Ground Breaking SHOW BOAT Opens Wednesday At Alhambra Theatre & Dining

The premiere of Show Boat on Broadway in 1927 was a watershed moment in the history of American musicals. Compared to the trivial and unrealistic operettas, light musical comedies and "Follies"-type musical revues that defined Broadway in the 1890s and early 20th century, Show Boat was, according to the "Complete Book of Light Opera, "a radical departure in musical storytelling, marrying spectacle with seriousness."

The quality of the musical was recognized immediately by the critics of its day, and Show Boat is frequently revived. Awards for Broadway shows did not exist in 1927 when the original production of the show premiered, nor in 1932, when its first revival was staged. However Late 20th-century revivals of Show Boat have won both the1995 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical and London's equivalent in 1991, the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival.

As part of its 50th anniversary season, the Alhambra Theater and Dining, the nation's longest-running professional dinner theater, will open its run of Show Boat beginning on Wednesday, February 22, 2017 through April 2, 2017. Show Boat is presented by Fleet Landing.

Starring in the show as Captain Andy will be Bill Galarno. Galarno appeared in the Alhambra's 1968 production of "The Fantastics." Galarno, who has several Broadway credits on his resume, is excited to be back at the Alhambra for Show Boat. Show Boat is based on Edna Ferber's best-selling novel of the same name, the musical follows the lives of the performers, stagehands and dock workers on the Cotton Blossom, a Mississippi River show boat, over 40 years, from 1887 to 1927. The musical contributed such classic songs as "Ol' Man River," Make Believe" and "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man."

Said Managing Partner, Craig Smith, "Show Boat is a classic and certainly an important show as we journey through our 50th anniversary season. We are certainly lucky to have Bill with us as Captain Andy. Having him back certainly represents our theme of "50 Years of Memories."

Boat runs February 22 through April 2. Tickets start at $35 for and range to $53. Ticket price includes dinner, show and parking. For all evening performances, doors open at 5:50 PM with dinner beginning at approximately 6:00 PM. The show begins at 7:50 PM. Doors open at 10:50 AM for Saturday matiness with the meal beginning at 11:00 AM, and the show beginning at 1:15 PM. For the Sunday matinee the doors open at 11:50 AM, the meal is served at 12:00 PM and the show begins at 1:50 PM. Call the box office at 904.641.1212 or at www.alhambrajax.com.