December 14 marks the 41st anniversary of the musical Ballroom, which opened at the Majestic Theatre in 1978. With a book by Jermose Kass, music by billy Goldenberg, and lyrics by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman, Ballroom served as Tony-winning director and choreographer Michael Bennett's follow up to 1975's A Chorus Line.
Starring Dorothy Loudon and Vincent Gardenia, Ballroom follows a widow who becomes involved with a mail carrier after meeting him at a dance hall, only to find that his personal life is more complicated than he originally claimed. The show is best-remembered now for the popular anthem "Fifty Percent." Watch Loudon sing it in the video above.
The production was nominated for eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Direction, and nods for both Loudon and Gardenia; the only winner was Bennett, who took home the Tony Award for Best Choreography. Ballroom closed March 24, 1979, after 116 performances.
