Broadway: The American Musical

Lady in the Dark

Weill, Kurt. Lady in the Dark, a musical play by Moss Hart,
with lyrics by Ira Gershwin.
New York, Random house [c1941]
Harris Collection of American Poetry and Plays

Weill, Kurt. My Ship. Words by Ira Gershwin.
New York: Chappell & Co., Inc., 1941.
Sheet Music Collection

Dreams and psychoanalysis were the basis for this innovative musical play, in which Gertrude Lawrence played a woman who can't make up her mind. Songs included The Saga of Jenny and the tongue-twister Tchaikovsky,forever associated with Danny Kaye.

This Is the Army

This is the Army. Souvenir Folio
The new all-soldier show produced for Army Emergency Relief. Words and music by Irving Berlin
New York: This is the Army, Inc., Music Publishing Division, 1942
Harris Collection of American Poetry and Plays

This is the Army. Souvenir Album
Words and music by Irving Berlin
New York: This is the Army, Inc., Music Publishing Division, 1943
Harris Collection of American Poetry and Plays

Irving Berlin reprised his performance in World War I's Yip Yip Yaphank, singing Oh How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning along with other veterans of the earlier show. This war's signature song from Berlin was This is the Army, Mr. Jones. Versions of the show toured the country and overseas throughout the war. The hit song from it was I Left My Heart at the Stage Door Canteen.

Rodgers and Hammerstein's first musical collaboration was a great success. The nostalgic piece of Americana suited wartime audiences, while its innovative use of ballet and dance to further the plot was a real contribution to American theatre. The title was changed from Away We Go! to Oklahoma! during the tryout, when the song Oklahoma was written and incorporated. Other notable songs in the musical are Surrey With the Fringe on the Top, Oh, What a Beautiful Morning, Kansas City and I Cain't Say No.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma! Souvenir Album
New York: Theatre Guild [1946-]
Harris Collection of American Poetry and Plays .

Rodgers, Richard. Oklahoma! A musical play by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, 2nd, based on Lynn Riggs' Green Grow the Lilacs; book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein, 2nd.
New York, Random House [c1943]
Harris Collection of American Poetry and Plays

Rodgers, Richard. People Will Say We're in Love.
Words by Oscar Hammerstein, 2nd.
Away We Go [original title of Oklahoma]
New York: Crawford Music Corp., 1943.
Sheet Music Collection

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