Zorba (musical)

Zorba (musical)

Zorba is a musical with a book by Joseph Stein, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and music by John Kander. Adapted from the 1952 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, but a 1983 Broadway revival ran for 362 performances with a cast starring Anthony Quinn.