The Daily Beast has an article from March 17th lamenting the lack of originality in today’s Broadway musicals. Some of her points may be valid, but there is a glaring error in her criticism.
Author Michele Willens gets nostalgic for the “good old days” when Broadway was full of original shows. She says, “Remember the old days when it was the other way around? When Broadway shows were inventive, regularly breaking new ground, and then ultimately, became movies? West Side Story, Carousel, Oklahoma!, My Fair Lady, Chicago, Mame, Gypsy, How to Succeed In Business, and Cabaret all started on stage.”
Yes, these shows did ultimately become movies. But they were not necessarily original to Broadway. Spectacular and revered? Yes. Original to Broadway? Look again.
West Side Story is adapted from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, itself adapted from the story of Pyramus and Thisbe from Ovid’s Metamorphoses.
Carousel is adapted from Ferenc Molnár’s 1909 play Liliom.
Oklahoma! is based on Lynn Riggs’ 1931 play, Green Grow the Lilacs.
My Fair Lady is based upon George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion which took its inspiration from the ancient Greek myth.
Chicago is based on a 1926 play of the same name by reporter Maurine Dallas Watkins about actual criminals and crimes she reported on.
Mame is based on the 1955 novel Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis and the 1956 Broadway play, also titled Auntie Mame, also by Lawrence and Lee.
Gypsy is loosely based on the 1957 memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee.
How to Succeed in Business… is based on Shepherd Mead’s 1952 book of the same name.
And Cabaret is based on John Van Druten’s 1951 play I Am a Camera, which was adapted from the short novel Goodbye to Berlin by Christopher Isherwood.
Tommy Karr 