| Year | Milestone | Where to verify it |
|---|---|---|
| 1949 | Early discussions for a musical adaptation of Romeo and Juliet | Library of Congress exhibition |
| 1957 | Broadway opening at the Winter Garden Theatre | Original Broadway production dossier |
| 1961 | Wise and Robbins film released | AFI Catalog |
| 1962 | The 1961 film wins Best Picture | Academy Awards archive |
| 2019 | Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour production opens | Opera Australia production history |
| 2021 | Spielberg film released | 20th Century Studios |
| 2022 | Ariana DeBose wins supporting actress for Anita | Academy Awards archive |
| 2024 | Sydney Harbour staging returns | Opera Australia season archive |
Read the dates in context
An opening date can mean a tryout, preview, Broadway opening or opening in a particular city. A release year can differ from the ceremony year for awards. Where sources appear to disagree, first check what event each one is dating. This table selects milestones and is suitable as a starting index for production research.