Humanist Explorations - Broadway’s Odd Couple; Rodgers and Hart

Beginning in the early 1940’s, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein wrote some of Broadway's best known and most loved musicals. “South Pacific,” “The King and I,” and “Carousel” are among the iconic shows that define American Musical Theater. During the two decades preceding this partnership, Richard Rodgers worked with a different lyricist, Lorenz Hart. Rodgers was focused and highly disciplined as a composer, but Larry Hart was the complete opposite. Mercurial, moody, hard to pin down, and erratic, he was the antithesis of Rodgers. The work these two writers created, was, however brilliant. Rodgers' stunning music, which poured forth effortlessly, and Hart's sophisticated and witty lyrics elevated the nascent form of the musical to new heights. Join us to learn about these two men and the triumphs and tragedies that informed their lives.