Musicals in History

Events 1 - 200 of 2,036

• 1777-08-04 Retired British cavalry officer Philip Astley establishes his riding school with performances in London, precursor of the circus
• 1786-11-07 The oldest musical organization in the United States is founded in Boston, Massachusetts as the Stoughton Musical Society
• 1789-03-02 Pennsylvania ends prohibition of theatrical performances

• 1883-11-05 Edward Harrigan's musical farce "Cordelia's Aspirations" premieres at Theatre Comique, NYC
• 1884-09-24 Dixey, Rice & Gill's musical "Adonis" premieres in NYC

• 1887-05-18 Emmanuel Chabrier's opera "Le roi malgré lui" (King, in spite of himself) premieres at the Opéra-Comique in Paris; after 3 performances the theatre burns down

• 1892-12-26 Alberto Franchetti's opera "Cristoforo Colombo" opens at La Scala Teatro in Milan, Italy
• 1894-05-12 Ludwig Englander's musical "Passing Show" premieres in NYC
• 1896-04-25 Sidney Jones & Harry Greenbacks musical "The Geisha" premieres at Daly's Theatre, London; runs for 760 performances
• 1897-08-03 John McNally's musical "Good Mr Best" premieres in NYC
• 1897-09-18 Gustave Kecker and Hugh Martin's musical "Belle of New York City" premieres in NYC

• 1902-06-16 "The Wizard of Oz" musical first opens in Chicago, Illinois

• 1903-11-16 V Herbert & H Smith's musical "Babette" premieres in NYC
• 1904-01-17 Anton Chekhov's play "Cherry Orchard" opens at Moscow Art Theater
• 1904-02-25 J M Synge's "Riders to the Sea" opens at Irish National Theater Society
• 1904-11-07 George M. Cohan's 1st full-length musical "Little Johnny Jones", featuring the songs "Yankee Doodle Dandy" and "Give My Regards To Broadway", opens at the Liberty Theatre, NYC; runs for 52 performances be before going on tour
• 1905-01-14 Raymond Hubbell, Sam Shubert & Robert Smith's musical "Fontana" opens at the Lyric Theatre, NYC; runs 298 for performances
• 1905-12-25 V Herbert/H Blossoms musical "Mlle Modiste" premieres in NYC
• 1906-02-12 George M. Cohan's musical "George Washington" premieres in NYC
• 1906-05-28 Shields and Cobbs' musical "His Honor, The Mayor" premieres in NYC
• 1907-03-05 1st radio broadcast of a musical composition aired
• 1907-12-03 George M. Cohan's musical "Talk of the Town" premieres in NYC
• 1908-11-14 Oscar Strauss' musical "Der tapfere Soldat" premieres in Vienna
• 1910-09-19 George M. Cohan's musical "Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford" premieres in NYC
• 1911-03-13 Ivan Caryll's musical "The Pink Lady" premieres at the New Amsterdam Theatre, NYC; runs for 336 performances
• 1911-12-07 Leslie J Stuart's musical "Betsy" premieres in NYC
• 1912-12-12 Rudolf Friml and Otto Harbach's musical "Firefly" premieres in New York City
• 1913-02-03 Golden and Cawthorne's musical "Sunshine Girl" premieres in New York City
• 1914-02-02 James Royce Shannon's musical "Shameen Dhu" premieres in NYC

• 1915-01-17 Jerome Kern and Harry B. Smith's musical "Love o' Mike" opens at the Shubert Theatre (later transferring to the Maxine Elliott and Casino theatres), NYC; runs for 233 performances
• 1915-09-29 Herbert/Blossoms musical "Princess Pat" premieres in NYC
• 1915-12-23 Jerome Kern and Schuyler Greene's musical farce "Very Good Eddie" premieres at the Princess Theatre, NYC; runs for 341 performances
• 1915-12-25 Irving Berlin & Harry B Smith's musical revue "Stop! Look! Listen!" premieres at the Globe Theater, NYC; runs for 105 performances

