiously points out how boring Lilli's life with Howell will be compared with the theatre. Bill sings a love song he has written for Lois ("Bianca"). The gangsters discover that their boss has been killed, so the IOU is no longer valid. Lilli leaves—without Howell—as Fred unsuccessfully tries to persuade her to stay ("So in Love" (Reprise)). The gangsters get caught on stage and improvise

1330-440: Is leaving the show. However, the gangsters have reappeared, and Fred tells them that if Lilli quits, he'll have to close the show and won't be able to pay them the $ 10,000. The gangsters force her to stay at gunpoint. Back onstage, Bianca and Lucentio dance while the chorus performs "We Sing of Love", covering a scene change. The curtain opens, revealing the exterior of a church; Petruchio and Kate have just been married, and they exit

1400-459: Is married. However, she is shrewish and ill-tempered, and no man desires to marry her. Three suitors – Lucentio, Hortensio, and Gremio – try to woo Bianca, and she says that she would marry any of them (" Tom, Dick, or Harry "). Petruchio, a friend of Lucentio, expresses a desire to marry into wealth ("I've Come to Wive it Wealthily in Padua"). The suitors hatch a plan for him to marry Kate, as Baptista

1470-475: Is playing Katherine . The two seem to be constantly arguing, and Lilli is particularly angry that Fred is pursuing the sexy young actress Lois Lane, who is playing Bianca . After the rehearsal, Lois's boyfriend Bill appears; he is playing Lucentio, but he missed the rehearsal because he was gambling. He tells her that he signed a $ 10,000 IOU in Fred's name, and Lois reprimands him (" Why Can't You Behave? "). Before

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1540-462: Is rich. Kate, however, has no intentions of getting married ("I Hate Men"). Petruchio attempts to woo her ("Were Thine That Special Face"). Offstage, Lilli has an opportunity to read the card. She walks on stage off-cue and begins hitting Fred, who, along with the other actors, tries to remain in character as Baptista gives Petruchio permission to marry Kate. Lilli continues to strike Fred, and he ends up spanking her. Offstage, Lilli furiously declares she

1610-460: Is still "So In Love" with him. Fred tries to keep Lilli from reading the card that came with the flowers, which reveals that he really intended them for Lois. However, Lilli takes the card with her onstage, saying she will read it later. The show begins ("We Open in Venice"). Baptista, Katherine and Bianca's father, will not allow his younger daughter Bianca to marry until his older daughter Katherine

1680-740: The Italian Renaissance , Verdi's operas, blues, the Viennese waltz , and, in "Brush Up Your Shakespeare", the 1897 hybrid "Bowery waltz". In writing the lyrics for Kiss Me, Kate , Porter drew from Shakespearean themes and language, without creating something esoteric, and the song " Always True to You in My Fashion " was inspired by the Ernest Dowson poem " Non Sum Qualis Eram Bonae Sub Regno Cynarae ”, with its refrain "I have been faithful to thee, Cynara, in my fashion". After

1750-546: The Martin Beck Theatre on November 18, 1999, and closed on December 30, 2001, after 881 performances and 28 previews. Directed by Michael Blakemore , Produced by Richard Godwin , and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall and Rob Ashford , the opening night cast included Marin Mazzie , Brian Stokes Mitchell , Amy Spanger , Michael Berresse , Ron Holgate , Lee Wilkof and Michael Mulheren . This production won

1820-543: The Tony Awards for Best Revival of a Musical and Best Actor in a Musical for Mitchell; Marin Mazzie received a Tony nomination for Best Actress in a Musical, and Michael Berresse , Lee Wilkof and Michael Mulheren received Tony nominations for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. A West End revival opened at the Victoria Palace Theatre on October 30, 2001, and closed on August 24, 2002. As with

