If you thought it was writing partner Oscar Hammerstein, you’re wrong. Hammerstein wrote the lyrics. The book was created by the team of Russell Crouse and Howard Lindsay. Crouse and Lindsay were brought on board for the project first because producers envisioned that the show would be a play and not a musical. After some time, they decided the story would best be presented as a musical. Crouse and Russell were retained and Rodgers and Hammerstein added to the project.