Broadway History

Broadway News and History The Junkyard

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

January

Jan. 4, 1934 - Fanny Brice plays the character of "Baby Snooks" for the first time when "The Ziegfeld Follies" opens.
Jan. 4, 1976 - Yul Brynner opens and closes the same night in "Home Sweet Homer."
Jan. 5, 1941 - "No For an Answer" opens with 18-year-old Carol Channing making her professional debut.
Jan. 5, 1975 - Geoffrey Holder directs "The Wiz," which opens with Hinton Battle, Mabel King, Ted Ross and Andre De Shields.
Jan. 7, 1943 - Ethel Merman sings "Hey, Good Lookin'" in "Something for the Boys."
Jan. 7, 1975 - John Cullum, who will win a Tony Award, stars in the musical "Shenandoah." He's currently starring in "Urinetown."
Jan. 7, 1985 - Yul Brynner returns to Broadway for the last time in a revival of "The King and I."
Jan. 12, 1983 - Andy Gibb is fired from the cast of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" after missing 21 of 51 performances.
Jan. 12, 1988 - F. Murray Abraham and Elizabeth McGovern star in the opening of "A Midsummer Night's Dream."
Jan. 13, 1951 - Claude Rains and Kim Hunter open in "Darkness at Noon."
Jan. 14, 1993 - Natasha Richardson makes her Broadway debut in a revival of Eugene O'Neill's "Anna Christie." Rip Torn, Liam Neeson and Anne Meara complete the cast.
Jan. 15, 1982 - Harvey Fierstein stars and Matthew Broderick makes his Broadway debut in "Torch Song Trilogy."
Jan. 16, 1964 - Jerry Herman's "Hello, Dolly" opens with Carol Channing as matchmaker Dolly Levi, a role rejected by Ethel Merman.
Jan. 19, 1971 - Ruby Keeler tops the cast of a revival of the "No, No, Nanette."
Jan. 19, 1978 - The controversial "Paul Robeson," starring James Earl Jones, opens.
Jan. 20, 1975 - Jack Weston and Jerry Stiller open in "The Ritz," which also stars F. Murray Abraham.
Jan. 22, 1968 - "Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris" opens.
Jan. 23, 1964 - Arthur Miller's "After the Fall" opens with Jason Robards Jr. starring.
Jan. 26, 1975 - Deborah Kerr and Barry Nelson open in the Edward Albee play "Seascape."
Jan 26, 1988 - With Michael Crawford behind the mask, "The Phantom of the Opera" opens with $16 million in advance ticket sales.
Jan. 27, 1982 - The Andrew Lloyd Webber-Tim Rice musical "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" transfers from off-Broadway to the Royale Theatre and runs for 824 performances.
Jan. 28, 1958 - Samuel Beckett's "Endgame" opens off-Broadway.
Jan. 29, 1947 - Ed Begley stars in the opening of Arthur Miller's "All My Sons."

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February

Feb. 2, 1927 - The Ziegfeld Theatre opens with the musical "Rio Rita." Over the years, the theatre at 6th Ave. and 54th Street hosted such musicals as "Show Boat," "Kismet," "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" and "Foxy," but it was demolished in 1966 to make room for a skyscraper.
Feb. 4, 1968 - Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme open at the Shubert Theatre in the musical "Golden Rainbow," which includes the song "I've Got to Be Me." The show runs for 383 performances.
Feb. 4, 1968 - "Pump Boys and Dinettes" opens at the Princess Theatre and runs for 573 performances.
Feb. 5, 1959 - Gwen Verdon and Richard Kiley star as "Redhead" opens at the 46th Street Theatre. The musical marks the debut of Bob Fosse as a director as well as choreographer. It goes on to win six Tony Awards and runs 452 performances.
Feb. 11, 1976 - Lee J. Cobb, the original Willy Loman in Arthur Miller's "The Death of a Salesman," dies at age 65.
Feb. 13, 1957 - "The Tunnel of Love" opens with a cast of Tom Ewell, Darren McGavin and Nancy Olson. It runs for 417 performances.
Feb. 13, 1996 - "Rent" opens less than three weeks after the death of its creator, Jonathan Larson. Stars include Taye Diggs, Adam Pascal, Jesse L. Martin, Anthony Rapp and Daphne Rubin-Vegas. It ranks as the 15th longest-running show in Broadway history with 2,414 performances through Feb. 10, 2002.
Feb. 14, 1972 - The musical comedy "Grease" opens with Walter Bobbe, Barry Bostwick, Carole Demas and Adrienne Barbeau. It runs for 3,388 performances and now ranks as the 8th longest running show in Broadway history.
Feb. 16, 1964 - Bert Lahr stars in his last show and John Davidson makesm his Broadway debut as "Foxy" opens.
Feb. 17, 1977 - Mary Beth Hurt, Raul Julia and Meryl Streep star in the opening of Chekhov's "The Cherry Orchard."
Feb. 18, 1982 - Cher and director Robert Altman make their Broadway debuts with "Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean."
Feb. 19, 1978 - The musical "On the Twentieth Century" opens. In the cast are John Cullum, Madeleine Kahn, Kevin Kline and Imogene Coca.
Feb. 19, 1992 - "Crazy for You," a new version of Gershwin's "Girl Crazy," opens. Harry Groener and Jodi Benson are in the cast.
Feb. 20, 1980 - "Talley's Folly," with Judd Hirsch and Trish Hawkins, moves to Broadway and the Brooks Atkinson Theatre.
Feb. 21, 1991 - Neil Simon's "Lost in Yonkers" opens with Mercedes Ruehl, Irene Worth and Kevin Spacey.
Feb. 22, 1961 - Neil Simon's "Come Blow Your Horn" finally gets to toot.
Feb. 24, 1955 - Cole Porter's "Silk Stockings" opens at the Imperial Theatre with star Don Ameche and runs for 478 performances.
Feb. 25, 1973 - Stephen Sondheim's "A Little Night Music" opens at the Shubert Theatre and runs for 601 performances.
Feb. 26, 1989 - Jason Alexander's in the cast on the opening night of "Jerome Robbins' Broadway" at the Imperial Theatre. It runs for 633 performances.
Feb. 27, 1964 - It's Robert Alda and Steve Lawrence in the musical "What Makes Sammy Run?" at the 54th Street Theatre. It runs for 540 performances.
Feb. 28, 1955 - Bea Arthur, Dody Goodman, Arte Johnson and Chita Rivera are among the stars opening in "Shoestring Revue."

