Show Boat

musical by Kern and Hammerstein II

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July 13, 2026

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Show Boat is a seminal 1927 musical with music by Jerome Kern and a book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It is based on Edna Ferber's 1926 novel of the same name. The musical is significant for its serious plot, which explored themes of racial prejudice and marital issues, moving beyond the typical lighthearted fare of musical comedies at the time.123

The story follows three generations of a theatrical family who perform on a showboat, a floating theater that traveled along the Mississippi River. This innovative approach to storytelling, where music was integral to the narrative, marked a turning point in the development of the musical play. Iconic songs from Show Boat include "Ol' Man River" and "Make Believe".45312

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musical
Show Boat and the golden age of musicals
…with the 1927 production of Show Boat (music by Kern, book and lyrics by Hammerstein); it was the first musical to provide a cohesive plot and initiate the use of music that was integral to the narrative, a practice that did not fully take hold until the 1940s. Based on…
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…with the 1927 production of Show Boat (music by Kern, book and lyrics by Hammerstein); it was the first musical to provide a cohesive plot and initiate the use of music that was integral to the narrative, a practice that did not fully take hold until the 1940s. Based on…
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Jerome Kern
composers of musical comedy, whose Show Boat (with libretto by Oscar Hammerstein II) inaugurated the serious musical play in U.S. theatre.
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composers of musical comedy, whose Show Boat (with libretto by Oscar Hammerstein II) inaugurated the serious musical play in U.S. theatre.
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Paul Robeson
Stardom on the stage and screen
…Joe in the musical play Show Boat with his incomparable performance of “Ol’ Man River.” The role of the boat’s stevedore had been expanded by composers Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II from the musical’s source material—Edna Ferber’s 1926 novel—specifically for Robeson, and the lyrics of “Ol’ Man River” had…
Read More
…Joe in the musical play Show Boat with his incomparable performance of “Ol’ Man River.” The role of the boat’s stevedore had been expanded by composers Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II from the musical’s source material—Edna Ferber’s 1926 novel—specifically for Robeson, and the lyrics of “Ol’ Man River” had…
Read More