Start a Broadway Musical Theatre Hall of Fame!

#1

Start a Broadway Musical Theatre Hall of Fame!

Posted: 4/7/07 at 7:33pm

Your task is to start a Broadway Musical Theatre Hall of Fame. Choose ten people who were involved with Broadway musical theatre to induct in the first class. They can be actors, composers, authors, choreographers, producers, etc., but all ten people should have made contributions significant enough to warrant being the first ten people inducted. My picks:

George M. Cohan
Richard Rodgers
Stephen Sondheim
Harold Prince
David Merrick
Adolph Green & Betty Comden
Bernadette Peters
Bob Fosse
Jerome Robbins
Ethel Merman

EDIT: Since Comden & Green were an inseperable tandem, they can count as one induction. I've added Ethel Merman, who I can't believe I've left off.

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Praying Decca Broadway will put "Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope" on CD!

Updated On: 4/7/07 at 07:33 PM

#2

re: Start a Broadway Musical Theatre Hall of Fame!

Posted: 4/7/07 at 7:39pm

Oh God, hmmm:
Stephen Sondheim
David Merrick
Ethel Merman
Bob Fosse
Gwen Verdon
Cole Porter
Angela Lansbury
Oscar Hammerstein
Jerry Herman
Comden & Green

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There wouldn't be lights bright enough!

Updated On: 4/7/07 at 07:39 PM

#3

re: Start a Broadway Musical Theatre Hall of Fame!

Posted: 4/7/07 at 7:41pm

Cole Porter
Ethel Merman (HAS To be #1 inductee)
Oscar Hammerstein
Andrew Lloyd Webber
George White
Flo Ziegfield

#4

re: Start a Broadway Musical Theatre Hall of Fame!

Posted: 4/7/07 at 7:46pm

Well, technically there already is one (founded in '71).

But anyway:

Richard Rodgers
David Merrick
Stephen Sondheim
Harold Prince
Adolph Green
Betty Comden
Bob Fosse
George Gershwin
Michael Bennett
Leonard Bernstein

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"Why, I make more money than... than... than Calvin Coolidge! PUT TOGETHER!"
~Lina Lamont


My name wasn't, isn't, and will never be Scott.

#5

re: Start a Broadway Musical Theatre Hall of Fame!

Posted: 4/7/07 at 7:48pm

George M. Cohan
Richard Rodgers
Stephen Sondheim
Harold Prince
Betty Comden & Adolph Green
Jerome Robbins
Jerome Kern
George Abbott
Mary Martin
Ethel Merman

#6

re: Start a Broadway Musical Theatre Hall of Fame!

Posted: 4/7/07 at 7:51pm

Richard Rodgers
Oscar Hammerstein II
Michael Bennett
Bob Fosse
Ethyl Merman
Barbara Cook
Harold Prince
Alfred Drake
Stubby Kaye
Paul Gemignani

#7

re: Start a Broadway Musical Theatre Hall of Fame!

Posted: 4/7/07 at 7:52pm

Leonard Bernstein
Bob Fosse
George Gershwin
Oscar Hammerstein
Liza Minnelli
Bernadette Peters
Jerome Robbins
Richard Rodgers
Stephen Sondheim
Andrew Lloyd Webber

#8

re: Start a Broadway Musical Theatre Hall of Fame!

Posted: 4/7/07 at 7:55pm

Ethel Merman
Richard Rodgers
Stephen Sondheim
Jerome Robbins
Bob Fosse
Harold Prince
George Gershwin
Oscar Hammerstein
Cole Porter
Jonathan Tunick

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"If there was a Mount Rushmore for Broadway scores, "West Side Story" would be front and center. It snaps, it crackles it pops! It surges with a roar, its energy and sheer life undiminished by the years" - NYPost reviewer Elisabeth Vincentelli

Updated On: 4/7/07 at 07:55 PM

#9

re: Start a Broadway Musical Theatre Hall of Fame!

Posted: 4/7/07 at 11:07pm

the first person that kristen chenoweth or idina menzel is gonna make me vomit

#10

re: Start a Broadway Musical Theatre Hall of Fame!

Posted: 4/7/07 at 11:17pm

Picking one from each field . . .

Lyricist
Stephen Sondheim

Bookwriter
Oscar Hammerstein II

Composer
George Gershwin

Director
Hal Prince

Coreographer
Bob Fosse

Producer
Florenz Ziegfeld

Male Star
Alfred Drake

Female Star
Ethel Merman

Design
William and Jean Eckart

Orchestrations
Jonathan Tunick

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I have several names, one is Julian2. I am also The Opps Girl. But cross me, and I become Bitch Dooku!

#11

re: Start a Broadway Musical Theatre Hall of Fame!

Posted: 4/7/07 at 11:26pm

Rodgers and Hammerstein
Stephen Sondheim
Bernadette Peters
Ethel Merman
Bob Fosse

#12

re: Start a Broadway Musical Theatre Hall of Fame!

Posted: 4/7/07 at 11:39pm

Copying Julian2 (my appologizes)...

