The Will Rogers Follies, a musical celebrating the life of humorist Will Rogers, uses the Ziegfeld Follies as a backdrop to narrate his life through production numbers.
In addition to acting, the character of Will Rogers showcases rope tricks in between scenes in the musical.
Act I of the musical features a fictional, theatrically enhanced meeting between Will Rogers and his future wife, Betty Blake, where she is theatrically lowered from the Moon.
In The Will Rogers Follies, Rogers communicates directly with both the audience and the off-stage voice of Florenz Ziegfeld, providing a unique interactive experience.
The original Broadway production of The Will Rogers Follies opened in 1991 at the Palace Theatre and ran for over two years, closing after 981 performances.
Notably, the role of Will Rogers was originally intended for John Denver, but he ultimately did not take the part due to a conflict with the librettist Peter Stone.
Throughout its run, The Will Rogers Follies saw several cast changes, including notable replacements like Mac Davis and Larry Gatlin as Rogers, and Mickey Rooney as Rogers' father Clem.
The musical ended its Broadway run depicting the tragic death of Will Rogers in a plane crash, an event that historically marked a significant moment in American culture.
Following its Broadway success, The Will Rogers Follies embarked on several national tours, featuring different famous actors like Pat Boone taking on the role of Will Rogers.
The original voice of Florenz Ziegfeld in the Broadway production was recorded by Gregory Peck, adding a layer of star power to the show.
