1903 In , with a book by and a score by , the hero is transported to a tropical island and will be made a king. The catch? He must marry the queen. The show runs nearly 21 weeks at Broadway's Casino Theatre.
1920 American author, critic, and playwright William Dean Howells dies in New York City. In his criticism, he championed the work of and . His plays include Yorick's Love, The Garroters, and The Mouse Trap (not to be confused with 's play of the same name). He was 83 years old.
1938 and contribute music and lyrics for at the Shubert Theatre on Broadway. choreographs the story of a banker who looks for Ms. Right from above. and are featured for the 42-week run.
1959 begins the path to her Broadway debut as premieres Off-Broadway at the Phoenix Theatre. directs, and and provide the songs. Following a six-month run at the Phoenix, the production transfers to Broadway's Alvin Theatre, earning Tony nominations for Burnett's performance and for Best Musical.
1965 makes her Broadway debut at the age of 19 in , opening at the Alvin Theatre. Minnelli wins a Tony Award for her performance in the title role of the musical, which has songs by and , and direction by .
1983 and adapt 's play Idiot's Delight into the musical , opening at the Minskoff Theatre. , , and star. Following 25 previews, it plays a single performance, closing on opening night.
1994 A revival of the musical opens on Broadway at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre. Featured in director-choreographer 's cast are , , and .
1999 Singer joins the cast of the Leiber and Stoller revue, . She ends her stint in the stage show May 22, but returns for another go at it August 17鈥�29.
2002 The original London production of and 's Cats closes after a record run of 21 years, on the anniversary of its opening night.
2005 West End opening night for smash musical Billy Elliot. With a score by , the production wins four Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical. It stays at the Victoria Palace Theatre for almost 11 years, playing a total of 4,600 performances.
2010 , the former Ziegfeld Follies dancer who inspired 21st century audiences with her pluck, good will鈥攁nd fancy footwork鈥攁t 12 of 13 annual Easter Bonnet Competition performances for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, dies at age 106.
2012 heads the cast of the world premiere of 's Are You There, McPhee? at the McCarter Theatre in New Jersey. directs the play about a playwright who is sucked into the tangle of the lives of a pair of abandoned children.
2016 stars as legendary French painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec in the new musical My Paris, opening at the Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven, Connecticut. Directed and choreographed by , it has music and lyrics by , book by , and English lyrics and musical adaptation by .
Today's Birthdays: (1888-1989). (1894-1991). (1911-1985). (1963-2009). (b. 1927). (b. 1953). (b. 1959). (b. 1964).
Watch Tony winner Billy Porter in the revival of Grease:
