Musicals in the 1940s
The 1943 Rodgers and Hammerstein smash hit Oklahoma! provided service members and war-weary Americans with comforting images of a mythical American west worth fighting for.
The 1944 Bernstein, Comden, and Green musical about sailors on leave On the Town used a racially diverse cast including Japanese American dancer Sono Osato (1919-2018) to paint a picture of a free and enlightened home front.
The 1944 Bernstein, Comden, and Green musical about sailors on leave On the Town used a racially diverse cast including Japanese American dancer Sono Osato (1919-2018) to paint a picture of a free and enlightened home front.
The 1946 Broadway music revue Call Me Mister by Auerbach and Rome starred Betty Garrett as a USO hostess, included a cast of former service members, and explored demobilization experiences.
Its hit song “South America, Take It Away” was covered by crooner Buddy Clark as the B-side to his 1946 recording of “Chiquita Banana.” Listen to it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rE16L4QL4n4
Its hit song “South America, Take It Away” was covered by crooner Buddy Clark as the B-side to his 1946 recording of “Chiquita Banana.” Listen to it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rE16L4QL4n4
Nostalgia musicals of the 1970s
The 1970s saw a surge of musicals aimed at the lucrative demographic of the 50- to 75-year-old theatre-goer. These musicals tapped into nostalgia for 1930s, 40s, and 50s music and youth culture.
For example, the 1971 Jacobs and Casey musical Grease borrows sounds from rock n’ roll music and celebrates the teen culture of the 1950s.
The 1978 Horwitz and Maltby musical Ain’t Misbehavin’ honored the swing and jazz music of the Harlem Renaissance, in particular the works of Fats Waller. It starred Nell Carter in a Tony Award-winning role.
For example, the 1971 Jacobs and Casey musical Grease borrows sounds from rock n’ roll music and celebrates the teen culture of the 1950s.
The 1978 Horwitz and Maltby musical Ain’t Misbehavin’ honored the swing and jazz music of the Harlem Renaissance, in particular the works of Fats Waller. It starred Nell Carter in a Tony Award-winning role.
Watch the 1978 Ain’t Misbehavin’ Tony Awards performance here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iejdQaaFLo