The Barry Manilow and Bruce Sussman musical Harmony is now available for professional, community theatre, and international licensing.
The musical鈥攆eaturing music by Manilow and lyrics and a book by Sussman鈥攖ells the true story of the Comedian Harmonists, an ensemble of six young men in 1920s Germany who took the world by storm with their blend of sophisticated close harmonies and uproarious stage antics, until their inclusion of Jewish singers put them on a collision course with history. The work is partially based on The Comedian Harmonist Archive, as curated by the late Dr. Peter Czada. The show played a brief Broadway run in 2023, closing after 24 previews and 96 performances February 4, 2024.
In an unusual move, the title is not being handled by any established theatrical licensor, and instead by its producers, Ken Davenport, Sandi Moran, and Garry Kief. Those interested in mounting a production can request further information at . Requests from educational institutions are being accepted, though a school release is forthcoming.
The first post-Broadway production has already been arranged and will take place at Utah's Hale Centre Theatre May 25-August 1, 2026.
鈥淔rom the very beginning of the journey with our beloved show, Harmony, we had one mission鈥攖o tell the extraordinary true story of these six brilliantly talented young men and the women they loved, in an effort to help preserve their memory," say Sussman and Manilow in a joint statement. "So, it is with enormous joy and excitement, that we can watch Harmony live on, at the magnificent Hale Centre Theatre and in theatres across the country. Don鈥檛 be surprised if you see two very proud authors, with tissues in hand, at the back of the house.鈥�
鈥淎s every singer knows, it takes a lot of time and effort to achieve harmony鈥攊t took longer than we thought for us to find a licensing company and our first production,鈥� adds Davenport. 鈥淚'm so thankful for every theatre choosing to bring Harmony to the stage, ensuring that important stories, like that of The Comedian Harmonists, will live on.鈥�
The musical had a long road to Broadway. A world-premiere staging played California's La Jolla Playhouse in 1997, then directed by David Warren. A pre-Broadway tryout was announced for Philadelphia's Forrest Theatre in 2003, only to be canceled due to financial woes. The musical reemerged in a 2013 co-production at Atlanta's Alliance Theatre and Los Angeles' Center Theatre Group, with Tony Speciale directing. The California run won the LA Drama Critics Circle Award. The Broadway bow was a transfer of the musical's 2022 Off-Broadway run at National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene, directed and choreographed by Warren Carlyle. The Off-Broadway staging was critically acclaimed, earning nominations for Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Lucille Lortel Awards. It won the Best New Musical Award from the Off-Broadway Alliance. A Broadway cast album was released in 2023.
Blake Roman, Steven Telsey, Zal Owen, Danny Kornfeld, Eric Peters, and Sean Bell in Harmony
Chip Zien in Harmony
Julie Benko and Sierra Boggess in Harmony
Allison Semmes and company of Harmony
Steven Telsey, Blake Roman, Danny Kornfeld, Chip Zien, Eric Peters, Sean Bell, and Zal Owen in Harmony
