Floyd Collins (1996 Original Off-Broadway Cast)

One thing is certain: Adam Guettel's Floyd Collins is a musical like no other on Broadway. Based on a true story from 1925, Collins follows a Kentucky farmer who seeks riches by trying to discover the largest cave in the region, gets trapped, and becomes the subject of an intense media circus (happening just above him on ground level). Floyd is never saved and the gawkers eventually pack up and move away, but don't be confused: this production is about far more than spelunking gone awry. Adam Guettel has created an infectious musical filled with Americana (plenty of bluegrass and Aaron Copland references in the music), smart lyrics, and true depth. Christopher Innvar plays Floyd to great effect, a guy so immersed in his quest for the American Dream it's hard not to fall for him. The music is gorgeous and varying--"The Riddle Song," sung by Floyd's brother Homer (played here by Jason Danieley), is funny; "The Dream" is downright angelic--and the story is simply spellbinding. Broadway in the 1990s has seen few musicals so original. --Jason Verlinde