Book and Lyrics, Oklahoma
Hammerstein was an American librettist, theatrical producer and director of musicals for almost 40 years. He wrote the book for operetta classics Rose-Marie (music by Rudolf Friml), The Desert Song and The New Moon (Sigmund Romberg) and Song of the Flame (George Gershwin). With Jerome Kern, Hammerstein wrote eight musicals, including Sweet Adeline, Music in the Air and Show Boat. In 1943, he penned Carmen Jones, the all-black revision of Georges Bizet’s opera, Carmen, and collaborated with Richard Rodgers on Oklahoma!. For the next two decades, Rodgers and Hammerstein penned such hit musicals as Carousel, Allegro, South Pacific, The King and I and The Sound of Music. The team wrote one musical for the big screen, State Fair, and one for television, Cinderella. Collectively, their musicals have garnered dozens of awards including Pulitzer Prizes, Tonys, Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and more. As producers, Rodgers & Hammerstein presented plays, musicals and revivals, including I Remember Mama, Annie Get Your Gun, the national tour of Show Boat and six of their own stage musicals. Hammerstein won eight Tony Awards and two Academy Awards for Best Original Song.