1890-563: The title song , " Do-Re-Mi ", " My Favorite Things ", " Climb Ev'ry Mountain ", " So Long, Farewell " and " Sixteen Going on Seventeen ". " Edelweiss " was the last song that Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote together. Rodgers and Hammerstein re-worked the musical theater genre. Early 20th-century musicals, except for the Princess Theatre musicals and a few important examples like Hammerstein and Jerome Kern 's Show Boat , were usually whimsical or farcical, and typically built around

1960-507: The "authentic book which is funny without the interpolation of gags. Cole Porter has written his best score in years, together with witty lyrics. Under Hanya Holm's direction, the dancing is joyous. And Lemuel Ayers has provided carnival costumes and some interesting scenery." The production won 5 Tony awards including Best Musical. The 1949 original cast recording has been inducted into the Library of Congress 's National Recording Registry for

2030-409: The "formula musical". While some hail this approach, others criticize it for its predictability. The term "formula musical" may refer to a musical with a predictable plot, but it also refers to the casting requirements of Rodgers & Hammerstein characters. Typically, any musical from this team will have the casting of a strong baritone lead, a dainty and light soprano lead, a supporting lead tenor, and

2100-581: The 1920 Varsity Show , Fly With Me . The songs for the show were originally written by Rodgers (a freshman) and Lorenz Hart . Hammerstein, who was on the judging committee, added two songs in the revising stage. The three men collaborated again on the 1921 Varsity Show, You'll Never Know , with Hammerstein as "Director of Production". Although Rodgers did not work with Hammerstein again until Oklahoma! , they achieved success independently from each other. Rodgers continued to collaborate for more than two decades with Hart. Among their many Broadway hits were

2170-800: The 1987 Olivier Award for Outstanding Performance of the Year by an Actor in a Musical, while McAuliffe won the Olivier for Outstanding Performance of the Year by an Actress in a Musical. The production moved to the Savoy Theatre on January 15, 1988, with a new cast. A short-lived Broadway revival ran at the Broadway Theatre in January 1952. It was directed by John C. Wilson and choreographed by Hanya Holm . Holly Harris and Robert Wright starred as Lilli and Fred. A Broadway revival opened at

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2240-590: The 1999 Broadway revival, Michael Blakemore was the director with choreography by Kathleen Marshall. Brent Barrett and Marin Mazzie co-starred. Chichester Festival Theatre 's 2012 revival of the show transferred to the Old Vic Theatre on London's South Bank in November 2012, with an official opening in December. It starred Hannah Waddingham as Lili/Kate and Alex Bourne as Fred Graham. The production

2310-531: The City of New York." They were also honored in 1999 with a United States Postal Service stamp commemorating their partnership. The Richard Rodgers Theatre in New York City is named after Rodgers. Forbes named Rodgers and Hammerstein second on its list of top-earning dead celebrities in 2009 at $ 235 million. In 2010, the original film arrangements of the team's music were restored and performed at

2380-503: The King of Siam —the story of Anna Leonowens , governess to the children of King Mongkut of Siam in the early 1860s—Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical The King and I opened at the St. James Theatre on Broadway on March 29, 1951, starring Gertrude Lawrence as Anna and the mostly unknown Yul Brynner as the king. This musical featured the hit songs " I Whistle a Happy Tune ", " Hello, Young Lovers ", " Getting to Know You ", " We Kiss in

2450-466: The Life That Late I Led?"). Off-stage, Lilli's fiancé Harrison Howell is looking for Lilli. He runs into Lois, and she recognizes him as a former lover but promises not to tell Lilli. Bill is shocked to overhear this, but Lois tells him that even if she is involved with other men, she is faithful to him in her own way (" Always True to You in My Fashion "). Lilli tries to explain to Howell that she

2520-529: The London Coliseum, in a production by the Sadler's Wells Opera . The cast featured Emile Belcourt (Petruchio), Judith Bruce, Eric Shilling , Ann Howard (Kate), Francis Egerton and Robert Lloyd, with direction by Peter Coe and choreography by Sheila O'Neill. Coe did a translation for British audiences, including having "a tea wagon", and included "traditional English music hall jokes". This revival had

