George Gershwin different musical styles in revolutionary ways. Since the early 1920s, Gershwin frequently worked with the lyricist Buddy DeSylva. Together they created the experimental one-act jazz opera "Blue Monday," set in Harlem. It is widely regarded as a forerunner to the groundbreaking "Porgy and Bess". In 1924, George and Ira Gershwin collaborated on a stage musical comedy "Lady Be Good", which included such future standards as "Fascinating Rhythm" and "Oh, Lady Be Good!". They followed this with "Oh, Kay!" (1926), "Funny Face" (1927) and "Strike Up the Band" (1927 and 1930). Gershwin allowed the song, with a modified title, to UCLA
Neil Simon Theatre opened on November 22, 1927, with George and Ira Gershwin's "Funny Face" starring Fred and Adele Astaire. In 1930, Ethel Merman made her Broadway debut in "Girl Crazy"; in 1934, she appeared again in Cole Porter's "Anything Goes" and again in 1936 in Porter's "Red, Hot and Blue". In 1935, the Gershwins' American folk opera "Porgy and Bess" had its world premiere at the venue. Due to the Great Depression, Aarons and Freedley lost control of their venue in 1932. For a period, CBS used it as a radio studio. In 1960, Lucille Ball appeared in her only Broadway show,