Show Boat: Musical Information & Synopsis
Synopsis
Show Boat spans several decades, exploring the lives and relationships of the performers, stagehands, and workers aboard a Mississippi River showboat. The central love story involves Magnolia Hawks, the daughter of the showboat’s owner, and Gaylord Ravenal, a charming gambler. As their lives intertwine with the others on the boat, Show Boat delves into the complexities of race, class, and love during a transformative period in American history.
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Musical Information
Musical Type: Jazz Age (1927)
Cast Size: 30+
Genre: Drama
Setting: 1800s, 1900s, 1910s, 1920s / USA (Illinois, Mississippi), At Sea
Creative Team
Music: Jerome Kern
Lyrics/Book: Oscar Hammerstein II
Additional Lyrics: P.G. Wodehouse (for “Bill”)
Additional Songs: Joseph E. Howard, Charles K. Harris
Based On: Show Boat➝ by Edna Ferber
Awards
Drama Desk Award: Outstanding Musical (1995)
Cast Albums
Licensing
Show Boat is available to license through Concord Theatricals.
UK Licensing Options
USA/Canada Licensing Options
Resources
Audition Songs: Theatre Trip
Sheet Music: Musicnotes➝
Tags
1920s, Based on a Book, Black History, Blues, Child Roles, Classic, Classical, Dramatic, Epic, Jazz, Large Cast, Legit, Operetta, Popular, Theatre, Two-Word
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Last Reviewed: January, 2026