Oklahoma! In 1952, Florence Henderson was chosen by Rodgers and Hammerstein to star in the last national company of "Oklahoma!" The musical comedy is set around the time Oklahoma earned statehood. Florence played Laurey, the ingenue who is smitten by a rancher named Curly. She sang two solos in "Oklahoma" "Many a New Day" and "Out of My Dreams"She sang a duet with male lead Ralph Lowe (Curly) in "People Will Say We're in Love". In November of 1952, a Canadian newspaper called the Leader Post interviewed Florence about her first starring role. Click on the photos for a larger view

Fanny Florence's first starring role on Broadway came in 1954 after she completed the run on "Oklahoma". The play, "Fanny," in which she plays the title role, was produced by Joshua Logan, who also produced "Wish You Were Here," Florence's debut Broadway performance."Fanny" is based on a Marcel Pagnol trilogy and is set in Marseilles, France. The plot involves a love triangle between a wealthy but childless middle aged man, a young aspiring sailor, and young woman named Fanny Cabanis. Florence had one solo number, "I Have To Tell You," and several duets.

The Sound of Music The hills were alive when Florence took center stage as Maria in the 1961-62 national company of "The Sound of Music" The musical, set during World War II, was based on the life of the Trapp family of Austria. Maria, a young postulant, is hired as a governess for Captain Von Trapp's children. She instills in the children the love of life and of music. She falls in love with the Captain and they get married. Their love and marriage is not without obstacles, including the captain's engagement to another woman and the Nazis calling him to service. The score from "Sound of Music" includes such memorable songs as the title song and Florence's solo,"The Sound of Music," "My Favorite Things," "Edelweiss," "Climb Every Mountain," and "Do Re Mi". Florence reprised her role as Maria in 1978 in a Civic Light Opera production of the show.

The Girl Who Came To Supper Florence's second Broadway starring role was that of Mary Morgan in Noel Coward's "The Girl Who Came to Supper." The musical, set in a London in 1911, was based on the film "The Prince and the Showgirl." It is the story of an American chorus girl and a prince from a fictional European country called Carpathia. It featured songs such as "I've Been Invited to a Party," "Here and Now," "This Time it's True Love," and Florence's delightful one woman show in "The Coconut Girl". Jose Ferrer played Grand Duke Charles, the Prince Regent of Carpathia. The play opened in December of 1963 and ran until March of 1964.

South Pacific From London, Florence headed to the islands of the "South Pacific" as Navy nurse Nellie Forbush. Her male lead, Emile DuBecque was played by Giorgio Tozzi of the Metropolitan opera. Florence washed her hair every night on stage while she was "sending that man on his way" in "Wash that Man" and proclaiming her unabashed love for Emile in "Wonderful Guy." Nellie definitely had spunk and considered herself a "Cockeyed Optimist". This revival of "South Pacific" was performed in 1967 at the New York State Theatre at Lincoln Center.

Flo's other shows Let's not forget some of the other musicals Florence has starred in over the years. After appearing in "Oklahoma" and before playing "Fanny", Florence played Resi in the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera's production of "The Great Waltz". In 1965, she starred as Anna in a Los Angeles Music Center production of "The King and I". Ricardo Montalban played the king. The national tour of "Annie, Get Your Gun" came along in 1974, with Florence playing the title role. She returned to the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera in 1978 to appear with Dean Jones in "Bells Are Ringing". The show that started it all for Florence was Broadway's "Wish You Were Here" in 1952. The role was a chorus role, simply called "The New Girl" and she had but one line to deliver, but that very first line is one she will always remember: "Can I still see the game?"