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Show BoatOpening Date: Nov 5, 2014
Closing Date: Nov 8, 2014 Air date: Oct 16, 2015 Medium: television Where to watch: PBS (until 10/16/2018) |
Show Boat was a novel written by Edna Ferber and published in 1926. The best-selling novel told the inter-generational story of life aboard a show boat on the Mississippi River between 1850 and 1920.
Within a year of the book’s publication, the stage rights had been granted to theatre impresario Florenz Ziegfeld. With a book and score by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II, Show Boat opened on Broadway in 1927.
Show Boat the musical was a smash hit, and revolutionized Broadway. It was the first “integrated musical” — whereby plot, character, song and dance were developments of each other and came together to tell a whole story. A break from the fluff and light humor of traditional Broadway shows, Show Boat was revolutionary for its heavy themes, realistically depicting the lives of everyday people, and for featuring actors of color in prominent roles. Show Boat is now considered the first true “American musical,” distinct from operetta, vaudeville, and revues.
Kern and Hammerstein’s musical was adapted into film in 1936 and 1951. An earlier movie musical version of the novel had also been released in 1929, though it was not based on Kern and Hammerstein’s version. The 1929 Universal film did attempt to capitalize on the stage show’s success by including a prologue of original cast members singing popular songs from the show.
Kern and Hammerstein’s Show Boat has been revived on Broadway and in the West End multiple times. The 1991 West End production won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Revival of a Musical, and the 1994 Broadway production won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. The show has also received multiple national tours regional productions.
Filmed Production Notes
A star-studded production of Show Boat was announced as part of the New York Philharmonic annual fall program of “semi-staged” musicals. Show Boat followed on from earlier popular programs by the New York Philharmonic Carousel (2013) and Sweeney Todd (2014).
The production featured a rare opportunity to hear the score played by an orchestra comprised of close to 100 players — the original orchestrations called for 32 players.
The Lincoln Center production received rave reviews. Critics praised the show’s lush musical interpretation, and one reviewer stated the production was “heaven on earth.”
The live recording was aired on PBS on October 16, 2015 as part of the fifth annual PBS Arts Fall Festival. The show was also made available on demand via the PBS website. The program was listed as the Seattle Times TV pick of the day.
Show Boat will be available to view on PBS until October 16, 2018.
Within a year of the book’s publication, the stage rights had been granted to theatre impresario Florenz Ziegfeld. With a book and score by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II, Show Boat opened on Broadway in 1927.
Show Boat the musical was a smash hit, and revolutionized Broadway. It was the first “integrated musical” — whereby plot, character, song and dance were developments of each other and came together to tell a whole story. A break from the fluff and light humor of traditional Broadway shows, Show Boat was revolutionary for its heavy themes, realistically depicting the lives of everyday people, and for featuring actors of color in prominent roles. Show Boat is now considered the first true “American musical,” distinct from operetta, vaudeville, and revues.
Kern and Hammerstein’s musical was adapted into film in 1936 and 1951. An earlier movie musical version of the novel had also been released in 1929, though it was not based on Kern and Hammerstein’s version. The 1929 Universal film did attempt to capitalize on the stage show’s success by including a prologue of original cast members singing popular songs from the show.
Kern and Hammerstein’s Show Boat has been revived on Broadway and in the West End multiple times. The 1991 West End production won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Revival of a Musical, and the 1994 Broadway production won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. The show has also received multiple national tours regional productions.
Filmed Production Notes
A star-studded production of Show Boat was announced as part of the New York Philharmonic annual fall program of “semi-staged” musicals. Show Boat followed on from earlier popular programs by the New York Philharmonic Carousel (2013) and Sweeney Todd (2014).
The production featured a rare opportunity to hear the score played by an orchestra comprised of close to 100 players — the original orchestrations called for 32 players.
The Lincoln Center production received rave reviews. Critics praised the show’s lush musical interpretation, and one reviewer stated the production was “heaven on earth.”
The live recording was aired on PBS on October 16, 2015 as part of the fifth annual PBS Arts Fall Festival. The show was also made available on demand via the PBS website. The program was listed as the Seattle Times TV pick of the day.
Show Boat will be available to view on PBS until October 16, 2018.
