Today in Theatre History, presented by Playbill

October 26–November 1, 2020: Life is a banquet as Rosalind Russell opens in Auntie Mame, Idina Menzel gets Wicked, and Patrick Wilson strips in The Full Monty, and more theatrical doings this week in history.

October 19–25, 2020: Julie Andrews returns to Broadway in Victor/Victoria, Patti LuPone returns to Broadway in Anything Goes, and Pippin and A Chorus Line both premiere on Broadway, and more in this week’s theatre history.

October 12–18, 2020: In 1965, Barbara Harris opens in On a Clear Day You Can See Forever and one year and a day later she opens in The Apple Tree, for which she wins a Tony, and more in this weeks’ theatre history!

October 5–11, 2020: Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig get sweaty in A Steady Rain, Deborah Kerr requests that when you speak of her, you’ll be kind in Tea and Sympathy, Elaine Stritch ponders—raucously—why the wrong people travel in Sail Away, and more..

September 28–October 4, 2020: Cats, Big Fish, Swan Lake, and non-animale titled shows opened this week in theatre history—plus premieres of musicals as varied as Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, and more!

September 21-27, 2020: 20 years later, Merman returns in a revival of Annie Get Your Gun, Angela Lansbury opens in Gypsy, and Elizabeth Ashley becomes an icon in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

September 14–20, 2020: Happy birthday, Bacall! Also, Song & Dance opens, eventually winning Bernadette Peters her first Tony, and The Threepenny Opera becomes an Off-Broadway hit.

September 7–13, 2020: Rob McClure is Chaplin, Rent comes to an end, and Carnival in Flanders and The Man Who Reclaimed His Head both begin short Broadway runs.

August 31–September 6, 2020: Sophie Tucker gets a black eye, Nathan Lane gets blacklisted, and Follies comes to concert this week in theatre history!

August 24–30, 2020: Largely forgotten today but the longest-running Broadway play for two decades at one time, Lightin’ opens in 1918, while 42nd Street opens in 1980.

August 17–23, 2020: Broadway audiences hear “I Am What I Am” for the first time when La Cage Aux Folles opens at the Palace.

August 10–16, 2020: Hairspray and Pretty Woman both opened on Broadway this week.

August 3–9, 2020: Liza to the rescue, Hamilton settles in to the Richard Rodgers, and more in theatre history this week!

July 27–August 2, 2020: Little Shop of Horrors begins Off-Broadway, Elaine Stritch joins A Little Night Music, and Avenue Q opens on Broadway.

July 20–26, 2020: A Chorus Line moves to Broadway, an all-Black revival of Guys & Dolls opens, and Moulin Rouge and Head Over Heels both celebrate their opening nights.

July 13–19, 2020: [Title of Show] premieres on Broadway, and Dogfight makes its Off-Broadway debut this week in theatre history.

July 6–12, 2020: Two campy musicals based on two very different movies opened this week: Xanadu and Silence! The Musical.

June 29–July 5, 2020: The Alvin Theatre gets a new name, Marvin’s Room debuts on Broadway, and God is a steam bath attendant played by Hector Elizondo in Off-Broadway’s Steam Bath.

June 22–28, 2020: Carmen Jones and Dreamgirls both return to New York, plus the IMperial Theatre gets an onstage pool for Wish You Were Here.

June 15-21, 2020: Pulitzer Prize winners Fairview and A Strange Loop premiere, and more in theatre history this week!