Overview
Since its premiere in 1927, Show Boat has never stopped
moving. For over seven decades, this seminal musical has continued to
evolve on a journey that has reflected the ongoing development of the
lyric theatre, confirming its status as the pivotal work bridging
operetta and contemporary musical theatre. After three film versions,
numerous Broadway and London revivals, countless tours and several recordings,
legendary director Harold Prince took the helm for a new Broadway
production in 1994 that instantly became the blockbuster hit of the
season. With Oscar Hammerstein's eldest son William serving as advisor,
Prince studied all previous versions of Show Boat and, with the
celebrated choreographer Susan Stroman, developed a version of the
classic that was hailed as a triumph by critics and audiences alike.
Spanning the years from 1880 to 1927, this lyrical masterpiece, centered around the Mississippi show boat Cotton Blossom, concerns the lives, loves and heartbreaks of three generations of show folk and their lifelong friends. Show Boat
follows the story of the Hawkes family, including the captain’s naive
daughter Magnolia, who wants to be a performer, as she marries a gambler
and moves with him to Chicago. When his debts compound, he deserts her
and their young daughter. Magnolia's selfless best friend Julie, a
performer on the Cotton Blossom, faces arrest on charges of
miscegenation, which is illegal, and she spirals into despair. The
passing of time reunites Magnolia and her now-grown daughter with Magnolia's
estranged husband, who returns offering a second chance at familial
happiness.