2590-735: The Proms concerts in London's Royal Albert Hall by the John Wilson Orchestra . Rodgers and Hammerstein appeared on live telecasts several times. They were guests on the very first broadcast of Toast of the Town , the original name of The Ed Sullivan Show , when it debuted on CBS in June 1948. In 1954, they appeared on a memorable TV musical special, General Foods 25th Anniversary Show: A Salute to Rodgers and Hammerstein . They were

2660-628: The UK in 1964, starring Howard Keel , Patricia Morison and Millicent Martin , the third in 1968 with then husband-and-wife team Robert Goulet and Carol Lawrence , and the fourth in 2003 on Great Performances , a high-definition shot performance of the London revival with Brent Barrett and Rachel York . Rodgers and Hammerstein Rodgers and Hammerstein was a theater-writing team of composer Richard Rodgers (1902–1979) and lyricist-dramatist Oscar Hammerstein II (1895–1960), who together created

2730-401: The addition of a show-stopping number , " Oklahoma! "; the deletion of the musical number "Boys and Girls Like You and Me", which would soon after be replaced with a reprise of " People Will Say We're in Love "; and the decision to re-title the musical after the song. The original Broadway production opened on March 31, 1943, at the St. James Theatre . Although the typical musical of the time

2800-806: The album's "cultural, artistic and/or historical significance to American society and the nation's audio legacy". The original West End production opened on March 8, 1951, at the Coliseum Theatre , and ran for 400 performances. Directed by Sam Spewack with choreography again by Holm, this production starred Patricia Morison, Bill Johnson , Adelaide Hall and Julie Wilson . The original Australian production played from February 1952 at His Majesty's Theatre , Melbourne, before seasons in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide until 1954. The production featured Hayes Gordon and Joy Turpin (later replaced by Evie Hayes ). A London revival opened in December 1970 at

2870-597: The broadcast, and Julie Andrews was nominated for an Emmy Award for her performance in the title role. Rodgers and Hammerstein originally signed to work with NBC , but CBS approached them, offering the chance to work with Julie Andrews, and the two quickly agreed. Rodgers stated, "What won us over was the chance to work with Julie." Andrews played Cinderella, with Edith Adams as the Fairy Godmother, Kaye Ballard and Alice Ghostley as stepsisters Joy and Portia, and Jon Cypher as Prince Christopher. Though it

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2940-673: The church; the gangsters, dressed in Shakespearean costume, are onstage to make sure that Lilli stays. Petruchio implores for Kate to kiss him, and she refuses. He lifts her over his shoulder and carries her offstage while she pummels his shoulder with her fists ("Kiss Me Kate"). Act II During the show's intermission, the cast and crew relax in the alley behind the theater. Paul (Fred's assistant) and other crew members lament that it's " Too Darn Hot " to meet their lovers that night. The play continues, and Petruchio tries to 'tame' Katherine and mourns for his now-lost bachelor life ("Where Is

3010-500: The composer conducting the New York Philharmonic Orchestra . In 1945, a Technicolor musical film version of Phil Stong 's novel State Fair , with songs and script by Rodgers and Hammerstein, was released. The film, a remake of a 1933 non-musical Will Rogers film of the same name , starred Jeanne Crain , Dana Andrews , Dick Haymes , and Vivian Blaine . This was the only time the pair ever wrote

3080-416: The film version of South Pacific in 1958. While Rodgers and Hammerstein's work contains cheerful and often uplifting songs, they departed from the comic and sentimental tone of early 20th century musicals by seriously addressing issues such as racism , sexism and classism in many of their works. For example, Carousel concerns domestic violence, while South Pacific addresses racism. Based on

