Sir Noël Peirce Coward (16 December 1899 – 26 March 1973) was an English playwright, composer, director, actor and singer, known for his wit, flamboyance, and what Time magazine called "a sense of personal style, a combination of cheek and chic, pose and poise".

Cavalcade is a play by Coward. It focuses on three decades in the life of the Marryotts, a quintessential British family, and their servants, beginning at the start of the 20th century and ending on New Year's Eve in 1929.

The play premiered in London in 1931 at the large Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. The spectacular production involved a huge cast and massive sets. The play was very successful and ran for almost a year.

In January 1933, the critically acclaimed film adaptation of the same name premiered in the United States, and the London premiere followed in March. It was directed by Frank Lloyd and starred Diana Wynyard and Clive Brook a. It won the Oscar for best picture.