Show Boat Production Credits
Theatre: Avery Fisher Hall (Lincoln Center)
Producer: Live from Lincoln Center, PBS, Andrew Carl Wilk
Music: Jerome Kern
Book and Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II
Director: Ted Sperling, Film: Andrew Carl Wilk
Musical Director and Conductor: Ted Sperling
Orchestrations: Robert Russell Bennett
Choreography: Randy Skinner
Scenic Design: Allen Moyer
Costume Design: Tracy Christensen
Lighting Design: Alan Adelman
Sound Design: Peter Fitzgerald
Hair and Wig Design: Walton Nunez
Make-Up Design: Joseph Dulude II
Stage Manager: Jeffrey Rodriguez
Cast:
Jane Alexander (Parthy), Christopher Fitzgerald (Frank), Erika Henningsen (Kim), Norm Lewis (Joe), Alli Mauzey (Ellie), Julian Ovenden (Gaylord Ravenal), Edward Watts (Steve), Fred Willard (Cap’n’ Andy), NaTasha Yvette Williams (Queenie), Vanessa Williams (Julie), Lauren Worsham (Magnolia)
Ensemble:
Alison Blackwell, Brian Cali (Peter), Carrie Compere, Alvin Crawford, Roosevelt Andre Credit, Peyton Ella (Young Kim), Rick Faugno, Tamar Greene (Charlie), Charissa Hogeland, David Hughey, Leavata Johnson, Kendrick Jones (tap dancer), Andrea Jones-Sojola, Adam Kaplan, Samuel A. McDonald, Desi Oakley, Bryonha Marie Parham, Kevin Pariseau (Jim), Jessica Lea Patty, William Ryall (Windy), Jessica Sheridan (Landlady), Laura Shoop (Sister), Jason Simon (Valon), Joseph Torello (Carnival Barker #3), Kevin Vortmann (Carnival Barker #2), Kay Walbye (Old Lady on the Levee), Nyla Watson (Ethel), Correy West (tap dancer), Leon Williams (Carnival Barker #1)
Theatre: Avery Fisher Hall (Lincoln Center)
Producer: Live from Lincoln Center, PBS, Andrew Carl Wilk
Music: Jerome Kern
Book and Lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II
Director: Ted Sperling, Film: Andrew Carl Wilk
Musical Director and Conductor: Ted Sperling
Orchestrations: Robert Russell Bennett
Choreography: Randy Skinner
Scenic Design: Allen Moyer
Costume Design: Tracy Christensen
Lighting Design: Alan Adelman
Sound Design: Peter Fitzgerald
Hair and Wig Design: Walton Nunez
Make-Up Design: Joseph Dulude II
Stage Manager: Jeffrey Rodriguez
Cast:
Jane Alexander (Parthy), Christopher Fitzgerald (Frank), Erika Henningsen (Kim), Norm Lewis (Joe), Alli Mauzey (Ellie), Julian Ovenden (Gaylord Ravenal), Edward Watts (Steve), Fred Willard (Cap’n’ Andy), NaTasha Yvette Williams (Queenie), Vanessa Williams (Julie), Lauren Worsham (Magnolia)
Ensemble:
Alison Blackwell, Brian Cali (Peter), Carrie Compere, Alvin Crawford, Roosevelt Andre Credit, Peyton Ella (Young Kim), Rick Faugno, Tamar Greene (Charlie), Charissa Hogeland, David Hughey, Leavata Johnson, Kendrick Jones (tap dancer), Andrea Jones-Sojola, Adam Kaplan, Samuel A. McDonald, Desi Oakley, Bryonha Marie Parham, Kevin Pariseau (Jim), Jessica Lea Patty, William Ryall (Windy), Jessica Sheridan (Landlady), Laura Shoop (Sister), Jason Simon (Valon), Joseph Torello (Carnival Barker #3), Kevin Vortmann (Carnival Barker #2), Kay Walbye (Old Lady on the Levee), Nyla Watson (Ethel), Correy West (tap dancer), Leon Williams (Carnival Barker #1)
Sources
- Andrew Gans, “PBS Will Broadcast Show Boat, Act One, Billy Elliot Plus Chita Rivera and Kander and Ebb Concerts This Fall” Playbill (Aug 1, 2015)
- Andrew Gans, “Show Boat, With Vanessa Williams, Julian Ovenden, Norm Lewis, Broadcast on PBS Tonight,” Playbill (Oct 16, 2015)
- Doug Knoop, “Oct. 16 TV Picks: ‘Show Boat’ on ‘Live From Lincoln Center,’” The Seattle Times (Oct 16, 2015)
- Steven Suskin, “Vanessa Williams, Norm Lewis and Lauren Worsham Bring Glorious Show Boat to Lincoln Center,” Playbill (Nov 6, 2014)
- New York Philharmonic, “Kern & Hammerstein's Show Boat,” New York Philharmonic Program Notes (undated)
- Rodgers and Hammerstein, “Show Boat,” Rodgers and Hammerstein: Our Shows (undated)
Written by Luisa Lyons (January, 2017)