As noted in this very space two months and change ago, Sept. 21 has become “Earth, Wind & Fire Day,” because that date is mentioned in the group’s 1978 hit, “September.”
Other songs that mention dates are celebrated as well. The title figure of the Temptations’ “Papa Was a Rolling Stone” dies on Sept. 3. (What is it about September?) Billie Joe MacAllister meets his maker on June 3 in Bobbie Gentry’s “Ode to Billie Joe.” (What is it about the third of the month?)
Jazz fans celebrate May 4 (5/4) as Dave Brubeck Day, referencing his quartet’s hit, “Take Five,” which is in 5/4 time. Actually, the song was written by the quartet’s saxophonist, Paul Desmond, so consider that in your celebration plans.
Star Wars fans claim that day as well – “May the fourth (force) be with you.” Sure. Why not? March 14 (3/14) is Pi Day. (You know, 3.14159 … . Every other day of the year is Pie Day. Or it should be.) The perfect date, April 25, is known as “Miss Congeniality Day.” It salutes a scene from the film in which Sandra Bullock plays an FBI agent who goes undercover as a contestant in a beauty pageant. Asked during the contest to describe her perfect date, another contestant chooses April 25 since it’s “not too hot, not too cold.” Makes sense to us.
Should theater fans wish to join in the fun, Broadway shows have provided a number of commemorate-able dates:
- Sept. 12 is the date Crissy met “Frank Mills,” for whom she is searching in the song of the same name from hippie-rock musical Hair. He should be pretty easy to spot in his white crash helmet and leather jacket festooned with gold chains and the names Mary, Mom and Hell’s Angels.
- Oct. 3 is the day Aaron asks Cady what day it is in Mean Girls. Since Cady is crushing hard on Aaron, it becomes her new favorite day. Neither the film nor stage versions mention what Cady’s old favorite day was.
- Sept. 1 is the first day of senior year for high schooler Veronica. Her diary entry for that day predicts the next nine months of her life will be made hellish by the mean, snooty and popular Heathers. New kid in school J.D. leads Veronica on a mayhem-filled quest to change that, or at least make it a darker and funnier kind of hellish. Major laughs and bloodshed combine in this darkly hilarious musical based on the film of the same name released in, yep, 1989.
- May 20 is the day the king will proclaim “Eliza Doolittle Day,” as imagined in Eliza’s revenge fantasy tune, “Just You Wait” from My Fair Lady. Eliza longs not so much for a Henry Higgins’ comeuppance as for his violent death. They lyrics leave no question of Eliza’s murderous intent. In fact, she sounds a bit like a proto-Veronica, or even a proto-J.D., from Heathers. Or ‘Eathers.
- May 27 is the wedding day of Trina and Mendel in Falsettos. Trina’s ex-husband, Marvin, left her for his male lover, Whizzer, yet the arrival of an invitation to his ex-wife’s wedding sends Marvin into a rage. “You die on May 27 at eight!” he seethes in the self-explanatory “Marvin Hits Trina.”
Are there other Broadway shows with significant dates mentioned in the script? Let us know below.