TODAY IN THEATRE HISTORY: In 1994, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's Carousel takes another spin as it opens at Lincoln Center's Vivian Beaumont Theatre. The production stars Sally Murphy as Julie Jordan, Michael Hayden as Billy Bigelow, and a young actress named Audra Ann McDonald as Carrie Pipperidge. The supporting cast includes future stars Taye Diggs (in his Broadway debut) and Brian d'Arcy James. Audra McDonald will win her first Tony Award for her performance, and the production will also win for Best Revival.
TODAY IN THEATRE HISTORY: In 2002, Sweet Smell of Success opens on Broadway. Despite an all-star lineup on stage (John Lithgow, Brian d'Arcy James) and on the creative team (composer Marvin Hamlisch, lyricist Craig Carnelia, librettist John Guare), this musical adaptation of the film about a crooked columnist and a sleazy press agent gets slammed by critics and runs just 109 performances.