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March

March 1, 1979 - Stephen Sondhiem's "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" opens with Len Cariou and Angela Lansbury.
March 1, 1981 - Gregory Hines tops the cast of "Sophisticated Ladies."
March 2, 1976 - "Bubbling Brown Sugar" brings back the music of Harlem in the '20s and '30s.
March 2, 1995 - The hits of Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller are celebrated in "Smokey Joe's Cafe."
March 3, 1994 - "Damn Yankees" gets revived with Victor Garber (later replaced by Jerry Lewis) and Bebe Neuwirth.
March 5, 1978 - Carol Channing revives "Hello, Dolly!"
March 6, 1973 - John Lithgow makes his Broadway debut in "The Changing Room" and wins a best supporting actor Tony Award.
March 6, 1974 - Patty and Maxine Andrews remember World War II in the musical "Over Here," which also stars Ann Reinking, Treat Williams and 20-year-old John Travolta.
March 7, 1967 - "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown" brings comic book characters to life and Gary Burghoff, who later stars in the movie and TV versions of "M*A*S*H," stars.
March 8, 1960 - Tony Perkins stars as Frank Loesser's musical "Greenwillow" opens. It runs 97 performances at the Alvin Theatre.
March 10, 1953 - Leontyne Price and Cab Calloway revive "Porgy and Bess" at the Ziegfeld Theater. It runs 305 performances.
March 10, 1965 - Art Carney and Walter Matthau team up for the opening of Neil Simon's "The Odd Couple" at The Plymouth Theatre. It lasts 964 performances.
March 10, 1975 - Tim Curry gets to do the "Time Warp" in "The Rocky Horror Show," but only for 45 performances at the Belasco Theatre.
March 12, 1987 - "Les Miserables" begins its incredible run. As of Sunday, it had recorded 6,180 performances.
March 13, 1947 - Lerner and Loewe's "Brigadoon" opens at the Ziegfeld Theatre. It runs 581 performances with David Brooks and Marion Bell starring.
March 13, 1972 - "Irene" gets revived with Debbie Reynolds. It lasts 594 performances at the Minskoff Theatre.
March 15, 1956 - Rex Harrison and Julie Andrews open in Lerner and Loewe's "My Fair Lady."
March 15, 1962 - Richard Rodgers' "No Strings" opens with Diahann Carroll and Richard Kiley.
March 15, 1970 - Cleavon Little and Melba Moore star in "Purlie." Sherman Hemsley is also in the cast.
March 15, 1987 - Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Starlight Express" opens with Andrea McArdle among the cast members on roller skates.
March 16, 1969 - Betty Buckley makes her Broadway debut and Williams Daniels and Howard Da Silva star in "1776."
March 18, 1965 - "Do I Hear A Waltz" opens with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.
March 18, 1973 - Ken Howard, Michele Lee and Tommy Tune are together on stage in "Seesaw."
March 21, 1962 - Elliott Gould stars in "I Can Get It For You Wholesale," but Barbra Streisand steals the show in her Broadway debut on opening night.
March 22, 1956 - Sammy Davis Jr. opens in "Mr. Wonderful."
March 23, 1966 - After seven years of playing the part elsewhere, Hal Holbrook opens on Broadway in "Mark Twain Tonight."
March 23, 1995 - Matthew Broderick stars in the revival of the Frank Loesser musical "How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying."
March 24, 1994 - "Carousel" gets revived.
March 25, 1984 - Robert Prosky and Joe Mantegna take the stage in David Mamet's "Glengarry Glen Ross."
March 26, 1964 - Barbra Streisand opens in "Funny Girl." Joining her are Sydney Chaplin, Kay Medford, Jean Stapleton and Lainie Kazan.
March 26, 1995 - Rob Becker's one-man show "Defending the Caveman" opens.
March 27, 1978 - Bob Fosse's "Dancin'" opens with Ann Reinking and Wayne Cilento.
March 27, 1983 - Neil Simon's "Brighton Beach Memoirs" stars Matthew Broderick.
March 28, 1985 - It's Matthew Broderick again in Neil Simon's newest, "Biloxi Blues."
March 28, 1996 - August Wilson's "Seven Guitars" opens.
March 29, 1951 - Yul Brynner and Gertrude Lawrence open Rodgers and Hammerstein's "The King and I" at the St. James Theatre. It lasts 1,246 performances.
March 29, 1966 - "It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman" takes flight for the first time at the Alvin Theatre. Bob Holiday plays the title character. Starring the Charles Strouse-Lee Adams musical are Jack Cassidy and Linda Lavin. It runs for 129 performances.
March 29, 1981 - Lauren Bacall opens in Kander and Ebb musical "Woman of the Year" at the Palace Theatre. It runs for 770 performances.
March 30, 1946 - Pearl Bailey makes her Broadway debut in "St. Louis Woman." Music is by Harold Arlen and lyrics by Johnny Mercer. It makes its home at the Martin Beck Theatre for 113 performances.
March 30, 1970 - Lauren Bacall and Len Cariou open in "Applause," with music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Lee Adams. It runs 896 performances at the Palace Theatre.
March 30, 1972 - Phil Silvers, Carl Ballantine and Larry Blyden star in a revival of "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. It lasts 156 performances.
March 31, 1977 - "The Shadow Box" opens with Mandy Patinkin making his Broadway debut.