3150-406: The film was made, so when Rodgers was asked to create two new songs for the film (" I Have Confidence " and " Something Good "), he wrote the lyrics as well as the music. The Sound of Music contains more hit songs than any other Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, and the film version was the most financially successful film adaptation of a Broadway musical ever made. The most enduring of these include

3220-485: The gangsters. The production was filmed on stage for a November 17, 2024 release in UK cinemas and internationally. Act I The cast of a musical version of William Shakespeare 's The Taming of the Shrew is rehearsing for the opening of the show that evening (" Another Op'nin', Another Show "). Egotistical Fred Graham is the director and producer and is starring as Petruchio , and his movie-star ex-wife, Lilli Vanessi,

3290-662: The hit musical numbers "The Carousel Waltz" (an instrumental), " If I Loved You ", "June Is Bustin' Out All Over", and " You'll Never Walk Alone ". Carousel was also revolutionary for its time – adapted from Ferenc Molnár 's play Liliom , it was one of the first musicals to contain a tragic plot about an antihero; it also contained an extended ballet that was crucial to the plot, and several extended musical scenes containing both sung and spoken material, as well as dance. The 1956 film version of Carousel , made in CinemaScope 55 , again starred Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones,

3360-476: The idea for Kiss Me, Kate after witnessing the on-stage/off-stage battling of husband-and-wife actors Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne during their 1935 production of The Taming of the Shrew . In 1947, he asked the Spewacks (undergoing their own marital woes at the time) to write the script; Bella Spewack in turn enlisted Cole Porter to write the music and lyrics. Porter's score drew from musical styles of

3430-480: The most important contributors to the musical-play form – with such masterworks as Carousel , The King and I and South Pacific . The examples they set in creating vital plays, often rich with social thought, provided the necessary encouragement for other gifted writers to create musical plays of their own." In 1950, the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein received The Hundred Year Association of New York 's Gold Medal Award "in recognition of outstanding contributions to

3500-809: The musical "more accessible for today’s audiences". Roundabout produced a benefit concert of the show with O'Hara, Ellis, and Carlyle in 2016. The revival had a limited run at Studio 54 . Previews began on February 14, 2019, with the opening on March 14. The production closed on June 30, 2019. A revival directed by Bartlett Sher and choreographed by Anthony Van Laast ran at the Barbican Theatre in London from June 4 to September 14, 2024, with an official opening on June 18. The production starred Adrian Dunbar as Fred / Petruchio and Stephanie J. Block as Lilli / Katharine. Other cast members included Charlie Stemp as Bill / Lucentio, Georgina Onuorah as Lois / Bianca, and Nigel Lindsay and Hammed Animashaun as

3570-518: The musical finally was given a Broadway production, with a revised book by Douglas Carter Beane , and incorporating four songs from the Rodgers and Hammerstein catalog, in 2013. Based on a 1957 novel by C. Y. Lee , Flower Drum Song takes place in San Francisco's Chinatown in the late 1950s. The original 1958 production was directed by dancer/singer/actor Gene Kelly . The story deals with

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3640-501: The mystery guests on episode number 298 of What's My Line , which first aired on February 19, 1956; blindfolded panelist Arlene Francis was able to correctly identify them. The pair made a rare feature film appearance in MGM's 1953 production Main Street to Broadway , in which Rodgers played the piano and Hammerstein sang a song they had written. They also appeared in the trailer for

3710-594: The opening, Fred and Lilli meet backstage, and Lilli shows off her engagement ring from Washington insider Harrison Howell, reminding Fred that it's the anniversary of their divorce. They recall the operetta in which they met, which included "Wunderbar", a Viennese waltz; they end up fondly reminiscing and singing and dancing. Two gangsters show up to collect the $ 10,000 IOU, and Fred replies that he never signed it. The gangsters obligingly say they will give him time to remember it and will return later. In her dressing room, Lilli receives flowers from Fred, and she declares that she

