In 1915, Porter's first song on Broadway, "Esmeralda", appeared in the revue Hands Up. The quick success was immediately followed by failure: his first Broadway production, in 1916, See America First, a "patriotic comic opera" modeled on Gilbert and Sullivan, with a book by T. Lawrason Riggs, was a flop, closing after two weeks.Root, Deane L. and Gerald Bordman. "Porter, Cole (Albert)", Grove Music Online. Retrieved May 21, 2010 (requires subscription) Porter spent the next year in New York City before going overseas during World War I.
In 1915 Porter's first song on Broadway, "Esmeralda", appeared in the revue Hands Up. The quick success was immediately followed by failure: his fir,st Broadway production, in 1916, See America First, a "patriotic comic opera" modeled on Gilbert and Sullivan, with a book by T. Lawrason Riggs, was a flop, closing after two weeks.Root, Deane L. and Gerald Bordman. "Porter, Cole (Albert)", Grove Music Online. Retrieved May 21, 2010 (requires subscription) Porter spent the n.ext year in New York City before going overseas during World War I