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Fiorello!

by Jerome Weidman, George Abbott, Jerry Bock, and Sheldon Harnick

Listen to the Original Cast recording on YouTube

ABOUT THE PLAY

Fiorello! is a musical about New York City mayor (1934 to 1945) Fiorello H. LaGuardia, a reform Republican who took on the Tammany Hall political machine. The book is drawn substantially from the 1955 volume Life With Fiorello by Ernest Cuneo, with lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and music by Jerry Bock. It is one of only nine musicals to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

The play opened on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theatre on November 23, 1959, moved to The Broadway Theatre on May 9, 1961, and closed on October 28, 1961, after 795 performances. It was directed by George Abbott with choreography by Peter Gennaro. Tom Bosley originated the title role opposite Howard Da Silva as the Republican machine boss Ben Marino. The cast featured Ellen Hanley as Thea, Pat Stanley as Dora, Patricia Wilson as Marie, Nathaniel Frey as Morris, and Broadway’s future Superman, Bob Holiday, as Neil.