• 1916-08-31 Oscar Asche's musical "Chu Chin Chow" premieres in London
• 1916-11-16 I. Berlin, V. Herbert, H. Blossoms musical premieres in NYC
• 1917-01-11 Guy Bolton & PG Wodehouse's musical "Have a Heart" premieres in New York
• 1917-02-20 Jerome Kern, Guy Bolton & P. G. Wodehouse's musical "Oh, Boy!" opens at the Princess Theatre, NYC; runs for 463 performances
• 1917-12-25 Louis Hirsch and Otto Harbach's musical "Going Up" premieres in New York City
• 1918-02-01 Jerome Kern, Guy Bolton & P. G. Wodehouse's musical "Oh Lady! Lady!!", premieres at the Princess Theatre, NYC; runs for 219 performances
• 1918-02-14 Harold R. Atteridge & Sigmund Romberg's musical "Sinbad", starring Al Jolson, opens at the Winter Garden Theatre, NYC; runs for 164 performances
• 1918-03-07 H Carroll & J McCarthy's musical "Oh, Look!" premieres in NYC
• 1918-08-19 Irving Berlin's military musical revue "Yip Yip Yaphank" opens at the Century Theater, later transferring to the Lexington, NYC

• 1919-02-03 Herbert and Blossom's musical "Velvet Lady" premieres in New York City
• 1919-03-05 Louis Hirsch & Harold Atteridge's musical premieres in NYC
• 1919-10-23 Romberg & Atteridge's musical "Passing Show" premieres in NYC
• 1919-10-26 B C Hilliam's musical "Buddies" premieres in NYC
• 1919-11-05 Ir à Steringa Idzerda begins hosting "soirée-musical" on Dutch radio
• 1919-11-06 1st Dutch radio program: Soirée Musicale with "Turf in you(r) ransel" is broadcast
• 1919-11-18 H. Tierney & J. McCarthy's musical "Irene" premieres in NYC

• 1920-12-21 Jerome Kern and Buddy DeSylva's musical "Sally" premieres in NYC
• 1921-05-23 Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake's musical revue "Shuffle Along", the 1st hit Broadway show with an all-Black cast opens at Cort 63rd Street Theatre, NYC; runs for 504 performances [1]
• 1921-09-22 Music Box Theater opens at 239 W 45th Street, NYC; Built by theatrical producer Sam H. Harris for Irving Berlin's musical revue "The Music Box", written specifically for the venue
• 1921-11-07 Ed Wynn's musical revue "The Perfect Fool" premieres in NYC
• 1921-11-29 Zoel Parenteau and André Picard's musical "Kiki" opens at the Belasco Theatre, NYC; runs for 233 performances
• 1922-05-23 Comedic play "Abie's Irish Rose" premieres at Fulton Theatre, NYC; runs for 2,327 performances (longest run at the time)
• 1922-06-01 Zoel Parenteau and André Picard's musical "Kiki" closes at the Belasco Theatre, NYC, after for 233 performances
• 1922-07-15 Noble Sissle and Eubie Blake's musical revue "Shuffle Along" the 1st hit Broadway show with an all-Black cast closes at Daly's 63rd Street Theatre, NYC, after 504 performances [1]
• 1922-08-28 Albert von Tilzer & Neville Fleesons musical "The Gingham Girl" premieres in NYC
• 1922-09-20 Goodman & Atteridge's musical "Passing Show," opens at Winter Garden Theatre, NYC
• 1922-11-13 George M. Cohan's musical "Little Nellie Kelly" opens at the Liberty Theatre, NYC; runs for 276 performances - Cohan's longest run

• 1923-02-21 Andre Charlot's musical "Rats" premieres in London
• 1923-10-29 Gibbs, Grey and Wood's revue "Runnin' Wild" (introducing "The Charleston") opens on Broadway, New York City
• 1923-12-31 Harry Tierney and Joseph McCarthy's musical "Kid Boots," premieres in New York City
• 1924-10-29 Musical revue "Dixie to Broadway" opens at Broadhurst Theater

• 1925-01-07 James F. Hanley, Joseph Meyer, and Buddy DeSylva's musical "Big Boy", starring Al Jolson, opens at the Winter Garden Theatre, NYC; runs for 56 performances
• 1925-03-14 James F. Hanley, Joseph Meyer, and Buddy DeSylva's musical "Big Boy", starring Al Jolson, closes at the Winter Garden Theatre, NYC, after 56 performances

