Golden Age of American Musical Theatre (1943–1964)

1. Show Boat opens, modeling integrated storytelling

   Dec 27, 1927Labels: Show Boat, Jerome Kern, Oscar Hammerstein

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2. Oklahoma! premieres and reshapes Broadway musicals

   Mar 31, 1943Labels: Oklahoma, Rodgers &

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3. Carousel opens, expanding musical theatre’s emotional range

   Apr 19, 1945Labels: Carousel, Rodgers &

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4. South Pacific opens, confronting racism on a major stage

   Apr 7, 1949Labels: South Pacific, Rodgers &

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5. The King and I opens, popularizing “musical drama”

   Mar 29, 1951Labels: The King, Rodgers &

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6. The Pajama Game opens, bringing labor themes to musical comedy

   May 13, 1954Labels: The Pajama, Bob Fosse

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7. My Fair Lady opens, setting a new Broadway run record

   Mar 15, 1956Labels: My Fair, Alan Jay

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8. West Side Story opens, modernizing subject matter and movement

   Sep 26, 1957Labels: West Side, Jerome Robbins

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9. The Music Man opens, celebrating and spoofing small-town America

   Dec 19, 1957Labels: The Music, Meredith Willson

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10. Gypsy opens, centering an ambitious anti-heroine

    May 21, 1959Labels: Gypsy, Rose Character

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11. The Sound of Music opens, closing Rodgers and Hammerstein’s partnership

    Nov 16, 1959Labels: The Sound, Rodgers &

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12. Hello, Dolly! opens as a late Golden Age blockbuster

    Jan 16, 1964Labels: Hello Dolly, Jerry Herman

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