Show guide
The Will Rogers Follies
The Will Rogers Follies is a warm, showbiz-flavored tribute to the beloved cowboy humorist, told in the style of a glittering old-time variety revue.
- Broadway premiere
- 1991
- Music by
- Cy Coleman
- Genre
- Comedy
- Setting
- 1920s
The Will Rogers Follies: quick answers
What is The Will Rogers Follies about?
- The Will Rogers Follies tells the life of cowboy humorist Will Rogers, from his early years and romance with Betty Blake to his stardom on stage, screen and radio and his death in a 1935 plane crash, staged as a Ziegfeld Follies revue.
When did The Will Rogers Follies open on Broadway?
- The Will Rogers Follies opened on Broadway on May 1, 1991, at the Palace Theatre and ran for 981 performances, closing on September 5, 1993. It won the Tony Award for Best Musical.
What kind of musical is The Will Rogers Follies?
- It is a biographical musical comedy with an original score by Cy Coleman and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, framed as a lavish Ziegfeld Follies-style revue and directed and choreographed by Tommy Tune.
Where and when is The Will Rogers Follies set?
- The Will Rogers Follies is set on the stage of a Ziegfeld Follies-style production, spanning Will Rogers's life from his early years to his fatal 1935 plane crash in Alaska with pilot Wiley Post.
The story of The Will Rogers Follies
The show traces the life of Will Rogers, the folksy performer and commentator who rose from roping cowboy to one of the most popular entertainers and social observers of early twentieth century America, primarily through the 1920s. Rather than a straightforward biography, the musical frames his story as a Ziegfeld-style follies production, complete with a stage manager voice guiding the action, showgirls, and specialty numbers woven around his story.
This theatrical device lets the show move fluidly through Rogers's career highlights, his marriage, and his easy, down-home wit, all while echoing the kind of lavish revue entertainment that would have shared a Broadway landscape with him in his own era.
The music and the makers
Cy Coleman composed the score, working with lyricists Betty Comden and Adolph Green, a pairing that brought decades of combined Broadway comedy experience to the project. Coleman's music leans into big, brassy showtunes and old-fashioned charm, fitting for a story told through the lens of a vintage variety show.
The songs balance comic numbers with more sentimental moments, mirroring Rogers's own mix of humor and homespun wisdom. It is a score built for spectacle, designed to showcase both star power and old Broadway pageantry.
The Will Rogers Follies on Broadway
The Will Rogers Follies opened in 1991 and found success by leaning fully into nostalgia, offering audiences the glamour of a golden age revue alongside a genuinely likable central figure. Its comedy genre and light touch made it an appealing counterpoint to darker or more issue-driven shows of its era.
The production's appeal came from its sheer theatricality: elaborate staging, a fond depiction of a genuinely famous American figure, and songs meant to entertain rather than provoke. It remains a fond example of how Broadway can turn biography into old-fashioned showbiz joy.
The Will Rogers Follies: frequently asked questions
When did The Will Rogers Follies open on Broadway?
It opened on Broadway in 1991.
Who composed The Will Rogers Follies?
Cy Coleman composed the music, with lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green.
What is The Will Rogers Follies about?
It tells the life story of entertainer and humorist Will Rogers, framed as a glamorous old-time variety revue.
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