The Hot Mikado (1939)

Bill "Bojangles" Robinson in The Hot Mikado
Source: Flickr

The Hot Mikado was a 1939 Broadway adaptation of The Mikado originally produced by Mike Todd. After being turned down from airing a broadway production of The Swing Mikado, Todd created the jazzier, still all African-American casted, The Hot Mikado.

A version of The Hot Mikado was performed at the 1939-1940 New York World’s Fair and was reportedly one of the most popular attractions. Much of The Hot Mikado’s original libretto and musical arrangements were lost, but the production served as inspiration for the renowned 1986 adaptation Hot Mikado.