First Lady of the Musical Theater
Wikipedia: Mary Martin Mary Virginia Martin (December 1, 1913 – November 3, 1990) was an American actress and singer. A muse of Rodgers and Hammerstein, she originated many leading roles on…
First Lady of the Theater (First Lady of the Theatre)
The White House Historical Association The Origins of the American "First Lady"By: MATTHEW COSTELLOVice President of the Rubenstein Center for White House History, Senior…
Floperetta (flop + operetta)
"Floperetta" is a portmanteau of the words "flop" and "operetta." A failed musical is a "floperetta." The term was coined by syndicated gossip columnist…
Foxtrot (dance)
The "foxtrot" (or "fox trot") is a dance that has long, continuous flowing movements across the dance floor. The term "fox trot" -- how a fox walks -- had been used in…
George Spelvin (pseudonym)
Wikipedia: George SpelvinGeorge Spelvin, Georgette Spelvin, and Georgina Spelvin are traditional pseudonyms used in programs in American theater. "Georgina Spelvin" has fallen out of…
Georgette Spelvin (pseudonym)
Wikipedia: George SpelvinGeorge Spelvin, Georgette Spelvin, and Georgina Spelvin are traditional pseudonyms used in programs in American theater. "Georgina Spelvin" has fallen out of…
Georgina Spelvin (pseudonym)
Wikipedia: George SpelvinGeorge Spelvin, Georgette Spelvin, and Georgina Spelvin are traditional pseudonyms used in programs in American theater. "Georgina Spelvin" has fallen out of…
Gland Canyon (Broadway at Times Square)
Broadway -- New York City's theatrical center -- was briefly called the "Gland Canyon" (gland + Grand Canyon) in the late 1920s and early 1930s. "Gland Canyon" was printed…
Going Up (forgetting lines)
Entry in progress -- BP TwitterRodney To@RodRedRodFor all u theatre people, a rush = speedthru. A pass = going up on lines. Touchdown = NYTimes rave. The more u know. #RodneyTweetsTheBowl7:06 PM ·…
Golden Globalist (Golden Globe + globalist)
The Golden Globe Awards are run by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association to honor the best in film and television. Many acceptance speeches are political, and the Golden Globe has been nicknamed…
Graveyard Bouquet
A superstition in the theater is, supposedly, that on the closing night of a show, the director and/or leading lady receives a bouquet of flowers stolen from a graveyard. This supposedly brings…
Great Bright Way (Broadway nickname)
"Great Bright Way" (Great White Way + bright) was proposed in 2020 as a new nickname for the Broadway theater district in New York City. "White" is potentially perceived by some…
Great Dark Way (Broadway nickname, during theater closures)
"Great Dark Way" (Great White Way + dark) is a Broadway nickname that was used during the 2020-21 coronavirus outbreak, when theaters were forced to go dark (shut down). "The Great…
Great White Way (Broadway nickname)
"Great White Way" has been the most popular nickname for the Broadway theater district in New York City. "The Great White Way" was originally the title of a 1901 book by Albert…
Gypsy Robe (Legacy Robe)
The "gypsy robe" is a Broadway musical tradition that has nothing to do with the famous musical Gypsy (1959). The robe (a negligee) originally began with the musical Gentlemen Prefer…
Harlem Shake (2001 dance)
The Harlem Shake, according to an 2003 interview by Inside Hoops by a man named "Al B" who developed his drunken shake in 1981 and performed it at the Entertainer's Basketball…
Harlem Shake (2013 videos)
The Harlem Shake is a dance video that became popular in February 2013. Baauer - Harlem Shake (Rip) is a YouTube video that was published on April 8, 2012, but it didn't contain the dance. The…
Harlem Shuffle
Shuffling in Harlem was popularized by the very successful African American musical revue Shuffle Along (1921). The revue starred Josephine Baker (1906-1975), who was described by a newspaper in…
Harmony Row (Park Avenue location of German-American musical societies)
New York City has had two different places that went by the name of "Harmony Row." "Harmony Row" was the name for the music publishers assembled on West 28th Street, between…
Harmony Row (West 28th Street, also called “Tin Pan Alley”)
New York City has had two different places that went by the name of "Harmony Row." "Harmony Row" was the name for the music publishers assembled on West 28th Street, between…