Lyricist
Fred Ebb

Bookwriter
Oscar Hammerstein II

Composer
Stephen Sondheim

Director
Hal Prince

Choreographer
Bob Fosse

Producer
David Merrick

Male Star
Jerry Orbach

Female Star
Merman

Design
Jo Mieltziener

Orchestrations
Jonathan Tunick

Updated On: 4/7/07 at 11:39 PM

#13

re: Start a Broadway Musical Theatre Hall of Fame!

Posted: 4/7/07 at 11:47pm

There should be a Broadway Walk of Fame, similar to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. They discussed doing this two years ago - who knows what's up with those plans.

Leonard Bernstein
George M. Cohen
Betty Comden & Adolph Green
Oscar Hammerstein II
Jerry Herman
Al Hirschfeld
Cole Porter
Richard Rodgers
Stephen Sondheim
Jule Styne

But I also want to inclue Irving Berlin, Cy Coleman, Kander & Ebb, Lerner & Loewe, and the more contemporary writers such as Jason Robert Brown, Ahrens & Flaherty, Frank Wildhorn, Elton John, Adam Guettel, etc. etc. etc.

Basically, all the composers and song-writers. Without them, Ethel Mermann wouldn't be nothin'!

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"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

#14

re: Start a Broadway Musical Theatre Hall of Fame!

Posted: 4/7/07 at 11:57pm

No problem, I'm flattered. I actually kind of like Jerry Orbach in that spot better. I coundn't think of many on the spot, his name didn't come to mind.

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I have several names, one is Julian2. I am also The Opps Girl. But cross me, and I become Bitch Dooku!

#15

re: Start a Broadway Musical Theatre Hall of Fame!

Posted: 4/8/07 at 12:20am

Stephen Sondheim
Hal Prince
George Abbott
Agnes DeMille
Rodgers & Hammerstein
Jerry Orbach
Gwen Verdon
Bob Fosse
Comden & Green
Jonathan Tunick

All off the top of my head (with help from other lists here, thanks). All gut instinct, I'm sure I'll think of others.

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I killed the boss, you don't think they're gonna fire me over a thing like that!!!!

#16

re: Start a Broadway Musical Theatre Hall of Fame!

Posted: 4/8/07 at 6:40am

Very ashamed of myself for leaving out Jerry Orbach. It is said hat he acted in more New York stage productons than any actor in history.

For those pairing Rodgers with Hammerstein, keep in mind that Rodgers worked with six other lyricist in his career: Lorenz Hart, Stephen Sondheim, Sheldon Harnick, Martin Charnin, Raymond Jessel and Richard Rodgers. Oscar Hammerstein had success long before Rodgers (SHOW BOAT, THE NEW MOON, MUSIC IN THE AIR). Comden & Green work exclusively in tandem for over 50 years.

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Praying Decca Broadway will put "Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope" on CD!

Updated On: 4/8/07 at 06:40 AM

#17

re: Start a Broadway Musical Theatre Hall of Fame!

Posted: 4/8/07 at 1:07pm

Anyone who stopped to read the walls of the Gershwin Theatre would know there is already a musical theatre hall of fame.

#18

re: Start a Broadway Musical Theatre Hall of Fame!

Posted: 4/8/07 at 1:12pm

I know there's already one. The point of this thread was if YOU started a Broadway Musical Theatre Hall of Fame who would you induct first.

Capn Hook is right, though. There should be a Broadway Walk of Fame.

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Praying Decca Broadway will put "Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope" on CD!

#19

re: Start a Broadway Musical Theatre Hall of Fame!

Posted: 4/8/07 at 1:15pm

bah - I think many here are trying to stay AWAY from the Gershwin Theatre.

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"The Spectacle has, indeed, an emotional attraction of its own, but, of all the parts, it is the least artistic, and connected least with the art of poetry. For the power of Tragedy, we may be sure, is felt even apart from representation and actors. Besides, the production of spectacular effects depends more on the art of the stage machinist than on that of the poet."
--Aristotle

#20

re: Start a Broadway Musical Theatre Hall of Fame!

Posted: 4/8/07 at 1:18pm

Aw too bad. I hear it's a lovely theatre! Don't worry, some day it will return to it's rightful owners. Someday Frodo will destroy the ring of power and all evil will be vanquished from the world.

#21

re: Start a Broadway Musical Theatre Hall of Fame!

Posted: 4/15/07 at 9:25pm

Stephen Sondheim
Julie Andrews
Patti Lupone
Bob Fosse
Bernadette Peters
Richard Rodgers

#22

re: Start a Broadway Musical Theatre Hall of Fame!

Posted: 4/16/07 at 1:36pm

Ethel Merman
Mary Martin
Jerome Kern
Irving Berlin
Jule Styne
Richard Rodgers
Lorenz Hart
Oscar Hammerstein II
Robert Russell Bennett(orchestrator)
Lehman Engel (legendary Pit Conductor)

It's hard to stop at 10, but the above is a start.

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"Madam Rose...and her daughter...Gypsy!"