• 1925-12-08 George S. Kaufman and Irving Berlin's musical "The Cocoanuts" starring the Marx Brothers opens at the Lyric Theatre, NYC; runs for 276 performances
• 1925-12-28 George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin's musical "Tip-Toes" opened at the Liberty Theatre, NYC; runs for 192 performances
• 1926-02-08 Sean O'Casey's "Plough & Stars" opens at Abbey Theater Dublin
• 1926-03-17 Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart's musical "The Girl Friend", starring Sammy White and Eva Puck, opens at the Vanderbilt Theatre, NYC; runs for 301 performances

• 1926-08-07 George S. Kaufman and Irving Berlin's musical "The Cocoanuts" starring the Marx Brothers closes at the Lyric Theatre, NYC, after 276 performances; later adapted as a film

• 1927-02-02 Harry Tierney and Joseph McCarthy's musical "Rio Rita" premieres in NYC
• 1927-09-06 Buddy DeSylva & Lew Brown's musical "Good News" opens at The 46th Street Theatre, NYC; runs for 557 performance
• 1927-09-12 Sigmund Romberg's musical "My Maryland," premieres in NYC
• 1927-09-26 St James Theater (Erlanger) opens at 246 W 44th St, NYC

• 1927-11-22 George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin's musical "Funny Face", starring Fred Astaire and his sister Adele Astaire, opens at the new Alvin Theatre, NYC; runs 244 performances
• 1927-11-28 J McHugh & D Fields' musical "Delmar's Revels" premieres in NYC
• 1927-12-27 Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II's landmark musical "Show Boat", based on Edna Ferber's novel, opens at the Ziegfeld Theatre, NYC; runs for 572 performances
• 1928-01-10 George Gershwin, Sigmund Romberg and P. G. Wodehouse's musical "Rosalie" premieres in New York
• 1928-03-13 Rudolph Friml's musical "Three Musketeers" premieres in NYC

• 1928-09-15 Stothard, Kalmar & Ruby's musical "Good Boy" premieres in NYC
• 1928-09-24 George M. Cohan and Ring Lardner's musical play "Elmer the Great" premieres in NYC

• 1928-11-08 George and Ira Gershwin's musical "Treasure Girl" premieres in NYC
• 1928-12-04 Walter Donaldson & Gus Kahn's musical "Whoopee!", starring Eddie Cantor, premieres on Broadway at the New Amsterdam Theatre, NYC; runs for 407 performances
• 1929-01-09 Buddy DeSylva & Lew Brown's musical "Follow Thru" premieres in NYC
• 1929-10-09 George Kaufman & Ring Lardner's musical "June Moon" premieres in NYC
• 1929-12-30 Cole Porter's musical "Wake Up And Dream" opens at the Selwyn Theatre, NYC; runs for 136 performances
• 1930-02-18 Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart's musical "Simple Simon" premieres in NYC

• 1930-11-18 Musical "Smiles" with Bob Hope and Fred Astaire premieres in NYC
• 1930-12-03 Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart's musical "Evergreen" premieres in London
• 1930-12-08 Cole Porter's musical "The New Yorkers" opens at B. S. Moss's Broadway Theatre, NYC; runs for 169 performances
• 1931-02-10 Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart's musical "America's Sweetheart" premieres on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theatre, NYC
• 1931-06-06 George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin's musical "Girl Crazy" starring Ginger Rogers and featuring debut of Ethel Merman, closes at the Alvin Theater, NYC, after 272 performances, and making stars of Rogers and Merman
• 1931-10-13 Musical "Everybody's Welcome" with Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey premieres in NYC
• 1931-11-02 Warren, Dixon and Young's musical "Laugh Parade" premieres in NYC
• 1931-12-26 George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind's musical political satire "Of Thee I Sing" opens at the Music Box Theatre, NYC; runs for 441 performances, and becomes first musical to win Pulitzer Prize for Drama
• 1932-02-17 Irving Berlin and Moss Hart's musical "Face the Music" opens at the New Amsterdam Theatre, NYC; runs for 165 performances

