Floyd Collins will finally make its long-awaited Broadway

There’s a particular chill that creeps in when you learn that a musical is about a man trapped underground, left to contemplate life and death as rescue efforts rage above him. It’s hardly the sort of premise you’d expect to see dancing its way into your local theatre, let alone onto Broadway. Yet Tina Landau and Adam Guettel have spent decades proving that the best stories are sometimes the most unexpected. And this spring, thanks to Lincoln Center Theater, their 1996 Off-Broadway cult favourite—FLOYD COLLINS—will finally make its long-awaited Broadway debut at the Vivian Beaumont, beginning 27 March ahead of an official 21 April opening night.

A Musical Born Of Unlikely Inspiration

Loosely inspired by a 1976 American Heritage article titled “Dark Carnival,” the show recounts the real-life tale of Floyd Collins, a Kentucky cave explorer who gets stuck in an underground passage and can’t escape. His predicament triggers what is widely seen as one of the first major American media circuses: thousands of onlookers and reporters camp out near the site, breathlessly documenting every moment of rescue attempts. For better or worse, the carnival aspect captures the same fascination you might find in modern tabloids or on 24-hour cable news—except it happened in 1925, in a world only just starting to adopt radio broadcasts.

According to Tina Landau, who directs and co-wrote the book, the story’s theatricality is right there in its premise: a ticking clock, a man’s life on the line, and throngs of gawkers cheering or waiting for the next headline. But the spark wasn’t just about sensationalism. Adam Guettel, who composed the music and wrote the lyrics, points to a more personal angle. He grew up the grandson of Richard Rodgers (of Rodgers and Hammerstein fame), and as he started his own career, the legacy of his family tree loomed large. Floyd Collins, Guettel says, became a way to explore the nobility in pushing for greatness—even if you may not reach the standard set by your legendary predecessors.

The Road From Obscurity To Broadway

When FLOYD COLLINS opened Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons in 1996, it won an Obie Award for music and a Lucille Lortel Award for Best Musical. Critics praised its haunting score, especially the final number, How Glory Goes, which has since earned a spot in many singers’ repertoire. Although the piece never made a commercial jump to a long Broadway run at the time, it secured cult status among musical theatre enthusiasts intrigued by its unusual subject matter and innovative score. It didn’t hurt that Stephen Sondheim, a close family friend of Guettel’s, gave the project a thumbs-up during its embryonic stage, observing that the 1951 film Ace in the Hole (also inspired by the Floyd Collins event) would make for a fascinating show.

Still, with a narrative this grim, audiences might balk at booking tickets for what appears to be a claustrophobic tragedy. Yet the show works precisely because it weaves together high-stakes drama with Guettel’s emotionally resonant, often genre-defying music. Whenever the action returns to Floyd below ground, the soundscape becomes almost operatic, capturing the awe and eeriness of subterranean solitude. Above ground, the melodies lean more into a folksy, Americana style, reflecting the small-town atmosphere where carnival barkers and intrepid newspapermen parade in search of headlines.

Bringing The Band Back Together

This new Broadway outing for FLOYD COLLINS reunites Tina Landau and Adam Guettel, who’ve each built formidable résumés since the show’s initial run. Landau has directed everything from experimental plays to blockbuster musicals—most recently helming projects like SpongeBob SquarePants on Broadway and Redwood, a new musical now in previews at the Nederlander Theatre. For Guettel, the years have brought Tony Award victories (two, in fact) for The Light in the Piazza, as well as accolades for Myths and Hymns, Days of Wine and Roses, and the forthcoming Millions, set for a world premiere at Atlanta’s Alliance Theatre.

Both Landau and Guettel admit to feeling an emotional flood upon reopening the Floyd Collins “vault.” Landau was even reluctant to listen to the original cast album for fear it would stir old longings she couldn’t fulfil. Yet, as soon as Lincoln Center indicated availability at the Vivian Beaumont—a space the pair felt would be perfect—the door swung wide open for them to revisit the material.

Shaping A New Version Without Losing The Magic

One particular challenge they’re tackling this time around is the dialect. Landau says the original version contained lines written in a kind of stylised Kentuckian patois—something that felt authentically “rural 1920s” to her younger self. But with fresh eyes (and ears), she worries it might tip into caricature and overshadow the humanity of these characters. Removing or softening those dialect cues is a way to ensure audiences engage with the people on stage rather than be distracted by phonetic spellings. This revision underscores a broader philosophy guiding their rewrites: preserve the heart and soul of the show, but refine any elements that could unintentionally alienate or misrepresent.

