Monday, February 3, 2025

Broadway Who's Who: Mary Rodgers

It seems that Mary Rodgers was famous for many things. She's part of a Broadway family - she was the daughter of Richard Rodgers, and she's Adam Guettel's mother. She was an acclaimed and popular children's author, writing such works as A Billion for Boris, Summer Switch and her most popular novel, Freaky Friday. That book has taken on a life of its own as two motion pictures (and an upcoming sequel), a TV movie and even as a musical! But theater fans know her best as the composer of such shows as Working, The Madwoman of Central Park West, The Hot Spot, The Mad Show and her most famous musical, Once Upon a Mattress, which made Carol Burnett a Broadway sensation, and was televised in two different versions, and most recently as an acclaimed Encores! presentation and Broadway revival.

Even after her death in 2014, her legacy continues, with the publication of her autobiography, Shy, and the continued popularity of Mattress, which has remained a staple of high school, college and community theater seasons more than 60 years after its premiere!

Broadway Who's Who:
Mary Rodgers


DID YOU KNOW?
BIRTH: January 11, 1931
DEATH: June 26, 2014
BROADWAY LIGHTS DIMMED: June 28, 2014
BIRTHPLACE: New York City, NY
EDUCATION: Wellesley College
HONORS: 2 Tony Award nominations: Best Musical 1960 (Once Upon a Mattress) and Best Score 1978 (Working)


with dad, Richard Rodgers (left) and son, Adam Guettel (right)

THEATER CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

THE MAD WOMAN OF CENTRAL PARK WEST, THE HOT SPOT


THE MAD SHOW - Off-Broadway, starring Linda Lavin and JoAnn Worley



WORKING - 1978 Tony Award nomination, Best Score

   

ONCE UPON A MATTRESS - 1960 Tony Award nomination, Best Musical





AUTHOR HIGHLIGHTS



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