Unsuccessful Musical By Rodgers And Hammerstein example essay topic

Rodgers and Hammerstein Collaborations Oklahoma! The first collaboration of Rodgers and Hammerstein was entitled Oklahoma! The idea of the musical came from a play called Green Grow the Lilacs, written by Lynn Riggs in 1931. This story is about the state of Oklahoma at the turn of the century, when the Indian Territory joined the United States. It is the story of a girl named Laurey Williams and her (sort of) love triangle with two boys by the names of Curley McClain and Jud Fry.

Laurey is in love with Curley, but she attends a dance with Jud instead. At the dance, Curley surprised Laurey by bidding an enormous amount on the basket of food she has prepared. They soon marry, and after the wedding, Jud starts a fight with Curley, but he loses. Jud is accidentally stabbed, but Curley was acquitted. Curley and his new wife live happily ever after in the great place of Oklahoma. This musical opened at St. James Theatre on March 31, 1943 and ran for 2,212 performances.

It was directed by Rouben Mamoulain and choreographed by Agnes de Mille. Oklalahoma! became so popular that it was decided to make it into a movie. The movie would be pretty similar, including some of the musical's famous songs, such as "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin',"The Surrey With the Fringe on Top,"People Will Say We " re In Love", and "Oklahoma". The film version of the same name was released October 11, 1955. Agnes de Mille again, choreographed it.

Shirley Jones played the role of Laurey Williams, while Gordon MacRea played Curley McClain. Carousel On April 19, 1945 the musical Carousel opened at the Majestic Theatre in New York. It was based on the play entitled Lilium by Ferenc Molnar. This was a story about a young man named Billy Bigelow and his young wife Julie Jordan. Billy is a carnival barker, but soon looses his job. This upsets him because he knows that Julie is about to have a child, so he attempts to get more money by means of robbery.

He then is forced to kill himself to escape arrest. Billy then goes to Heaven. Some time later, Billy is allowed to go back to earth for only 24 hours to see his unhappy daughter Louise, who is 15 years old. Billy steals a star to give to his daughter, but she refuses it. He slaps her in the face, but she isn't upset by the action. Billy gets to know his daughter and gives her a better outlook on life, before returning to Heaven.

The musical was again directed by Rouben Mamoulain and choreographed by Agnes de Mille. It ran for 890 performances. It was decided to make this a movie as well. On February 16, 1956 the film version of Carousel was released. It stared two actors were not strangers to Rodgers and Hammerstein. They were the stars of their previous movie, Oklahoma!

Shirley Jones played Julie Jordan and Gordon MacRea was Billy Bigelow. Many of the same songs were included in the movie, such as "If I Loved You", and "You " ll Never Walk Alone". State Fair The first musical created by Rodgers and Hammerstein that was made especially for the screen was State Fair. The source came from the novel of the same name by Phil Song. The release date was August 20, 1945. This was a story of a trip made to the Iowa State Fair by the Frake family.

The entire family went in hopes of something. Abel Frake wanted to sell his prize pig. Melissa Frake wanted to win a blue ribbon for her mincemeat pie. Both children, Wayne and Margy Frake, wanted to find love, which they did. Margy fell in love to a man named Pat Gilbert while Wayne fell for Emily Edwards, a singer. The show included many songs, including "It's a Grand Night For Singing", and "All I Owe Iowa".

On June 2, 1969 State Fair was revived on the stage. Ozzie Nelson played Abel Frake, and Harriet Nelson played his wife Melissa. The film was remade again in 1962. It was released on March 15. Ann-Margaret played the part of Emily Edwards. The story was very much the same as the first, only the state fair was moved to Dallas, Texas.

The last revival was in 1996. Allegro Probably the most unpopular musical done by Rodgers and Hammerstein was entitled Allegro. It was written by Hammerstein, their first not based on another source. It was again choreographed, as well as directed by Agnes de Mille.

It opened October 10, 1947 and ran for 315 performances. The show wasn't a very big hit. Allegro was about the life of Joseph Taylor Jr. from birth to adulthood. His progress is followed throughout the period of him growing up, like going to college and medical school. He then marries a local girl, and joins the staff of a large Chicago hospital. After discovering his wife is unfaithful, he returns to his hometown with his nurse, Emily, to dedicate his life to healing the sick and helping the needy.

South Pacific The most successful musical ever written by Rodgers and Hammerstein was called South Pacific. It was based on the novel called "South Pacific" by James A. Mi chner. Joshua Logan, who also helped to write the book of the musical, directed it. South Pacific opened on April 7, 1949 at the Majestic Theatre. It ran for 1,925 performances.

The setting was on two islands in the South Pacific during World War II. American soldiers had taken over some land in the South Pacific. With them is an older gentleman named Emile de Bequec from France. He lived with a native woman who had had two of his children. Later on, a woman named Nellie For bush, a nurse from America, meets and falls in love with Emile. She was very much younger than Emile, but in the end they come together despite the age difference.

