Today in 1993, the second Broadway revival of Camelot opened at the George Gershwin Theatre, where it ran for 56 performances. Camelot is a musical by Alan Jay Lerner (book and lyrics) and Frederick Loewe (music). It is based on the King Arthur legend as adapted from the T. H. White tetralogy novel The Once and Future King. The original 1960 production, directed by Moss Hart and orchestrated by Robert Russell Bennett and Philip J. Lang, ran on Broadway for 873 performances, winning four Tony Awards and spawning several revivals, foreign productions and a 1967 film version. The 1993 cast starred Robert Goulet, Steve Blanchard, and Patricia Kies.

Today in 2004, Thoroughly Modern Millie closed at the Marquis Theatre, where it ran for 903 performances. Thoroughly Modern Millie is a musical with music by Jeanine Tesori, lyrics by Dick Scanlan, and a book by Richard Morris and Scanlan. Based on the 1967 film of the same name, it tells the story of a small-town girl, Millie Dillmount, who comes to New York City to marry for money instead of love - a thoroughly modern aim in 1922, when women were just entering the workforce. The production subsequently won six 2002 Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Actress in a Musical for Sutton Foster.

Today in 1978, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas opened at the 46th Street Theatre (now the Richard Rodgers Theatre), where it ran for 1584 performances. The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas is a musical with a book by Texas author Larry L. King and Peter Masterson and music and lyrics by Carol Hall. It is based on a story by King that was inspired by the real-life Chicken Ranch in La Grange, Texas. The original Broadway production was directed by Peter Masterson and Tommy Tune and choreographed by Tune and Thommie Walsh.

Happy Birthday, Kerry Butler! Butler received a 2008 Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical for playing Kira/Clio in Xanadu. Other Broadway credits include Blood Brothers, Les Miserables, Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, (Outer Critics Circle Award nomination), Penny Pingleton in Hairspray (Clarence Derwent Award, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle nominations), Sherrie in Rock of Ages, and most recently Brenda in Catch Me If You Can (Drama Desk nomination).

Happy Birthday, John Gallagher, Jr.! Gallagher originated the role of Moritz Stiefel in Spring Awakening on Broadway after performing the role Off-Broadway and in workshops at Lincoln Center. Gallagher won the 2007 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical for his performance. In 2010, Gallagher starred in American Idiot, a musical based on the Green Day album of the same name, playing Johnny aka 'Jesus of Suburbia'. He most recently starred in the Broadway production of The Royal Court Theatre's Jerusalem.

Happy Birthday, Danny Burstein! On Broadway, Burstein's appearances have included A Little Hotel on the Side (1992), Yakov in The Seagull (1992-93), in Saint Joan and Three Men on a Horse (both in 1993), Paul in Company (1995), 1st Officer William Murdoch in Titanic (1997-99), Aldolpho in The Drowsy Chaperone (2006-07), Luther Billis in South Pacific (2008-10), and Taxi Driver in Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (2010-11). He played the role of Buddy Plummer in the Kennedy Center production of Follies, which went on to play Broadway's Marquis Theatre and LA's Ahmanson Theatre.

Happy Birthday, Neil Patrick Harris! A veteran of the theater, Harris recently tackled the role of Bobby in the New York Philharmonic's production of Stephen Sondheim's "Company" at Lincoln Center. Harris made his Broadway debut in the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama "Proof," and subsequently starred on the Great White Way as the Emcee in "Cabaret," and as The Balladeer/Lee Harvey Oswald in the Tony Award-winning production of "Assassins." His additional theater credits include roles in "All My Sons," "Tick, Tick... Boom," "The Paris Letter," "Sweeney Todd," "Rent" and "Romeo and Juliet." Harris made his theatrical directorial debut with "I Am Grock" at the El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood. Additionally, he directed a production of Jonathan Larson's "Rent" at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, and more recently he helmed a production of "The Expert at the Card Table" at the Broad Stage Theater.

Today in 2011, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark opened at the Foxwoods Theatre, where it is still running. Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark is a rock musical with music and lyrics by U2's Bono and The Edge and a book by Julie Taymor, Glen Berger, and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. The musical is based on the Spider-Man comics created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, published by Marvel Comics, as well as the 2002 film about the character and the Greek myth of Arachne. lt tells the story of the origin of the character, his romance with Mary Jane and his battles with the evil Green Goblin.

Today in 1999, You're A Good Man Charlie Brown closed at the Ambassador Theatre, where it ran for 149 performances. You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown is a 1967 musical comedy with music and lyrics by Clark Gesner, based on the characters created by cartoonist Charles M. Schulz in his comic strip Peanuts. The revival cast featured Anthony Rapp as Charlie Brown, Kristin Chenoweth as Sally and Roger Bart as Snoopy.

