Zorba is a musical with a book by Joseph Stein, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and music by John Kander. Adapted from the 1946 novel Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis and the subsequent 1964 film of the same name, it focuses on the friendship that evolves between Zorba and Nikos, a young American who has inherited an abandoned mine on Crete, and their romantic relationships with a local widow and a French woman, respectively. The musical premiered on Broadway in 1968 in a production directed by Harold Prince. It was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Musical in a season that included Hair, Promises, Promises and 1776. The last of these won the award. The original production ran for 305 performances, and a 1983 Broadway revival ran for 362 performances with a cast starring Anthony Quinn.
Productions
;Original Broadway Production The musical opened on Broadway on November 16, 1968, at the Imperial Theatre, where it ran for 305 performances and twelve previews. Directed by Harold Prince and choreographed by Ron Field, the cast included Herschel Bernardi, Maria Karnilova, Carmen Alvarez, John Cunningham, and Lorraine Serabian. Scenic design was by Boris Aronson, costume design was by Patricia Zipprodt, and lighting design was by Richard Pilbrow. The production received several Tony Award nominations, winning the Tony Award for Best Scenic Design. ;Music: On Tour! The musical was revised to be less "austere" and toured with John Raitt, and included a new song for him. Chita Rivera played the role of "The Leader". Because reviews were not favorable, the show did not return to Broadway at that time. The bus and truck tour featured Vivian Blaine as Madam Hortense and Michael Kermoyan in the title role, with Prince directing and choreography by Patricia Birch. ;1976 Second National Tour The second national tour started in Philadelphia in May 1976 and traveled all over the East Coast of the US and into Montreal, Canada. The cast featured Theodore Bikel and Taina Elg. It was considered the best touring show of the "Straw Hat Circuit" that summer. ;1983 Broadway Revival The 1983 revival directed by Michael Cacoyannis and choreographed by Graciela Daniele opened on October 16, 1983, at the Broadway Theatre, where it ran for 362 performances and 14 previews. The cast included Anthony Quinn and Lila Kedrova, in addition to Robert Westenberg, Debbie Shapiro, and Rob Marshall. ;Other productions Zorba has been produced professionally in Argentina. Cast: Raúl Lavié, María Rosa Fugazot, Miguel Habud, Julia Zenko, Marcelo Trepat, Alejandro Viola, Roberto Fiore, Rubén Ballester and Andrea Mango. ;Concert production Zorba was presented in the New York City CenterEncores! staged concert series on May 6–10, 2015. The cast featured John Turturro, Zoe Wanamaker, and Marin Mazzie in the lead roles and direction by Walter Bobbie.
Design elements
Director Prince visited Crete and Mykonos, and the show's original design reflected the "peculiar color and light of the Greek Islands, the stark white of the...buildings as against the funereal black of the...clothes. Memorably 'Zorba' was presented in severe chiaroscuro."
According to Sheldon Patinkin, the "material was too dark" and the "book too heavy" for a Broadway musical. "It includes a serious and often unpleasant commenting chorus, the death of the central female character, a suicide...and other depressing events. It didn't return its investment." Clive Barnes in his review in The New York Times, wrote that "Prince was one of the very few creative producers on Broadway-a man who can put his own imprint on a show, and that imprint is planted all over Zorba like a sterling silver mark."