• 1932-11-08 Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II's Musical "Music in the Air" opens at the Alvin Theatre, later transferring to th 44th Street Theatre, NYC; runs for 342 performances
• 1932-11-29 Cole Porter's musical "Gay Divorcee" opens at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, NYC, later transferred to the Schubert Theater; runs for 248 performances
• 1932-12-26 Revival of Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle's musical "Shuffle Along" opens at Mansfield Theater, NYC; runs for 17 performances
• 1933-01-07 Revival of Eubie Blake and Noble Sissle's musical "Shuffle Along" closes at Mansfield Theater, NYC, after 17 performances
• 1933-01-14 George Gershwin, Ira Gershwin, George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind's musical political satire "Of Thee I Sing" closes at the Music Box Theatre, NYC, after for 441 performances; first musical to win Pulitzer Prize for Drama
• 1933-03-09 "42nd Street" a musical film revolving around rehearsals for a Broadway show, directed by Lloyd Bacon, with choreography by Busby Berkeley, and songs by Harry Warren and by Al Dubin, premieres at the Strand, NYC; later adapted as a stage musical
• 1933-09-16 Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II's musical "Music in the Air" closes at the 44th Street Theatre, NYC, after 342 performances
• 1934-02-20 Virgil Thomson and Gertrude Stein's opera "Four Saints in Three Acts" opens on Broadway at the 44th Street Theatre, NYC
• 1934-08-27 Harold Arlen, Ira Gershwin and Yip Harburg's musical "Life Begins at 8:40", starring Ray Bolger and Lulla Gear opens at the Winter Garden Theatre, NYC; runs for 237 performances

• 1934-11-21 Cole Porter's musical "Anything Goes" opens at the Alvin Theatre, NYC, later transferred to 46th Street Theatre; runs for 420 performances
• 1934-12-27 Musical revue "Thumbs Up", including music and lyrics by Vernon Duke, James Hanley, and Ira Gershwin (among others), premieres at the St. James Theatre, NYC; runs for 156 performance

• 1935-10-10 George Gershwin's "Porgy & Bess" opens on Broadway NY
• 1935-10-12 Cole Porter's musical "Jubilee" opens at the Imperial Theatre, NYC; runs for 167 performances
• 1935-11-16 Cole Porter's musical "Anything Goes" closes at 46th Street Theatre, NYC, after 420 performances
• 1935-11-16 Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart's musical "Jumbo" premieres in NYC

• 1936-11-24 Noël Coward's anthology "Tonight at 8:30" premieres in NYC, runs for 118 performances
• 1937-01-23 George Abbott, Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart's musical "On Your Toes", choreographed by George Balanchine, and starring Ray Bolger and Tamara Geva, closes at the Majestic Theatre, NYC; after 515 performances

• 1937-04-10 Cole Porter's musical "Red, Hot And Blue", starring Ethel Merman, Jimmy Durante, and Bob Hope, closes at the Alvin Theatre, NYC, after 183 performances
• 1937-11-27 Pro-labor musical revue "Pins & Needles" opens, produced by ILGWU
• 1937-12-01 Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg's anti-war musical "Hooray for What!", starring Ed Wynn and directed by Vincente Minnelli, opens at the Winter Garden Theatre, NYC; runs for 200 performances

• 1938-03-16 Noël Coward's musical "Operette" premieres in London
• 1938-05-21 Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg's anti-war musical "Hooray for What!", starring Ed Wynn and directed by Vincente Minnelli, closes at the Winter Garden Theatre, NYC, after 200 performances
• 1938-09-20 Emlyn Williams' semi-autobiographical comedic play "Corn is Green," premieres in London; runs for 600 performances
• 1938-10-25 American Archbishop of Dubuque (Iowa), Francis J. L. Beckman, denounces Swing music as "a degenerated musical system... turned loose to gnaw away at the moral fiber of young people", warning that it leads down a "primrose path to hell".

