Musicals: A Daily Dose of Stage & Screen for Every Fan & Fanatic (Today in History Series) »

Today in History: Musicals is a day-by-day account of the shows, the stars, and the gossip that shaped the history of Broadway and screen musicals. Notable dates include January 25, 1996, when Jonathan Larson, creator of mega-musical Rent, died suddenly of an aneurysm the night of its first preview performance; May 12, 1988, when the ill-fated musical Carrie opened with such ditties as “Out for Blood”; and March 2, 1965, when the famous shot of Julie Andrews on a hillside in The Sound of Music almost didn’t happen.