On a wintry Tuesday evening in 1906, attendees rushed out of the cold and into the Herald Square Theater in New York City. That night, Feb. 6, would go on to be recorded as the coldest night of the year. But patrons were warmed by the sights and sounds emanating from the stage. Though the temperature barely reached 8 degrees Fahrenheit outside, inside, playwright and performer George M. Cohan worked up a sweat starring in the premiere of his musical, “George Washington, Jr.”
The historic play focuses on an ongoing quarrel between two politicians. Like the record-setting temperature from the night of the its debut, the show’s high-energy number, “You’re a Grand Old Flag,” went on to set records of its own.
