Twentieth Century
actually started life as a play in 1932,
written by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur.
By 1934, the movie version was released,
starring John Barrymore and Carole Lombard,
below with director Howard Hawks.
BUT before all that,
at its roots was ANOTHER play called
Napoleon Of Broadway, by Charles Bruce Millholland,
all about Broadway producer David Belasco
(So BIG they named a theatre after him!).
Come 1973, it became a Broadway musical,
with tunes by Cy Coleman, lyrics Betty Comden and Adolph Greene.
Cy, at first, turned down the offer to compose, thinking it would be
"a dreaded 20s pastiche, and there are just too many of those around."
But then the characters' personalities went over the top,
and he realized he could make a comic opera out of it.
In rehearsal above,
John Cullum, Madeline Kahn, Kevin Kline.
And Imogene Coca (on right)
joined the cast as Mrs. Letitia Primrose
("She's A Nut!").
Below, "Five Zeros" with Dean Dittman,
George Coe (who will also hear Sunday in the Company!),
John, and Imogene.
Tonys for Best Score, Best Book (Comden and Green!),
one for John and another for Kevin.
Madeline stayed in the cast for only 9 weeks,
and was replaced by Judy Kaye (above with Kevin).
The critics returned and loved her!
A revival done in 2015
featured Kristin Chenoweth as Lily,
Peter Gallagher, Mary Louise Wilson, Andy Karl, and Mark Linn-Baker.
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