Of Thee I Sing

Of Thee I Sing is a musical with a score by George and Ira Gershwin and a book by George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind. Of Thee I Sing was the first musical to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, in 1932.

The original Broadway production, directed by Kaufman, opened on December 26, 1931 at the Music Box Theatre receiving critical and box office success. It moved to the 46th Street Theatre on October 10, 1932 before closing on January 14, 1933 after 441 performances.

The musical lampoons American politics; the story concerns John P. Wintergreen, an empty shirt, who runs for President of the United States on the “love” platform. However, when he falls in love with sensible Mary Turner instead of Diana Deveraux, the beautiful pageant winner selected for him, he finds himself in political hot water.