BWW Blog: Dalton Allison - Broadway and The Chicago Cubs, A Comparison 

Besides Damn Yankees, there is not much common ground between the baseball world and the theater world. In case you have not heard, the Chicago Cubs have finally climbed back to the World Series after years of missed chances and deflating blunders by players and Cubs fans alike. The Cubs have not won a World Series Title since 1908, nor made an appearance in the series itself since 1945. What does any of this have to do with Broadway or theater in general? Well, it turns out 1945 was a pretty interesting year in the theater world.

In 1945, a young duo by the name of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II debuted their second musical, the well known Carousel. Carousel became a smash hit and critically acclaimed production, running for over 880 productions. The creators, known by the duo name of Rodgers and Hammerstein, are legendary in the theater universe for their musical creations. Creations such as Oklahoma, South Pacific, The King and I, and The Sound of Music define their legacy in the theater world. Also in 1945, the Chicago Cubs were defeated in the World Series by the Detroit Tigers in seven games. That year, the Cubs didn't have a dynamic duo such as Rodgers and Hammerstein. This year though, is different.

Starting at third base for the Chicago Cubs is Kris Bryant, a young, smooth stroking slugger from Las Vegas, Nevada. Like Richard Rodgers once did, Bryant delivers a beautiful sound to his audience: the crack of a wood bat smashing into a baseball. His playful melodies are that of his metal cleats digging into the soft dirt at the friendly confines at Wrigley Field. Much like Rodgers, Bryant has several accolades to his name, including being a two-time MLB All-Star and being crowned National League Rookie of the Year. But if Kris Bryant is Richard Rodgers, then who is his Oscar Hammerstein?

Look no further to the first base position, where Anthony Rizzo calls home. Rizzo emulates Hammerstein in the fact that his sweet glove work possesses the same breath-taking ability as the words of a well-penned soliloquy by Hammerstein. Every word by Hammerstein is another drop of sweat by Rizzo, who are both renowned for their legendary work ethic. Hammerstein was a leader on the experimental theater front, as Rizzo is a leader on a Cubs team that hasn't been to the World Series since 1945.

Are Bryant and Rizzo Rodgers and Hammerstein? At a quick look, they appear worlds apart. If looked at in a comparative way though, they possess a type of chemistry that could lead to innumerable successes, much like Rodgers and Hammerstein. Will they lead the Cubs to their first World Series Victory since 1908? I'll answer from the perspective of the millions of Cubs fans and Chicago natives who are pulling for their team, with a song lyric from South Pacific, written by Oscar Hammerstein. "You gotta have a dream. If you don't have a dream, how you gonna make a dream come true?"

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