How well do you know the musical Floyd Collins? Test your knowledge of this thought-provoking show that dives deep into the tragic real-life story of caver Floyd Collins, whose entrapment sparked a nationwide media frenzy in 1925. With its complex music and lyrics by Adam Guettel, this off-Broadway hit has seen numerous productions and is set to make its Broadway debut in the 2024–25 season. Discover fascinating facts about the show's history, characters, and unique musical elements on this trivia page.
Adaptations
- The musical is set to make its Broadway debut in the 2024–25 season at the Vivian Beaumont Theater as part of Lincoln Center Theater's offerings.
International Productions
- After its off-Broadway run, the musical saw a number of productions, including at the Old Globe, Goodman Theatre, and in London.
Musical Composition
- The musical is noted for its unique use of complex music and lyrics, particularly the use of yodeling to determine cave sizes.
- Floyd Collins musical has a song titled 'The Ballad of Floyd Collins', which is reprised multiple times to highlight different emotional stages in the storyline.
- The album 'Floyd Collins' was released by Nonesuch Records on March 18, 1997.
- The song 'How Glory Goes' from the album was featured in Audra McDonald's 2000 album of the same name, as well as in Brian Stokes Mitchell's 2006 self-titled album and Kelli O'Hara's 2011 album 'Always'.
Production Facts
- Floyd Collins, a musical by Adam Guettel and Tina Landau, is based on a real-life event—the death of caver Floyd Collins in Kentucky during 1925.
- The musical initially premiered off-Broadway on February 9, 1996, and was directed by Tina Landau at Playwrights Horizons in New York City.
- Floyd Collins' story is tied to the Kentucky Cave Wars, a period when local landowners exploited natural caves to attract tourism prior to government intervention and the establishment of Mammoth Cave National Park.
- The character Skeets Miller, a journalist in the musical, is based on a real person, William Burke 'Skeets' Miller, who won the Pulitzer Prize for his reporting on the Floyd Collins story.
- Adam Guettel and Tina Landau, creators of Floyd Collins, met and decided to work on this project while studying at Yale University.
- The 1925 incident of Floyd Collins in the cave received national attention, which is echoed in the musical through the character of Skeets Miller and his interactions with national media.
- Despite a limited run of only 25 performances, 'Floyd Collins' received critical acclaim and left a notable impact on contemporary theater.
- The 1996 Off-Broadway production of 'Floyd Collins' was nominated for six Drama Desk Awards and won Best Musical at the Lucille Lortel Awards and Best Music at the Obie Awards.
- The production was also nominated for Best Off-Broadway Musical at the Outer Critics Circle Awards in 1996 but lost to 'Rent'.