Some of the more popular songs from this musical were "Some Enchanted Evening,"Younger Than Springtime", and "There's Nothing Like a Dame". This musical soon became a film. It was released on March 19, 1958. Joshua Logan also directed it. The film was a little tricky to do, however, because none of the actors (except Mitzi Gaynor) could sing their parts. It was eventually made and became a great success for Rodgers and Hammerstein.

South Pacific was revived again in 1964 for 104 performances and lastly again in the 1990's. The King and I The novel "Anna and the King of Siam" by Margaret Landon was the source for many people's favorite musical of all time: The King and I. It was choreographed by Jerome Robbins. This great musical opened in St. James Theatre on March 29, 1951, running for 1,246 performances. The story was set in the 1860's. The King of Siam requests that a proper lady comes to the castle to be a teacher to his children, the royal princes and princesses. Anna becomes a large influence among the children, as well as the King.

Some problems soon arrive and Anna becomes even more influential. She decides to stay in Siam, even after the King's death. There were many songs from the musical, but a couple of the most famous were "Shall We Dance", and "Getting to Know You". In 1953 The King and I ran in London for 926 performances. Three years after, the film version was made. It was released on June 28, 1956.

The choreographer was again Jerome Robbins. The musical was revived three more times in New York, in 1964, 1977, and in 1996. There was also an animated movie musical made in 1999. Me and Juliet Hammerstein's second attempt as an original source was for the musical called Me and Juliet. It was the story of two people, Larry and Jeanie who fall in love during a play called "Me and Juliet". Larry was an assistant stage manager while Jeanie was a singer in the chorus.

Bob, a stage electrician also loves Jeanie and is out to ruin the couple's happiness. Once, while Bob was drunk he tried to kill the two. Another romance on the set was between the stage manager Mac, and Betty, the lead dancer. The two are desperately in love with each other, but Mac has vowed to never get involved with someone he is working with.

Mac is later transferred to a different show and the two are soon united. Me and Juliet opened in New York at the Majestic Theatre on May 28, 1953. It ran for 358 performances. It wasn't a very big success. Pipe Dream The most unsuccessful musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein. It was based on the novel "Sweet Thursday" by John Steinbeck.

It opened November 30, 1955, running for 246 performances. The story was of a marine biologist named Doc. One day a girl named Suzy comes into his laboratory. Many of Doc's friends want him to marry Suzy. They say she would be the perfect wife for him. Suzy doesn't think she is worthy of Doc, because she was sort of a harlot.

Soon she falls in love with Doc and he too falls in love with her. Cinderella From the fairy tale "Cendrillion, ou la Petite Pantone de Vair" by Charles Perrault came the next Rodgers and Hammerstein collaboration. It was a made for television musical, with Julie Andrews as the lead. It broadcasted on March 31, 1957 on CBS. The story was of a girl named Cinderella, who was forced to live with her stepmother and stepsisters.

She is given the chance to attend the royal ball because of the mercy of her Godmother. At the ball, she dances with the prince and they fall in love. The only problem is she has to leave by midnight. In her hurry to leave on time, she looses her slipper. The prince finds it and eventually finds her.

On February 22, 1965 there was a television remake of the show also on CBS. This one stared Lesley Ann Warren as Cinderella and Ginger Rogers as the Queen. The last television remake came in the late 1990's. It showed on ABC this time. Brandy played Cinderella, while Whitney Houston played the part of the fairy Godmother. Whoopi Goldberg was the Queen and Bernadette Peters was the stepmother.

Jason Alexander played the part of the Herald. Flower Drum Song In 1958 came the Flower Drum Song. It came from the book of the same name by C.Y. Lee. It was directed by Gene Kelly and opened on December 1st for 600 performances. It is the story of a girl named Mei Li from China. She has come to America to marry Sammy Fong, a nightclub owner.

Sammy does not love Mei Li, he loves Linda Low, who is a stripper at his club. To avoid having to marry Mei Li, Sammy encourages his friend Wang Ta to marry her. Wang hesitates at first because he thinks he is also in love with Linda. At the end he falls in love with Mei Li. There was also a film version. It premiered November 9, 1961.

It held many of the songs from the musical like "I Enjoy Being A Girl". The Sound of Music The most famous musical ever written by Rodgers and Hammerstein was also their last. The musical came from "The Trapp Family Singers", by Maria Augusta Trapp. It opened on November 16, 1959 in New York and ran for 1,443 performances. This was the story of a girl named Maria Rainer who is sent to the house of a widower named Capt. Georg Von Trapp, to watch over his children. They both fall in love with each other, but say nothing because Georg is engaged to a wealthy woman named Elsa Schroeder.

They realize they are in love, and soon get married. They are forced to leave Austria because it has been invaded by the Germans. Georg must return to the navy. The two and the children escape the Germans. Many songs were incorporated into the story line, such as "The Sound of Music,"My Favorite Things", and "So Long, Farewell".

The Sound of Music soon became a film. It premiered on March 2, 1965. Julie Andrews played the part of Maria, who played Cinderella before. There has been at least one revival since, on March 16, 1998 in New York. web.