3780-454: The original cast record the music from the show with the original orchestrations. This became the first musical to have an original cast recording, which is now a standard practice. In 1955 it was made into an Academy Award -winning musical film , the first feature shot with the Todd-AO 70 mm widescreen process. The film starred Gordon MacRae and Shirley Jones , and its soundtrack

3850-578: The part of "Dream Laurey". In Oklahoma! , the story and the songs were considered more important than sheer star power. Nevertheless, the production ran for a then-unprecedented 2,212 performances, finally closing on May 29, 1948. Many enduring musical standards come from this show, among them " Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin' ", " The Surrey with the Fringe on Top ", " I Cain't Say No ", the aforementioned " People Will Say We're in Love ", and " Oklahoma! ". The popularity of these songs prompted Decca Records to have

3920-406: The play ends ("Kiss Me Kate" (Finale)) with them, as well as Bill and Lois, kissing passionately. Act I Act II Notes A film version of the same name was released in 1953. There have been at least four television productions, the first on Hallmark Hall of Fame in 1958, with Drake and Morison reprising their Broadway roles, the second recorded for the launch of BBC Two in

3990-593: The same leads as the film version of Oklahoma! Carousel is also unique among the Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals for not having an overture; both the stage and film versions began with the familiar Carousel Waltz . This music was included in John Mauceri 's Philips Records CD of the complete overtures of Rodgers and Hammerstein with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra . It was also included in Rodgers' rare 1954 album for Columbia Records with

4060-811: The show, even if it meant the show failing. When the show was touring in Atlanta, Georgia, it offended some Georgian lawmakers, who proposed a bill to outlaw any entertainment they deemed to be inspired by Moscow. In the original production, Mary Martin starred as the heroine Nellie Forbush, and opera star Ezio Pinza starred as Emile de Becque, the French plantation owner. Also in the cast were Juanita Hall , Myron McCormick and Betta St. John . The 1958 film version , also directed by Logan, starred Mitzi Gaynor , Rossano Brazzi , John Kerr , Ray Walston , and Juanita Hall . Brazzi, Kerr, and Hall had their singing dubbed by others. Based on Margaret Landon 's Anna and

4130-508: The shows A Connecticut Yankee (1927), Babes in Arms (1937), The Boys from Syracuse (1938), Pal Joey (1940), and By Jupiter (1942), as well as many successful film projects. Hammerstein, a co-writer of the popular Rudolf Friml 1924 operetta Rose-Marie , and Sigmund Romberg operettas The Desert Song (1926) and The New Moon (1928), began a successful collaboration with composer Jerome Kern on Sunny (1925), which

4200-578: The true story of the von Trapp family, The Sound of Music explores the views of Austrians on the takeover of Austria by Nazi Germany . Peter Coe (director) Peter Leonard Coe (18 April 1929 – 25 May 1987), was an English film and theatre director and actor. Coe was born in London on 18 April 1929 and graduated from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art . After beginning his career as an actor, Coe staged dramas, musicals and operas across several continents in

4270-407: Was No. 1 on the 1956 album charts. After their initial success with Oklahoma! , the pair took a break from working together and Hammerstein concentrated on the musical Carmen Jones , a stage version of Bizet 's Carmen with the characters changed to African Americans in the contemporary South, for which he wrote the book and lyrics. The musical was adapted to the screen in 1954, and scored

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4340-768: Was a hit. Their 1927 musical Show Boat is considered to be one of the masterpieces of the American musical theater. Other Hammerstein/Kern collaborations include Sweet Adeline (1929) and Very Warm for May (1939). Although the last of these was panned by critics, it contains one of Kern and Hammerstein's best-loved songs, " All the Things You Are ". By the early 1940s, Hart had sunk deeper into alcoholism and emotional turmoil, and he became unreliable, prompting Rodgers to approach Hammerstein to ask if he would consider working with him. Independently of each other, Rodgers and Hammerstein had been attracted to making

