Floyd Collins made its long-awaited revival at Lincoln Center’s Vivian Beaumont Theater in New York City (NYC), April 21, where it mesmerized audiences in its Broadway debut. Created by composer Mr. Adam Guettel and playwright Ms. Tina Landau, Floyd Collins first made its Off-Broadway premiere at Playwrights Horizons Theater in 1996, according to playbill.com. The 1979 book ‘Trapped! The Story of Floyd Collins” by historian Mr. Robert K. Murray and cave explorer Mr. Roger W. Brucker largely inspired the musical, which follows the true story of cave explorer Mr. William Floyd Collins. Nearly 30 years after its Off-Broadway premiere, the timeless and heart-wrenching story of Floyd Collins fills the stage, according to courier-journal.com.
The Broadway cast features Mr. Jeremy Jordan as the title character, according to playbill.com. Mr. Jordan earned a Tony nomination in 2012 for his portrayal of Jack Kelly in Disney’s Newsies and a Theatre World Award for his performance as Clyde Barrow in Bonnie & Clyde, according to jeremy-jordan.com. Prior to joining the cast of Floyd Collins, Mr. Jordan concluded his run in the original Broadway cast of The Great Gatsby as Jay Gatsby January 19, according to playbill.com.
Best known for her musical talents as a singer-songwriter and record producer, Ms. Elizabeth “Lizzy” McAlpine portrays Floyd’s sister, Nellie Collins, bringing her vocal abilities to the theatre as she makes her Broadway debut, according to phillyvoice.com. The cast also includes Mr. Jason Gotay as Homer Collins, Floyd’s brother, Mr. Marc Kudisch as Lee Collins, Floyd’s father, Ms. Jessica Molaskey as Miss Jane, Floyd’s mother, and Mr. Taylor Trensch as Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Skeets Miller, according to playbill.com.
Based on the true story of Mr. Collins, the musical recounts the experience of a pioneering cave explorer from South Central Kentucky who became trapped while attempting to discover the next goldmine tourist attraction in Cave City, Kentucky. This occurred during a period of fierce competition over privately owned caves used as tourist attractions, known as the Kentucky Cave Wars, primarily during the 1920s and 1930s. In 1917, Mr. Collins discovered the Great Crystal Cave on his family’s farm and aimed to establish it as a tourist attraction. However, its isolated location struggled to lure in visitors, according to bgdailynews.com.
In 1925, Mr. Collins ventured underground to explore Sand Cave, which was near a more marketable location in Cave City. However, a large stone trapped Mr. Collins 200 feet underground while exiting the cave January 30, 1925, prompting one of the first ever media frenzies to develop above ground. The passage to rescue Mr. Collins was dangerously narrow, at one point only eight inches high, according to bgdailynews.com. Junior Mia Ritossa viewed Floyd Collins in previews, April 11, and commented on the creative portrayal of Floyd’s entrapment and Mr. Jordan’s performance in the production.
“The show portrayed Floyd’s entrapment in a very conceptual way,” Mia said. “What stood out to me was how effectively the production conveyed Floyd’s physical and psychological struggle without relying on a realistic cave set. The show used abstract staging, sound design, and lighting to portray Floyd’s isolation. Jeremy Jordan’s performance was very impressive, his body language, vocal inflection, and limited movement was effective in illustrating the loneliness of being trapped underground.”
Mr. Collins’ entrapment became one of the first widely broadcasted media events, covered by newspapers and radio. Courier-Journal reporter Mr. Miller won the Pulitzer Prize in 1926 for in-cave interviews with Mr. Collins, according to courier-journal.com. Thousands of people followed daily updates on rescue efforts, and over 10,000 people visited the cave during rescue attempts, according to bgdailynews.com. These efforts lasted for seventeen days, but ultimately failed, according to courier-journal.com. While this event took place 100 years ago, the entrapment and rescue mission of Mr. Collins remains a powerful example of human endurance. A century after the his death, numerous tributes and a musical retelling of his story honor the “greatest cave explorer ever known,” according to bgdailynews.com. Mia reflected on the emotional impact of a key moment in the show.
“The scene that stayed with me the most was ‘the Dream’ because it was a bittersweet moment, a surreal, emotional release after so much tension,” Mia said. “For a brief time, Floyd was reunited with his brother and sister reliving memories and imagining a world where things turned out differently. The scene was uplifting, yet devastating. The audience knows that this reunion is just a dream, and that Floyd’s time is running out. This scene really stuck with me because, apart from the tears shed, the contrast between hope and reality was so moving.”
Ultimately, Floyd Collins is a creative expression of human ambition and isolation. The musical explores the media frenzy and public spectacle that surrounded the tragedy though captivating storytelling, according to courier-journal.com. Mia shared her thoughts on the musical’s timeless themes.
“Though the events of the story are firmly rooted in the 1920s, the musical’s emotional core struck me as contemporary,” Mia said. “Floyd’s dream of discovering something extraordinary mirrors modern culture obsessed with success, recognition, and ‘making it.’ Despite already having a close family and fulfilling life, Floyd yearns for something bigger, ultimately leading to his downfall. Floyd’s desire for more is still relatable to today, making his story timeless.”
Featured Image by Brianna Timlin ’26
