Ethel Merman: The Original Broadway Baby

Few people have had the impact on musical theatre that Broadway icon Ethel Merman has. This is why, Simon Morris readers, I make the case for Merman as the original Broadway baby.

Merman is a giant of the industry; ask anybody performing today if she was one of their biggest inspirations and almost 100% will be quick to assure that ‘of course she was.’  Musical theatre greats from Barbara Streisand to Patti Lu Pone and Bernadette Peters have credited Merman as an influence; even 90’s rock band Green Day did.

So what made her such a legend? Touted universally as the premier Broadway star of the day, Merman is best remembered for her belting voice, precise enunciation, unique personality and the longevity of her illustrious career.

Originally from humble beginnings, Merman, born in 1908 in Queens, New York, came to symbolise a generation of musical theatre performers over a career that spanned decades. Primarily she is known for the iconic 13 roles she originated on Broadway between1930 and 1959.

When making the case for Merman as the original Broadway baby we have to look at the show tunes she was most associated with. These most notably include ‘You’re the Top,’ ‘I Get a Kick Out of You,’ ‘Roses Turn,’ ‘Anything Goes’ and the tune that became her signature song ‘There’s No Business Like Show Business.’

These are big brassy numbers that represent the height of Broadway’s heyday. They take a big personality to bring them to life and reviewers both past and present have universally agreed that she managed to do so in spades. She did such a good job that they’re still overwhelmingly popular with audiences and artists alike in the modern day.

We also have to look at the actual shows that she was in, many of them original productions that are still performed on Broadway today. These include iconic productions such as ‘Girl Crazy,’ ‘Anything Goes,’ ‘Annie Get Your Gun’ and ‘Hello Dolly,’ each masterpieces in their own right.

However for me her most enduring contribution to musical theatre has to be her creation of the main character Rose in Sondheim smash ‘Gypsy.’ An opportunity that came toward the latter end of her own personal golden era, it perhaps her most acclaimed role and that has been emulated by greats such as Bernadette Peters and Patti LuPone.

The measure of an icon is the influence she had on her successors and the legacy she left behind. In Merman’s case both were profound and that is why in my opinion she is clearly the original Broadway baby.