Of course, the emotional core remains intact. Landau describes the piece as a story not about death but about transcendence. The character of Floyd, portrayed in this new production by Jeremy Jordan—a West End and Broadway star known for Newsies and The Great Gatsby—spends much of the musical singing underground. It’s in these moments, Guettel says, that Floyd’s voice “bypasses language” through yodels and echo motifs, approximating the real-life practice of “sounding the cave.” The result is a deeply theatrical depiction of a man whose ambition led him into a cave in search of fame or fortune—but ultimately towards a different kind of deliverance.

The Dual Worlds

One compelling aspect of FLOYD COLLINS is how it bridges two drastically different environments: the claustrophobic, echo-filled cavern below and the bustling, media-obsessed circus above. Landau and Guettel effectively craft two sonic textures, and the tension between them elevates the drama. You get the heartfelt introspection of a lone explorer on one side and the frantic pitch of would-be rescuers, opportunistic hawkers, and concerned family members on the other.

For the creative team, this duality offers a chance to experiment with stagecraft. How do you visually convey an underground expanse in the sprawling Vivian Beaumont theatre? Landau is known for her imaginative staging, so expect an inventive blend of lighting, sound design, and set elements that immerse the audience in both worlds. This dichotomy—part carnival sideshow, part spiritual journey—makes FLOYD COLLINS a truly singular musical. It’s also an opportunity to reflect on our appetite for spectacle, from early radio broadcasts to modern social media frenzies.

Could A Tour Down Under Be Next?

Though there’s no current announcement about an Australian run, it’s worth noting that Guettel’s work has previously travelled beyond Broadway, with The Light in the Piazza enjoying international stagings. The success of other musicals in the Australian market—where theatre fans eagerly welcome new productions—could theoretically pave the way for FLOYD COLLINS to head Down Under. Given the story’s timeless exploration of human tenacity and the universal fascination with sensational news coverage, it’s not difficult to imagine Aussie audiences being just as spellbound by Floyd’s haunting journey.

Where Does Floyd Lead Us?

What’s clear from Landau and Guettel’s reflections is that FLOYD COLLINS was never just about a tragic accident. It’s about the fire in one’s soul that drives you to dream big, the carnival that forms around public suffering, and the bittersweet notion that, sometimes, letting go might be the truest path to discovering “how glory goes.” Even though the entire plot is anchored by a man’s tragic immobility, the musical soars precisely because it asks audiences to ponder freedom, ambition, and the deeper spiritual possibility waiting beneath the surface of everyday life.

Landau believes the show has a “happy ending” because, in its final moments, Floyd finds release—a kind of transcendence that defies normal definitions of success or failure. And as with any truly great musical, that sense of liberation is amplified by Guettel’s remarkable score, calling to mind the best of grand storytelling while capturing something raw and intimate.

Echoes In The Cave

At a glance, FLOYD COLLINS seems an unlikely candidate for Broadway—a subterranean tragedy told through the mediums of bluegrass, folk, and near-operatic solos. But scratch the surface, and you’ll find a show with a powerful human heartbeat. Directed by Tina Landau and set to Adam Guettel’s enthralling score, this musical reminds us that life’s grandest journeys often unfold in the darkness, lit only by the force of our convictions and the echo of our hopes.

When the lights go down at the Vivian Beaumont and the first echoes ring out, audiences might just discover something new about themselves: a yearning for adventure, a recognition of vulnerability, or even a deeper empathy for people half a world—or half a cave—away. After all, at its core, FLOYD COLLINS is a celebration of listening to that inner voice that calls us, urging us to move forward even when the path is dimly lit. And while the hero’s journey here ends beneath the Kentucky clay, the sense of awe and introspection lingers long after the final curtain.

Ready To Descend Into The Depths?

So if you’re seeking a theatre experience that strays from the well-trod territory of romantic comedies and light-hearted revues, mark 27 March in your diary. For lovers of boundary-pushing musical theatre—and anyone enthralled by the idea of adventure—the arrival of FLOYD COLLINS on Broadway is a summons worth heeding. Just remember: even in the darkest caverns, there’s music echoing in the air, guiding us toward revelation, meaning, and perhaps a glimpse of glory beyond the everyday.