Flora the Red Menace

John Kander and Fred Ebb’s 'Flora the Red Menace' is a brilliant, melody-infused 1965 musical comedy that holds historic distinction as the legendary songwriting duo’s official Broadway debut property. Set during the lean, anxious days of the Great Depression in 1935, the satirical plot follows Flora Mezaros, an optimistic, fiercely well-meaning young fashion illustrator who accidentally joins a local Communist Party cell to secure an advertising job and win the heart of a stuttering fellow activist. Directed by George Abbott at the Alvin Theatre, the landmark production permanently altered theatrical history by launching a nineteen-year-old Liza Minnelli into overnight stardom with a Tony-winning performance.