Al Hirschfeld (American, 1903-2003). Musical Comedy or Musical Serious?, The New York Times magazine interior illustration...

Description

Al Hirschfeld (American, 1903-2003)
Musical Comedy or Musical Serious?, The New York Times magazine interior illustration, November 3, 1957
Ink on board
19-1/4 x 17-1/4 inches (48.9 x 43.8 cm) (image)
Signed lower right

Property from the Al Hirschfeld Foundation

This illustration was for a satiric article by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, director, and producer George S. Kaufman that was subtitled "Musicals used to be boy and girl, song and dance, humor and happy ending. But now you can't see the chorus boys through your tears. Where will it all end?" Published just six weeks after West Side Story debuted on Broadway, Kaufman pokes fun at the rise of musicals comedies without any comedy. Kaufman had been Hirschfeld's first editor at the New York Times, and the artist drew many plays that Kaufman wrote or directed. Hirschfeld illustrated an earlier Kaufman essay for the magazine titled, "Playwright Tells Almost All" in 1944.


More information about Al Hirschfeld. See also: Hirschfeld, Al, Albert Hirschfeld Artist.

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