How Did Richard Rogers Influence Musical Theatre

Richard Rogers had composed over 900 songs and 43 Broadway musical. He also produced and directed music for television and films too. He was born in New York City on June 28, 1902. Richard had help with music, broadways, and films too. His production was in 1920 called “ Poor Little Ritz Girl”. Straight out of college he work for a director name Lew Fields. Lew Fields was an American actor, comedian, vaudeville star, theatre manger, and producer. He also best know for working with Lorenz Hart, excluding Oscar Hammerstein ll. Rogers and Hart worked together and composed 28 stage musicals and more than 5000 songs until Hart death. Rogers was the first person ever to win a award in the following: top show business award in television, recording,

Both created a string of popular Broadway musicals in the 1940s and 1950s, initiating what to be considered the “golden age” of musical theatre. Rodgers was composing the music and Hammerstein was writing the lyrics, five of their Broadway shows, “ Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I, and The Sound of Music, were outstanding successes, as was the television broadcast of Cinderella. “ The King and I” opened on Broadway on March 29, 1951. The idea of the Broadway came from a film in 1956 with Brynner re-creating his role opposite Deborah Kerr. “ The Sound of Music” were Rodgers and Hammerstein las work together, the play told the story of the von Trapp family. It first premier of November 16, 1959, garnering much praise and numerous awards. People did the “ The Sound of Music” a different and revised way. “ The Sound of Music” won five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. “ The Sound of Music” was some of Rodgers and Hammerstein best work ever created. Oscar Hammerstein died before the film was made. Rodgers had to created two new songs for the film. “ The sound of Music” contains more hit songs than any other Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, partly because the film version was the most financially successful film adaption of a Broadway musical ever made. “ Edelweiss” as the last song that Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote together.