• 1939-08-28 Sammy Fain and Jack Yellen's musical "George White's Scandals" premieres in NYC
• 1939-10-16 George Kaufman and Moss Hart's comedy "The Man Who Came to Dinner" opens at the Music Box Theatre, NYC; runs for 739 performances
• 1939-10-18 Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart's musical "Too Many Girls" opens at the Imperial Theatre, later transferring to the Broadway Theatre, NYC; runs for 249 performances

• 1939-12-06 Cole Porter's musical "Du Barry Was A Lady" opens at 46th Street Theatre, NYC; runs 408 performances
• 1940-02-08 Lewis & Hamilton's musical "Two for the Show" premieres in NYC

• 1940-04-04 Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart's musical "Higher & Higher" premieres in NYC
• 1940-05-28 Irving Berlin's musical "Louisiana Purchase", satirizing Huey Long's political power, opens at The Imperial Theatre, NYC; runs for 444 performances

• 1940-10-25 Vernon Duke and John Latouche's musical "Cabin In The Sky" opens at the Martin Beck Theatre, NYC; runs for 156 performances
• 1940-10-30 Cole Porter's musical "Panama Hattie" opens at 46th Street Theatre, NYC; runs 501 performances

• 1941-10-01 Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane's musical "Best Foot Forward", starring June Allyson, with choreography by Gene Kelly, opens at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, NYC; runs for 326 performances
• 1941-10-29 Cole Porter's musical "Let's Face It" opens at the Imperial Theatre, NYC; runs 547 performances
• 1941-11-29 Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart's musical "Pal Joey", starring Gene Kelly and Vivienne Segal, closes at the St. James Theatre, NYC, after 374 performances
• 1942-01-24 Mike Todd's musical revue "Star & Garter" featuring Gypsy Rose Lee opens at the Music Box Theatre, NYC
• 1942-07-04 Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane's musical "Best Foot Forward", starring June Allyson, with choreography by Gene Kelly, closes at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, NYC, after 326 performances
• 1942-07-18 1st performances of "Chôros No. 6" and "Chôros No. 11" by Heitor Villa-Lobos, with the composer conducting Orquestra Sinfônica do Theatro Municipal, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• 1942-07-24 Irving Berlin's musical "This Is The Army" premieres in NYC
• 1943-03-31 Rodgers & Hammerstein's musical "Oklahoma!" opens at the St. James Theatre, NYC; runs for 2,212 performances

• 1943-10-07 Weill, Perelman and Nash' musical "One Touch of Venus" premieres in NYC

• 1943-11-26 MGM releases last of 9 Judy Garland-Mickey Rooney movies - "Girl Crazy", a film adaptation of George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin's stage musical
• 1944-08-21 Grieg, Wright and Forrest's musical "Song of Norway" premieres in NYC
• 1944-09-28 1st TV Musical comedy (The Boys from Boise)
• 1944-10-05 Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg's musical "Bloomer Girl" premieres in NYC

• 1944-11-22 Film musical "Meet Me In St Louis", starring Judy Garland, and directed by Vincente Minnelli, premieres at Loew’s State Theater on Washington Avenue in St. Louis, Missouri

• 1945-01-27 S Romberg, H&D Fields' musical premieres in NYC
• 1945-04-19 Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein's musical "Carousel" opens at the Majestic Theatre, NYC; runs for 890 performances
• 1945-09-27 Baldwin Bergerson's musical "Carib Song" opens at Adelphi Theater, NYC; runs for 36 performances

• 1945-10-27 Baldwin Bergerson's musical "Carib Song" closes at Adelphi Theater, NYC, after 36 performances
• 1945-11-08 Jacques Belasco and Kay Twomey's musical "The Girl from Nantucket" opens at Adelphi Theater, NYC; runs for 12 performances
• 1945-11-10 Harry Revel and Arnold B. Horwitt's musical comedy "Are You with It?" opens at Century Theater, NYC, later moving to the Shubert Theatre; runs for 264 performances
• 1945-11-17 "Girl from Nantucket" closes at Adelphi Theater NYC after 12 performances
• 1945-11-17 Jacques Belasco and Kay Twomey's musical "The Girl from Nantucket" closes at Adelphi Theater, NYC, after 12 performances

• 1945-12-21 "Billion Dollar Baby" opens at Alvin Theater NYC for 219 performances
• 1946-01-05 "Show Boat" opens at Ziegfeld Theater NYC for 417 performances
• 1946-01-09 "Would-Be Gentleman" opens at Booth Theater NYC for 77 performances

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