A New Theatrical Form.

During the 1910s what is now recognized as the American musical was beginning to take shape in Broadway theaters. (It became fully formed with Show Boat in 1927.) Musical theater of the 1910s tended to take one of two forms: the musical, a usually thinly plotted play set to music; and the revue, a series of separate musical acts linked by a common theme and ending in a big production number featuring the entire company. Most producers, singers, dancers, and songwriters of the day were involved in both sorts of productions.

Beautiful Girls—and More.

The 1910s were the peak decade for the epitome of the musical revue, the annual Ziegfeld Follies, which ran from 1907 to 1931. The Follies became famous for presenting a stage full of tall, beautifully dressed women, otherwise known as Ziegfeld Girls. Florenz Ziegfeld had a knack for choosing talent as well as beauty. Many...