By Kevin Leonard, University Archivist
Northwestern’s Dolphin Show is celebrated as the largest student-produced musical in the United States. It has entertained the University community for decades and has helped launch the careers of many notable performers.
1947 Dolphin show, “Howdy Partner”
Originating in 1940 as a ticketed water carnival, the production initially featured swimming and diving exhibitions at Northwestern’s Patten Gymnasium pool. Its goal: raising funds for the Dolphin Club, an organization of Northwestern swimmers. The exhibitions incorporated original music and skits and, over time, evolved into full, unified musicals produced poolside. A significant change occurred in 1970 when the show’s producers pulled the plug and abandoned the traditional, riparian venue of Patten Gymnasium. The 1970 show, Mame, was staged on dry ground – the first such Dolphin production – at NU’s Cahn Auditorium. A critical and financial success, Mame set the stage for the long and ongoing run of Dolphin Show musicals at Cahn.
“Mame,” 1970
The alumni of 1970’s Mame and the cast and crew of 2021’s Dolphin Show, Pippin, recently marked more than 50 years of excellence in musical theatre with a timeline drawn from archival records. Take the plunge and see for yourself: