Think you know everything there is to know about Broadway musicals? On this week’s episode of Playbill’s The Tyler Mount Vlog, Mount puts his theatre knowledge to the test with some lesser-known (and somewhat left-of-field) musicals.
Get to know the “obscure” musicals featured in today’s episode by clicking on their Playbill Vault profiles below. The Vault is the largest online Broadway database—search for any Broadway show to see its original Playbill cover, who starred, its Tony Award nominations and wins, and how long the run was.
Flahooley ran for 40 performances in 1951. The musical features a book by E. Y. Harburg and Fred Saidy, music by Sammy Fain, and lyrics by Harburg.
Subways Are For Sleeping ran for 205 performances 1961–1962. The musical features a book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, and music by Jule Styne.
Lady in the Dark ran for 467 performances 1941–42 and returned to Broadway for 83 performances in 1943. The musical features a book by Moss Hart, music by Kurt Weill, and lyrics by Ira Gershwin.
Merlin ran for 199 performances 1982–1983. The musical features a book by Richard Levinson and William Link, music by Elmer Bernstein, and lyrics by Don Black.
Drat! The Cat! ran for eight performances in 1965. The musical features a book and lyrics by Ira Levin, and music by Milton Schafer.
Raisin ran for 847 performances 1973–1975. The musical features a book by Charlotte Zaltzberg and Robert Nemiroff, music by Edwin Judd Woldin, and lyrics by Robert Brittan. The show was nominated for nine Tony Awards and won two, including Best Musical. See a revival of Raisin at the Astoria Performing Arts Center through May 27.
Lorelei ran for 320 performances in 1974. The musical features a book by Jule Styne and lyrics by Leo Robin.
Fade Out - Fade In ran for 271 performances 1964–1965. The musical features a book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, and music by Jule Styne.
Jule Styne and Bob Merrill’s 1971 musical Prettybelle never actually made it to the Great White Way despite starring Broadway darling Angela Lansbury. The show closed in its Boston tryout interrupting Lansbury’s string of Tony Award-winning performances that started with Mame in 1966, through Dear World in 1969, Gypsy in 1975 and Sweeney Todd in 1979.
Redhead ran for 452 performances 1959–1960. The musical features a book by Herbet Fields, Dorothy Fields, David Shaw, and Sidney Sheldon, music by Albert Hague, and lyris by Dorothy Fields.
Look back at the 10 obscure musicals below:
