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About Us
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Years ago, while teaching college courses in the History of American Musical Theatre, my research exposed numerous instances of innovation in the art form (“this was the first time…”) as theatrical technologies, along with musical styles and forms, evolved. I began to “collect” such phrases, which later included people, theatrical venues and other occasional oddities, into the collection and organized the data chronologically. |
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At this site, we focus on historical firsts. Innovation creates history, and this is a collection of innovative events, decisions and inventions. Among other things, the collection includes initial appearances of popular shows, songs and performers. Here, you’ll find descriptions of theatrical firsts in America from 1665 to 2000. Each “historical first” appears in bold type. |
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Generally, the New York opening is considered the finished form of any work (even if subsequent changes occur during the New York run). For the sake of maintaining some historical perspective, this site covers events through the 1999-2000 season. |
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Ongoing additions to the site include textual entries and pictures of people and theatrical venues. One project will soon offer links to audio files of songs in the public domain; other improvements may occur as they are invented or suggested. |
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We owe much to those who have assisted in the development and presentation of this material. Please see our “Cast & Crew” page. To everyone who appears there, I offer my deepest thanks. |
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Perhaps you will find something here that will initiate your own research. You might want to have an item considered for inclusion at the site (if so, please contact me). You might wish to correct an error that you find here (if so, by all means contact me). You may even find items that will pique your curiosity and motivate you to seek answers. We hope that this site will bring you closer to the theatrical art form that has proven time and again to be our most beloved: the musical. |
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Wayne Hamilton, MFA 2009 |
Cast & Crew
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Thank you for visiting FirstOnStage.com, a web site that was literally decades in the making. We hope you find the information here useful in your classes, in your research or in exercising your intellectual curiosity. If so, we hope you’ll make a donation to help support FirstOnStage. This information comes to you quickly and easily without the cost of expensive textbooks or hours of searching for the proverbial needle in the digital haystack. Your gift will enable site developers to provide ongoing enhancements, including additional textual content, pictures and audio files. PayPal will safely and securely process the transaction. Thanks for your interest and your generous support! |
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In May of 1921, Shuffle Along became the first Broadway musical written, performed and produced by African Americans. The show produced a hit song called "I'm Just Wild About Harry." The book for this influential piece was by Flournoy Miller and Aubrey Lyles, the lyrics were by Noble Sissle and the music was by Eubie Blake. Numerous influential African-American performers were associated with the show either on stage or in the orchestra, including Hall Johnson, Josephine Baker, Florence Mills, William Grant Still, Paul Robeson and Ethel Waters. Shuffle Along was so popular with white and African-American audiences that it started a change in the way seats were sold in Broadway theatres. Prior to this show, African-Americans were not allowed to sit in the orchestra section; soon, other producers followed Shuffle Along's example and began making the rear third of orchestra seats available to African-Americans. The show also introduced a midnight show on Wednesdays that created a huge demand from wealthy whites in New York. The 1927-1928 season was a hallmark for African Americans in American theatre. This season included African Americans in several musical and non-musical productions on Broadway. One of those performers, Ethel Waters (1896[?] - 1977), came to the public's attention in Africana, a black revue that earned her praise from the critics, not only for her singing but also for her ability as a dancer! The 1927-28 theatrical season was first among all of Broadway's seasons, in that it was the most prolific of them all. At least 280 new works were mounted in Broadway theatres that year, establishing a record that has never been equaled. Some 56 musicals were among the pieces that opened that season. Cabin In The Sky opened on Broadway in October of 1940. The opening included the first performance of the classic "Takin' A Chance On Love," sung by Ethel Waters. The score was by Vernon Duke.
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In May of 1921, Shuffle Along became the first Broadway musical written, performed and produced by African Americans. The show produced a hit song called "I'm Just Wild About Harry." The book for this influential piece was by Flournoy Miller and Aubrey Lyles, the lyrics were by Noble Sissle and the music was by Eubie Blake. Numerous influential African-American performers were associated with the show either on stage or in the orchestra, including Hall Johnson, Josephine Baker, Florence Mills, William Grant Still, Paul Robeson and Ethel Waters. Shuffle Along was so popular with white and African-American audiences that it started a change in the way seats were sold in Broadway theatres. Prior to this show, African-Americans were not allowed to sit in the orchestra section; soon, other producers followed Shuffle Along's example and began making the rear third of orchestra seats available to African-Americans. The show also introduced a midnight show on Wednesdays that created a huge demand from wealthy whites in New York.