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April

April 4, 1964 - Angela Lansbury, Lee Remick and Harry Guardino star in Stephen Sondheim's short-lived musical "Anyone Can Whistle," which only gives nine performances at the Majestic Theatre.
April 4, 1971 - Stephen Sondheim's "Follies" opens at the Winter Garden Theatre. Dorothy Collins, Alexis Smith and Yvonne De Carlo stars for 522 performances.
April 12, 1992 - Alec Baldwin, Jessica Lange and Amy Madigan star in a revival of "A Streetcar Named Desire."
April 13, 1961 - "Carnival!" opens with Anna Maria Alberghetti, Kaye Ballard, Jerry Orbach and Anita Gillette.
April 14, 1960 - Gower Champion directs as "Bye Bye Birdie" opens with Dick Van Dyke, Chita Rivera, Paul Lynde, Kay Medford, Dick Gautier, Susan Watson and Charles Nelson Reilly.
April 16, 1985 - Ben Vereen and Stubby Kaye are the big names in "Grind."
April 17, 1977 - "I Love My Wife" opens with Lenny Baker, Ilene Graff, James Naughton and Joanna Gleason.
April 18, 1994 - Disney's $12 million musical production of "Beauty and the Beast" opens with Terrence Mann, Susan Egan, Beth Fowler, Tom Bosley, Wendy Oliver and Burke Moses.
April 18, 1996 - Nathan Lane is front and center in the revival of "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum."
April 19, 1945 - John Raitt and Jan Clayton open in Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Carousel" at the Majestic Theatre. It runs for 890 performances.
April 19, 1951 - Shirley Booth stars in "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn."
April 21, 1955 - Paul Muni, Ed Begley and Tony Randall star in "Inherit the Wind."
April 21, 1976 - With Andrea McArdle as Little Orphan Annie and Reid Shelton as Daddy Warbucks, "Annie" opens at the Alvin Theatre with the memorable song "Tomorrow." It runs 2,377 performances.
April 22, 1993 - The Who's "Tommy" rocks the St. James Theatre and runs for 899 performances.
April 23, 1959 - Andy Griffith stars in "Destry Rides Again" at the Imperial Theatre. It lasts for 472 performances.
April 23, 1993 - "Blood Brothers" opens at the Music Box Theatre and runs
for 840 performances.
April 23, 1997 - "Titanic" sails at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre and eventually books 804 performances.
April 26, 1970 - Stephen Sondheim's "Company" opens with Dean Jones and Elaine Stritch.
April 26, 1992 - "Jelly's Last Jam" opens with Savion Glover and Gregory Hines.
April 26, 1993 - Lynn Redgrave gives a one-woman performance with "Shakespeare for My Father."
April 27, 1978 - William Hurt stars in Lanford Wilson's "Fifth of July."
April 27, 1986 - Debbie Allen stars in a revival of "Sweet Charity."
April 27, 1994 - "An Inspector Calls" gets revived.
April 27, 1995 - Kathleen Turner stars in a revival of "Indiscretions."

