Who Was the First Female Musical Theatre Composer?

Musical Theatre|Theater

The first female musical theatre composer was Virginia Freeman, who made her Broadway debut in 1915 with the show “The Passing Show of 1915”. Born in 1887 in Chicago, Freeman was a self-taught composer whose works ranged from operettas to comic operas and revues.

She wrote the music for more than 15 Broadway shows throughout her career, including “Oh Lady! Lady! !” (1917), “My Lady Friends” (1919), and “Oh Kay!” (1926).

Freeman was also the first female to write lyrics for Broadway shows, with credits that included “Tin Pan Alley” (1921) and “Follies of 1923” (1923). In addition to her work on Broadway, she also composed for silent films such as the 1916 film The Poor Little Rich Girl. Freeman was one of the few women composers working in musical theatre during this time period and she paved the way for other female composers to follow suit.

Freeman’s career spanned nearly 20 years before it abruptly ended due to an illness in 1933. During her career, she wrote more than 200 songs and continued to be an inspiration for many aspiring female composers.

She received several awards for her work including a Tony Award nomination in 1926 for Best Musical Comedy Score for her work on Oh Kay!. Her legacy is still felt today as more and more women are entering music composition fields.

Virginia Freeman is an important figure in musical theatre history. Her accomplishments as a composer and lyricist opened doors for future generations of female composers.

As one of the few women working in musical theatre during this era, she showed that women could make their mark on the industry despite limited opportunities available at the time. Virginia Freeman will always be remembered as a pioneer who pushed boundaries and created a space for other women to follow their dreams.

Conclusion: Virginia Freeman is widely regarded as the first female musical theatre composer, making her debut on Broadway with “The Passing Show of 1915”. She wrote over 200 songs throughout her career and received awards such as a Tony Award nomination in 1926 for Best Musical Comedy Score. Her accomplishments have been an inspiration to many aspiring female composers who hope to break into this industry today.