Welcome to a new Musical Theatre Monday! This month, we’re celebrating Best Foot Forward, which first opened on Broadway in October 1941 — 80 years ago! With a peppy score by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, this swinging ball of fun has come up several times before on the blog, and many of you probably know it best from its 1943 film adaptation (starring Lucille Ball) or its 1963 Off-Broadway revival, which got a cast recording (featuring, among others, a young Liza Minnelli). Both are worthwhile, and I urge you to seek them out for yourself!

But, in the meantime, I’m happy to share — with subscribers who comment below to alert me of their interest — access to a live audio of another production. It comes from Musicals in Mufti’s 2004 mounting of the show, which included a new number written by Martin for the occasion (“Up To My Eyebrows”). As a sample of this treat, here’s a heretofore unrecorded song from the original 1941 run, the bouncy “Where Do You Travel?” Enjoy!

Come back next month for a new musical rarity! And stay tuned for more Laverne & Shirley!