Kean (musical): History and Key Facts

Kean is a musical with a book by Peter Stone and music and lyrics by Robert Wright and George Forrest.

Using material by Jean-Paul Sartre and Alexandre Dumas, père as its source, it centers on the adventures of Edmund Kean, considered the greatest Shakespearean actor of the early 19th century, focusing primarily mainly on his wild behavior offstage. Trouble ensues as Kean desperately tries to juggle the two women in his life - the Danish Ambassador's wife, Elena, and a young aspiring actress, Anna.

After one preview, the Broadway production, directed and choreographed by Jack Cole, opened on November 2, 1961 at the Broadway Theatre, where it ran for 92 performances. The cast included Roderick Cook, Alfred Drake, Larry Fuller, Christopher Hewett, Joan Weldon, and Lee Venora.

Drake was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical, and the show was nominated for Best Conductor and Musical Director.

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