Tune in for a riotous ride through the lives of musical legends! From the uproarious collaborations of Hammerstein & Kern to Berlin’s tune-spinning antics, Gershwin’s jazz revolution, Kern’s timeless melodies, and the groundbreaking works of Lesser, Arlen, and Bernstein, this series is a wild dive into Broadway history! Lost your Zoom ticket? No worries! Re-register for a front-row seat!

January 9
Oscar Hammerstein I and Jerome Kern -created the ‘musical play – a new form of drama and music, “Show Boat.” Then in the early 40’s Oscar Hammerstein joined with Richard Rogers to create the Broadway musical, i.e. Oklahoma! (1943), Carousel (1945), South Pacific (1949), The King and I (1951) and The Sound of Music (1959).

January 16
Irving Berlin, the son of a Russian cantor, came to New York and got a job as singing waiter, had no musical training and never learned to read music.

January 23
George Gershwin started as a hack pianist in a musical publishing firm. His Rhapsody in Blue, performed by the Paul Whiteman orchestra, made jazz respectable.
Leonard Kern wrote over 1,000 songs, including ‘Ol’ Man River’ and “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes for over 104 stage-shows and films.

January 30
Fred Lesser’s Guys and Dolls, Harold Arlen’s Wizard of Oz and Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story were in the same tradition of perpetual innovation within strict box office conventions.

John Kenrick, a vibrant figure in entertainment history, brings Broadway’s finest moments to life. With a passion for musicals, John’s career spans from amateur productions to Broadway, serving as a personal assistant to Tony-winning producers and contributing to acclaimed productions like Rent and Grease’s revival. As a lyricist, he showcased his talent in Off-Broadway’s Bats and crafted material for top NYC clubs.

A maven in the art of storytelling, John’s infectious enthusiasm for show business history lights up his talks on theatre and film history. He’s the brain behind Musicals101.com and authored works like The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Amateur Theatricals and Musical Theatre: A History. His expertise extends to teaching college courses on musical theatre, Broadway songwriters, and more.

John’s flair for engaging his audience shines through evaluations praising his ability to make history not just enjoyable, but unforgettable. His extensive media appearances and contributions to documentaries underscore his authority in entertainment history. From luxury liners to the NYC Fringe Festival, John’s speaking engagements have captivated audiences worldwide, offering insights into the golden era of entertainment.

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