What if? Best musicals from 1940-1948

[nycesq]

Posted: 3/29/18 at 6:43am

The first Tony Award for a musical was awarded in 1949. 

For those theater historians out there, what musical do you  think would have won the Tony Award for best musical for the years 1940-1948 if the award was in existence then?

 

 

 

 

 

[OrchardAndRivington]

Posted: 3/29/18 at 7:40am

1940: Pal Joey

1941: Best Foot Forward

1942: By Jupiter

1943: Oklahoma!

1944: On the Town

1945: Carousel

1946: Annie Get Your Gun

1947: Brigadoon

1948: Kiss Me, Kate

[Someone in a Tree2]

Posted: 3/29/18 at 7:44am

Done!

Well that was a short thread.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 3/29/18 at 7:50am

1940: Pal Joey

1941: Lady in the Dark

1942: By Jupiter

1943: Oklahoma!

1944: On the Town

1945: Carousel

1946: Annie Get Your Gun

1947: Finian's Rainbow
 

[newintown]

Posted: 3/29/18 at 8:08am

Assuming the 1940 season is spring 1939 to spring 1940 (etc.), per ibdb:

1940: DuBarry Was A Lady

1941: Lady in the Dark

1942: Let's Face It!

1943: Something For the Boys (Oklahoma! opened late in the season, and I wonder if it was immediately recognized as the hit it was)

1944: One Touch of Venus

1945: Carousel

1946: Annie Get Your Gun

1947: Finian's Rainbow

[OrchardAndRivington]

Posted: 3/30/18 at 6:47pm

@henrik

I was back and forth between Lady in the Dark and Best Foot Forward, but taking into consideration WW2, I went with the idea that the happier musical comedy would win over the darker, seemingly ahead-of-its-time Lady in the Dark. 

Brigadoon was one of the first classics I learned when I was in a community theatre production as a teenager and is a sentimental favorite, tho I do also love Finian's.. 

@newintown-

I definitely went calendar year, not the June 1939-May 1940 breakdown which would shift some of my selections, but I do think Oklahoma and Something for the Boys would have been a close race..

 

[BakerWilliams]

Posted: 3/30/18 at 7:42pm

Perhaps the Donaldson awards can clue us in:

1944: Carmen Jones

1945: Carousel

1946: Show Boat

1947: Finian's Rainbow

1948: High Button Shoes

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 3/30/18 at 9:33pm

What would have been the nominees?

[Elegance101]

Posted: 3/30/18 at 10:42pm

RoadGypsy2010 said: "1940: Pal Joey

1941: Best Foot Forward

1942: By Jupiter

1943: Oklahoma!

1944: On the Town

1945: Carousel

1946: Annie Get Your Gun

1947: Brigadoon

1948: Kiss Me, Kate"

Kiss Me, Kate was the first awarded Best Musical in 1949.

Updated On: 3/30/18 at 10:42 PM