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2025 Broadway
Floyd Collins the Musical - SYNOPSIS
Book by Tina Landau.
Act I
The musical tells the story of Floyd Collins during the Kentucky Cave Wars, a period where poor landowners in Kentucky were exploiting the caves found on their land in an attempt to draw business and tourism to the area that would eventually become seized by the federal government to create Mammoth Cave National Park.
On a brisk January day, Floyd Collins had spent the days prior exploring caves and was staying at the home of Arthur Beesley “Bee” Doyle, a neighbor who agreed to let Collins explore his land. The show opens with “The Ballad of Floyd Collins”, recounting the tale of Floyd's ambition and plight. Floyd is shown excited to enter the cave in hopes he can find one that will bring wealth to the family. He uses his voice by yodeling to determine the size of the space ahead (The Call).
When Floyd fails to return to Bee Doyle's home, a young man named Jewell Estes finds Floyd's jacket outside the cave he was exploring and tells the locals. Floyd has fallen through a tight passageway when his foot became trapped, wedged in position by a large rock and becoming encased in from debris after struggling to wedge himself loose (It Moves) (Time To Go).
At first hearing of the news, his family is not worried and are hopeful it will be easy to free him. His sister Nellie, recently released from a mental asylum, tells Miss Jane, their step-mother, that Floyd has been stuck before and she shouldn't be worried (Lucky). Miss Jane tells Nellie that before Floyd left home, he has been having nightmares about being trapped.
His family and his fellow cavers discuss Floyd's love of exploring and the dangers involved (Where A Man Belongs).
It becomes clear that his rescue will not be easy, his brother Homer spends the night in the cave with him (Daybreak). The locals continue to worry about Floyd's condition. (The Ballad of Floyd Collins (reprise).
William Burke "Skeets" Miller, a small man who works for the Louisville Courier, is able to squeeze through and visit with Floyd, interviewing him for his paper. The story gets picked up by the national news and is broadcast on radios across the country telling about a man trapped in a cave in Kentucky (I Landed on Him). Becoming desperate, Floyd sings a song about a love he may never find (And She'd Have Blue Eyes). Floyd's father Lee Collins is distressed about his son's situation and Miss Jane tells him she married into the family and considers his kids as hers and they will get through this together (Heart an Hand). Homer returns to visit Floyd and tries to keep his spirits up by playing a game of riddles with him (The Riddle Song).
Act II
A collapse in the passageway cuts Floyd off from contact completely. A deep divide in strategy develops tension between the locals and the outsiders brought in, lead by H.T Carmichael, an engineer. Carmichael and Homer fight over what the best rescue attempt is. On a Sunday known as “Carnival Sunday”, people travel from around the country to the remote area to celebrate Floyd being rescued, an event later deemed as a “Deathwatch Carnival” when his rescue failed. A group of reporters sing about the sensationalism of the news (Is That Remarkable?) (The Carnival).
Nellie becomes upset she isn't allowed in the cave and may never see her brother again and dreams to free him (Through The Mountain). Homer ponders his future and what will happen next (Git Comfortable). A filmmaker named Cliff Roney tells Homer he could be in motion pictures, conflicting Homer with his responsibilities at home and his dream to see the world. The locals become increasingly disparaged (The Ballad of Floyd Collins (reprise).
As he lay dying, Floyd has visions of Nellie and Homer and being able to see them one last time. Nellie tells Floyd it's time to let go (The Dream). Near death, he considers what heaven is like and being reunited with his mother (How Glory Goes).
Review: Floyd Collins the Musical Lyrics
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