Show guide
Crazy for You
Crazy for You is the exuberant, tap happy jukebox musical built around the classic songs of George Gershwin, a joyful throwback to the golden age of Broadway comedy.
- Broadway premiere
- 1992
- Music by
- George Gershwin
- Genre
- Jukebox
- Setting
- 1930s
Crazy for You: quick answers
What is Crazy for You about?
- Bobby Child, a New York banker's son, is sent to Deadrock, Nevada, to foreclose on a theatre, falls for Polly Baker, the owner's daughter, and schemes to save the theatre by putting on a show.
When did Crazy for You open on Broadway?
- Crazy for You opened on Broadway on February 19, 1992, at the Shubert Theatre and ran for 1,622 performances. It won the Tony Award for Best Musical.
Is Crazy for You a jukebox musical?
- Yes. Its songs are existing George and Ira Gershwin songs, drawn from their 1930 musical Girl Crazy and from films such as Shall We Dance and A Damsel in Distress, set to an entirely new romantic comedy plot.
Where and when is Crazy for You set?
- Crazy for You is set in the 1930s, in New York City and the small town of Deadrock, Nevada.
Has Crazy for You played in London's West End?
- Crazy for You opened at London's Prince Edward Theatre in 1993 with Ruthie Henshall as Polly. A 2011 revival from Regent's Park Open Air Theatre transferred to the Novello Theatre and won the Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival.
Is there a Crazy for You movie?
- Crazy for You has not been filmed. Its source musical, Girl Crazy, was filmed in 1932 and again in 1943 with Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland.
The story of Crazy for You
The show is set in a small, struggling western town in the 1930s and centers on a young man sent from New York to shut down a local theater, who instead falls for a local woman and decides to save the show by staging a production himself. The plot leans into classic mistaken identity and let's put on a show comedy, full of broad humor and romantic mix ups.
Because it was built around an existing Gershwin song catalog rather than a wholly original score, the story was constructed to give those songs a fresh dramatic home, resulting in a breezy, good natured comedy that wears its old fashioned charm proudly.
The music and the makers
The songs are drawn from the catalog of George Gershwin, one of the most celebrated American composers of the twentieth century, whose work blended popular song, jazz, and classical influences into a sound instantly recognizable as his own. As a jukebox style musical, the show assembles beloved Gershwin numbers into a new narrative rather than presenting an entirely original score.
The result is a score packed with irresistible melodies and the kind of rhythmic sophistication that made Gershwin a defining voice of American popular music, all wrapped in lavish tap and ensemble dance numbers.
Crazy for You on Broadway
Crazy for You arrived as a lavish, old fashioned crowd pleaser at a time when audiences were eager for a return to big, unapologetically joyful musical comedy. Its emphasis on dazzling tap choreography and beloved standards gave it broad appeal well beyond dedicated theater fans.
The show is often cited as a model of how to build a satisfying new musical around a classic songbook, balancing nostalgia with enough comic energy and dance spectacle to feel like more than a simple revue. It remains a favorite for productions looking to deliver pure entertainment.
Crazy for You: frequently asked questions
When did Crazy for You open on Broadway?
It opened in 1992.
Who composed the music for Crazy for You?
The songs come from the catalog of George Gershwin.
What kind of musical is Crazy for You?
It is a jukebox musical, built around existing Gershwin songs set to a new comic story, set in a small western town in the 1930s.
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