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Broadway's classic collaborators

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No tribute to the classic Broadway musicals would be complete without paying hommage to the collaborative team of Rodgers (music) and Hammerstein (lyrics). Partnered from 1943-1959, they dominated the musical theatre scene for nearly a decade and a half. Their impact on the Broadway musical has been compared to the way Andrew Lloyd Webber took the 80's by storm. But, Rodgers and Hammerstein did not originally start out as a team.

Richard Rodgers, (1902-1979), had teamed up with lyricist, Lorenz Hart from 1919-1942 on many musicals including "Babes in Arms", "Boys from Syracuse" and "Pal Joey". Oscar Hammerstein II, (1895-1960), was best known for his work with Jerome Kern on "Showboat", the 1927 operetta.

So what brought these two creative geniuses together to become such a celebrated duo? It seems that Richard Rodgers wished to create a musical based on the play, "Green Grow the Lilacs", but was turned down by Hart, his earlier collaborator. He found a willing participant in Oscar Hammerstein and they clicked; so much so that they went on to write 9 musicals together. Their musicals linked the elements of plot, music and dance so intricately that they changed the entire scope of musical theatre.

Their musicals are:

1. Oklahoma 1943

2. Carousel 1945

3. Allegro 1947

4. South Pacific 1949

5. The King & I 1951

6. Me and Juliet 1953

7. Pipe Dream 1955

8. Flower Drum Song 1958

9. The Sound of Music 1959

***They also wrote "State Fair" for the big screen and "Cinderella" for television. Many of their musicals were smash hits and still play on today's stages.

Numerous accolades were bestowed upon this team, including 34 Tonys, 15 Oscars, 2 Grammys, 2 Emmys and 2 Pulitzer Prizes.

Andrew Lloyd Webber writes this of Hammerstein: "The simplicity of his lyrics is truly deceptive" and says "Rodgers is possibly the 20th century's greatest tune writer". The highest honour is to receive this kind of praise from one of your contemporaries. (For more of Andrew Lloyd Webber's thoughts on this team, go to http://www.time.com/time/time100/artists... html

After Hammerstein's death in 1960, Rodgers continued to write for Broadway. His first solo work was "No Strings" which received a Tony for music and another for lyrics. Rodgers also wrote "Do I hear a waltz?", "Two by Two", and "I remember Mama".

Decades after their amazing reign on Broadway, Rodgers and Hammerstein have not been forgotten. In 1999, they were featured on a postage stamp. Today, Broadway has a constant reminder that the musical theatre genre has never been the same after the influence of these two great men. Broadway's 46th st. theatre was re-named The Richard Rodgers theatre.

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