The show had its Broadway premiere in 1947, which ran for 725 performances and won three Tony Awards, including one for star David Wayne and one for legendary choreographer Michael Kidd who made his Broadway debut with the show. One of the first of the socially conscious postwar musicals, Finian's Rainbow is unusual in that it deals in a satirical way with issues of class, race, and economics, most specifically in the character of a bigoted Southern senator who is accidentally turned black. It was also notable in its time for featuring an integrated cast at a time when most shows did not and for featuring a mute character who expresses herself solely through dance. The musical was revived in 1955 at City Center and in 1960 at Broadway's 46th Street Theatre.
| 1947 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
| 1947 | West End |
London Production West End |
| 1955 | Broadway |
City Center Revival Broadway |
| 1960 | Broadway |
City Center Revival Broadway |
| 1997 | Regional (US) |
Goodspeed Revival Regional (US) |
| 1999 | New York |
Reading New York |
| 1999 | US Tour |
Touring Revival US Tour |
| 2003 | New York |
New York Concert New York |
| 2004 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway Revival Off-Broadway |
| 2004 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway |
| 2009 | Broadway |
Broadway Revival Broadway |
| 2016 | Off-Broadway |
Irish Repertory Company Off-Broadway Revival Off-Broadway |
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | Tony Awards | Best Conductor and Musical Director | Max Meth |
| 1947 | Theatre World Awards | Performance | David Wayne |
| 1947 | Tony Awards | Best Choreography | Michael Kidd |
| 1947 | Tony Awards | Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical | David Wayne |
Videos
