Of Thee I Sing was the first musical to win the Pulitzer Prize for drama. The prize was awarded in 1932 to George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind, who wrote the book for the show, and Ira Gershwin, who wrote the lyrics. George Gershwin was omitted from the prize because he was the composer and considered ineligible for the literary award. The musical opened on Dec. 26, 1931, and ran for 441 performances.
Of Thee I Sing was a satire that ridiculed political conventions, political campaigns, the vice presidency, and the Supreme Court of the United States, among other targets. The central characters are John P. Wintergreen, who is running for president, and his vice presidential running mate, Alexander Throttlebottom. They run on a platform of love, using the title song as their campaign song. Wintergreen is elected but runs into comical difficulties after he takes office. The show has a happy ending.
The score includes the hits “Love Is Sweeping the Country” and “Who Cares?,” as well as “Of Thee I Sing.” William Gaxton played Wintergreen and Victor Moore played Throttlebottom in the original production. Kaufman was the director, and George Hale was the choreographer (creator of dances). A sequel called Let ‘Em Eat Cake opened in 1933, composed by the same writers and with the original stars. The show was not a success, but it did include the Gershwin hit “Mine.”