Today in 1977, Pippin closed at the Minskoff Theatre, after having played 1944 performances. Pippin is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Roger O. Hirson. Bob Fosse, who directed the original Broadway production, also contributed to the libretto. The musical uses the premise of a mysterious acting troupe, led by a Leading Player, to tell the story of Pippin, a young prince on his search for meaning and significance. The original cast included: Eric Berry, Jill Clayburgh, Leland Palmer, Irene Ryan, Ben Vereen, and John Rubinstein.

Today in 1993, the first Broadway revival of She Loves Me opened at Criterion Center Stage Right, where it ran for 354 performances. She Loves Me is a 1963 musical with a book by Joe Masteroff, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and music by Jerry Bock. The plot revolves around Budapest shop employees Georg Nowack and Amalia Balash who, despite being consistently at odds with each other at work, are unaware that each is the other's secret pen pal met through lonely-hearts ads. The Revival cast featured Boyd Gaines as Georg, Judy Kuhn as Amalia, Sally Mayes as Ilona, Howard McGillin as Kodaly, Lee Wilkof as Ladislav, Brad Kane as Arpad, and Louis Zorich as Mr. Maraczek. A revival cast recording was released by Varèse Sarabande.

Happy Birthday, Cole Porter! Porter's many musicals include Fifty Million Frenchmen, DuBarry Was a Lady, Anything Goes and Can-Can, and his numerous hit songs include 'Night and Day', 'I Get a Kick out of You', 'Well, Did You Evah!' and 'I've Got You Under My Skin'. 1948's Kiss Me Kate was his most successful show, running for 1,077 performances in its original Broadway run. The production won the Tony Award for best musical (the first Tony awarded in that category), and Porter won for best composer and lyricist.

Happy Birthday, Robert Preston! best remembered for his performance as 'Professor' Harold Hill in Meredith Willson's musical The Music Man (1962). He had already won a Tony Award for his performance in the original Broadway production, in 1957. In 1965 he was the male part of a duo-lead musical, I Do! I Do! with Mary Martin, for which he won his second Tony Award. He played the title role in the musical Ben Franklin in Paris and originated the role of Henry II in the original production of The Lion in Winter. In 1974 he starred alongside Bernadette Peters in Jerry Herman's Broadway musical Mack & Mabel as Mack Sennett, the famous silent film director. That same year (1974) the film version of Mame, another famed Jerry Herman musical, was released with Preston starring, alongside Lucille Ball, in the role of Beauregard Burnside.

Happy Birthday, Charles Strouse! Strouse's first Broadway musical was the 1960 hit Bye Bye Birdie, with lyrics by Lee Adams, who would become his long time collaborator. Following this was Golden Boy (1964, also with Adams), starring Sammy Davis, Jr. and It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman (1966, based on the popular comic strip) which introduced the song 'You've Got Possibilities' sung by Linda Lavin. In 1970, Applause (starring Lauren Bacall, with book by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, and lyrics by Adams) won Strouse his second Tony Award. In 1977, Strouse adapted another comic strip for the stage, creating the hit Annie, which garnered him his third Tony Award and two Grammy Awards. Other Strouse musicals include Charlie and Algernon (1979), Dance a Little Closer (1983, with lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner), Rags (1986), Nick & Nora (1993), and An American Tragedy (1995, with lyrics by David Shaber).

Happy Birthday, Harvey Fierstein! In addition to Torch Song Trilogy, La Cage aux Folles and A Catered Affair, Fierstein's Broadway acting credits include playing the mother, Edna Turnblad in Hairspray (2002), for which he won a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. He later replaced Alfred Molina as Tevye in the 2004 revival of Fiddler on the Roof. Fierstein returned to the theatre when he toured as Tevye, replacing Chaim Topol in Fiddler on the Roof starting in December 2009. On February 15, 2011, he replaced Douglas Hodge as Albin/Zaza in the Broadway revival of La Cage aux Folles playing opposite Christopher Sieber. He is nominated for a 2012 Tony Award for the book of Newsies.

Today in 1980, The Music Man opened at City Center, where it ran for 21 performances. The Music Man is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey. The plot concerns con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys' band organizer and leader and sells band instruments and uniforms to naive townsfolk before skipping town with the cash. In 1957, the show became a hit on Broadway, winning five Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and running for 1,375 performances.

Happy Birthday, Mary Testa! Testa is a two-time Tony Award nominee, for performances in revivals of Leonard Bernstein's On the Town (1998) and 42nd Street (2001). She made her debut as Miss Goldberg in William Finn's one-act musical In Trousers (1979), part one of his 'Marvin Trilogy,' winning audiences over with her rendition of 'Set Those Sails' and 'I Am Wearing a Hat,' as well as 'The Rape of Miss Goldberg by Marvin.' She returned to Broadway in July, 2007 in the musical-theater remake of the 1980 film Xanadu for which she received a Drama Desk Award nomination.

Today in 1975, Chicago opened at the 46th Street Theatre (now the Richard Rogers Theatre), where it ran for 936 performances. Chicago is a musical set in Prohibition-era Chicago, with music is by John Kander with lyrics by Fred Ebb and a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and the concept of the 'celebrity criminal'. The original cast starred Chita Rivera as Velma Kelly, Gwen Verdon as Roxie Hart, Jerry Orbach as Billy Flynn and Barney Martin as Amos Hart.

Today in 1954, Carousel opened at City Center, where it ran for 79 performances. Carousel is the second stage musical by the team of Richard Rodgers (music) and Oscar Hammerstein II (book and lyrics). The work premiered in 1945 and was adapted from Ferenc Molnár's 1909 play Liliom, transplanting its Budapest setting to the Maine coastline. The story revolves around carousel barker Billy Bigelow, whose romance with millworker Julie Jordan comes at the price of both their jobs. He attempts a robbery to provide for Julie and their unborn child; when it goes wrong, he has a chance to make things right.

Today in 1971, You're A Good Man Charlie Brown opened at the John Golden Theatre, where it ran for 32 performances. You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown is a 1967 musical comedy with music and lyrics by Clark Gesner, based on the characters created by cartoonist Charles M. Schulz in his comic strip Peanuts. Directed by Joseph Hardy and with choreography by Patricia Birch, the 1971 cast included Grant Cowan as Snoopy and Dean Stolber as Charlie Brown.

Today in 1982, a return engagement of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas opened at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre, where it ran for 63 performances. The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas is a musical with a book by Texas author Larry L. King and Peter Masterson and music and lyrics by Carol Hall. It is based on a story by King that was inspired by the real-life Chicken Ranch in La Grange, Texas. The original Broadway production was directed by Peter Masterson and Tommy Tune and choreographed by Tune and Thommie Walsh. It opened on June 19, 1978 at the 46th Street Theatre and ran for 1,584 performances.

Happy Birthday, Idina Menzel! Menzel reached superstardom on Broadway with her Tony Award-winning performance as Elphaba, the misunderstood green girl, in the blockbuster Wicked and in her Tony-nominated role as Maureen in the revolutionary Rent. Menzel recently reprised her role on "Glee," FOX's smash hit television series, as Shelby Corcoran, Rachel's biological mother. Additional theatre credits include: Aida, The Wild Party, See What I Wanna See, and more!

Today in 1951, the first Broadway revival of Oklahoma! opened at the Broadway Theatre, where it ran for 100 performances. Oklahoma! is the first musical written by the team of composer Richard Rodgers and librettist Oscar Hammerstein II. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs' 1931 play, Green Grow the Lilacs. Set in Oklahoma Territory outside the town of Claremore in 1906, it tells the story of cowboy Curly McLain and his romance with farm girl Laurey Williams. The original Broadway production opened on March 31, 1943.

Happy Birthday Al Jolson! Between 1911 and 1928, Jolson had nine sell-out Winter Garden shows in a row, more than 80 hit records, and 16 national and international tours. Although he's best remembered today as the star in the first (full length) talking movie, The Jazz Singer in 1927, he later starred in a series of successful musical films throughout the 1930s. After a period of inactivity, his stardom returned with the 1946 Oscar-winning biographical film, The Jolson Story. His Broadway credits include: Hold on to Your Hats, The Wonder Bar, Big Boy, Artists and Models, Bombo, and many more.

Happy Birthday Leslie Uggams! Uggams starred in Hallelujah, Baby!, which premiered on Broadway in 1967, and won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a musical. She appeared on Broadway in the revue Blues in the Night in 1982 and in the musical revue of the works of Jerry Herman, Jerry's Girls in 1985. Later Broadway roles include Muzzy in Thoroughly Modern Millie (2003 - 2004) and Ethel Thayer in On Golden Pond at the Kennedy Center in 2004 and on Broadway at the Cort Theatre in 2005. In 2001 she appeared in the August Wilson play King Hedley II, receiving a nomination for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play.