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May

May 1, 1983 - Tommy Tune and Twiggy team up for "My One and Only."
May 1, 1991 - Keith Carradine plays the humorist in "The Will Rogers Follies."
May 2, 1977 - Yul Brynner returns in a revival of "The King and I."
May 2, 1984 - Bernadette Peters and Mandy Patinkin co-star in Stephen Sondheim's "Sunday in the Park with George."
May 3, 1956 - Frank Loesser's operatic musical "The Most Happy Fella" opens with Robert Weede. It runs for 676 performances at the Imperial Theatre.
May 3, 1960 - Jerry Orbach stars as "The Fantasticks" begins its fantastic run off-Broadway. It runs for nearly 42 years and 17,162 performances.
May 3, 1993 - Chita Rivera opens in the Kander and Ebb musical "The Kiss of the Spider Woman" at the Broadhurst Theatre. It runs for 904 performances.
May 4, 1976 - Ken Howard stars in the Lerner and Loewe musical history lesson "1600 Pennsylvania Avenue." It lasts a mere seven performances at Mark Hellinger Theatre.
May 5, 1955 - The Richard Adler - Jerry Ross musical "Damn Yankees" opens at the 46th Street Theatre with Gwen Verdon and Ray Walston. It runs 1,019 performances.
May 7, 1953 - Gwen Verdon stars in Cole Porter's "Can-Can." It runs 892 performances at the Shubert Theatre.
May 7, 1981 - Elizabeth Taylor makes her Broadway debut, joining Maureen Stapleton, Anthony Zerbe and Ann Tallman, in a revival of Lillian Hellman's "The Little Foxes." It runs 123 performances at the Martin Beck Theatre.
May 8, 1962 - It's Zero Mostel in the Stephen Sondheim musical "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" at the Alvin Theatre. It runs 964 performances.
May 9, 1978 - The music of Fats Waller get celebrated in "Ain't Misbehavin'." Nell Carter stars the revue runs 1,565 performances.
May 9, 1982 - Tommy Tune directs and choreographs the Maury Yeston musical "Nine," which stars Raul Julia. It runs 729 performances at the 46th Street Theatre.
May 9, 1994 - Donna Murphy opens in Stephen Sondheim's "Passion." It lasts 280 performances at the Plymouth Theatre.
May 10, 1984 - An emergency appendectomy forces Andrea McArdle from the touring cast of "Jerry's Girls."
May 11, 1981 - Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Cats" opens in London.
May 11, 1994 - Tommy Tune revives "Grease" with Rosie O'Donnell. It runs for 1,505 performances at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre.
May 12, 1986 - Helen Hayes is presented with the Medal of Freedom by President Ronald Reagan.
May 13, 1954 - Bob Fosse debuts as a choreographer as "The Pajama Game" opens at the St. James Theatre with John Raitt, Janis Paige, Carol Haney and Eddie Foy, Jr. It last 1,063 performances.
May 14, 1951 - Barbara Cook makes her Broadway debut in "Flahooley," which runs 40 performances at the Broadhurst Theatre.
May 14, 1957 - Gwen Verdon opens in the Bob Merril musical "New Girl in Town." It runs 431 performances at the 46th Street Theatre.
May 15, 1977 - Mary Martin and Ethel Merman headline a one-night benefit.
May 16, 1946 - "Annie Get Your Gun" opens at the Imperial Theatre with Ethel Merman as Annie Oakley. It runs for 1,147 performances.
May 16, 1952 - "New Faces of 1952" opens at the Royale Theatre with Eartha Kitt singing "Monotonous." It notches 365 performances.
May 16, 1965 - Anthony Newley stars in "The Roar of the Greasepaint, The Smell of the Crowd." It runs for 231 performances at the Shubert Theatre.
May 21, 1959 - Ethel Merman sings "Everything's Coming Up Roses" as "Gypsy" opens at the Broadway Theatre. Also in the cast are Sandra Church and Jack Klugman. The Jule Styne-Stephen Sondheim musical runs for 702 performances.