4410-599: Was adapted for film in 1956 with Brynner re-creating his role opposite Deborah Kerr (whose singing was largely dubbed by Marni Nixon ). Brynner won an Oscar as Best Actor for his portrayal, and Kerr was nominated as Best Actress . Brynner reprised the role twice on Broadway in 1977 and 1985 and in a short-lived TV sitcom in 1972, Anna and the King . Based on the fairytale character and story of Cinderella , Rodgers and Hammerstein created their only collaborative effort written for television. Cinderella aired on March 31, 1957, on CBS . More than 107 million viewers saw

4480-711: Was broadcast in color, and the major networks all had the new (B&W) videotape recorders from Ampex, a black and white kinescope is all that remains. It featured songs still treasured today, "In My Own Little Corner", "Ten Minutes Ago" and "Impossible: It's Possible." After the success of the 1957 production, another version was presented in 1965 and shown annually on CBS, starring Lesley Ann Warren , Stuart Damon , Celeste Holm and Walter Pidgeon . Yet another television version first aired in 1997 on ABC , produced by Walt Disney Television , starring Brandy , Whitney Houston , Bernadette Peters , and Whoopi Goldberg . Stage versions were also presented in London and elsewhere, and

4550-582: Was co-produced with Welsh National Opera who continued to tour it in 2016, first as part of the Shakespeare400 season at the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff , and then to Liverpool Empire Theatre , Bristol Hippodrome , New Theatre Oxford , Mayflower Theatre Southampton , Birmingham Hippodrome , and Venue Cymru Llandudno , before returning to Cardiff. The production was revived at London Coliseum briefly in June 2018, following

4620-480: Was directed by James Hammerstein , supervised by Richard Rodgers and choreographed by Tommy Tune. State Fair finally arrived on Broadway on March 27, 1996, with Donna McKechnie and Andrea McArdle , produced by David Merrick , and received five Tony Award nominations. South Pacific opened on Broadway on April 7, 1949, and ran for over five years. Its songs " Bali Ha'i ", " Younger Than Springtime ", and " Some Enchanted Evening " have become standards. The play

4690-580: Was directed by Trevor Nunn . The show received positive reviews from critics and audiences. Hannah Waddingham and Alex Bourne were both nominated for the 2013 Olivier Awards as Best Actress/Actor in a Musical for their performances. In September 2015 Opera North presented a revival directed by Jo Davies, choreographed by Will Tuckett . The production opened at the Leeds Grand Theatre before touring to Theatre Royal Newcastle , The Lowry Salford , and Theatre Royal Nottingham . The production

4760-469: Was nevertheless a success and broke new ground by using a mostly Asian cast. The 1961 film adaptation was a lavish, but much criticized, Ross Hunter production released by Universal Studios . A Broadway revival in 2002 starring Lea Salonga had a rewritten plot by playwright David Henry Hwang but retained the inter-generational and immigrant themes as well as most of the original songs. The Sound of Music , Rodgers and Hammerstein's last work together,

4830-607: Was the television broadcast of Cinderella (1957). Of the other four shows the pair produced on Broadway during their lifetimes, Flower Drum Song was well-received, and none was a critical or commercial flop. Most of their shows have received frequent revivals around the world, both professional and amateur. Among the many accolades their shows (and film versions of them) garnered were 34 Tony Awards , fifteen Academy Awards , two Pulitzer Prizes (for Oklahoma! , 1944, and South Pacific , 1950) and two Grammy Awards . At Columbia University , Rodgers and Hammerstein collaborated on

4900-451: Was usually written around the talents of a specific performer, such as Ethel Merman or Fred Astaire , no stars were used in the production. Ultimately the original cast included Alfred Drake (Curly), Joan Roberts (Laurey), Celeste Holm (Ado Annie), Howard Da Silva (Jud Fry), Betty Garde (Aunt Eller), Lee Dixon (Will Parker) and Joseph Bulloff (Ali Hakim). Marc Platt danced the role of "Dream Curly", and Katharine Sergava danced

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