George Abbott was a renowned American theater director, producer, playwright, and actor who is known for his significant contributions to the American theater. Born on June 25, 1887, in Forestville, New York, Abbott began his career in the theater as an actor, but eventually became a successful producer and director.
Abbott's Broadway career spanned over seven decades, during which he produced and directed more than 100 Broadway productions, wrote over 30 plays and musicals, and acted in several productions. He made his Broadway debut as an actor in 1913 in The Misleading Lady and later went on to produce and direct ... read more
Bob Merrill was one of the most successful songwriters during the 1950s, with a string of novelty hits such as "How Much Is That Doggie in the Window?", “(If I Knew You Were Comin’ Id‘ve) Baked a Cake”, “Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania”, “Mambo Italiano”, “Honeycomb” and “Make Yourself Comfortable”. Longing to write more profound songs, Bob turned his efforts toward the musical theatre. By the late fifties, he had written music and lyrics for Broadway’s “New Girl In Town”, followed by “Take Me Along”, “Carnival”, “Henry, Sweet Henry” and eventually “Funny Girl” featuring the hit songs “People” and “Don’t Rain On My ... read more
George Abbott was a renowned American theater director, producer, playwright, and actor who is known for his significant contributions to the American theater. Born on June 25, 1887, in Forestville, New York, Abbott began his career in the theater as an actor, but eventually became a successful producer and director.
Abbott's Broadway career spanned over seven decades, during which he produced and directed more than 100 Broadway productions, wrote over 30 plays and musicals, and acted in several productions. He made his Broadway debut as an actor in 1913 in The Misleading Lady and later went on to produce and direct ... read more
Robert Russell Bennett orchestrated more than 300 Broadway musical scores including Show Boat; No, No, Nanette; Of Thee I Sing; Face the Music; Oklahoma!; Carmen Jones; Finian's Rainbow; Kiss Me, Kate; South Pacific; The King and I; My Fair Lady; and Camelot. His arrangements for the 1955 film version of Oklahoma! earned him an Academy Award. He also orchestrated and arranged Richard Rodgers' TV documentary score for "Victory at Sea." A classically trained composer, Bennett's prolific output of original compositions includes symphonies, sonatas, a ballet, a concerto and an opera. ... read more
Bob Fosse was an American actor, choreographer, dancer, and film and stage director. He directed and choreographed musical works on stage and screen, including the stage musicals The Pajama Game (1954), Damn Yankees (1955), How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1961), Sweet Charity (1966), Pippin (1972), and Chicago (1975). He directed the films Sweet Charity (1969), Cabaret (1972), Lenny (1975), All That Jazz (1979), and Star 80 (1983).
Fosse's distinctive style of choreography included turned-in knees and "jazz hands". He is the only person ever to have won Oscar, Emmy, and Tony awards in the same year (1973). He ... read more
Philip J. Lang was a musician, composer and music educator who taught at the graduate schools of music at the University of Michigan and the University of Colorado and was the orchestrator of more than 50 Broadway musicals including My Fair Lady and Camelot (with Robert Russell Bennett); Annie Get Your Gun; Applause; Hello, Dolly!; Carnival; and 42nd Street. Mr. Lang was an orchestrator for the Metropolitan Opera and a frequent musical arranger for television including Hallmark Productions, David Susskind, Radio City Music Hall and "The Tonight Show." ... read more
