The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

Musicals and plays based on movies? Many. Based on books? Also plentiful. Based on true stories? Of course. But musicals and plays based on or inspired by magazine articles? These are a rare breed. One recently opened on Broadway at the August Wilson Theatre.

There ain’t nothin’ dirty goin’ on at the Granite Theatre’s lively, enjoyable production of ‘The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,’ the 1978 Broadway musical written by Larry L. King and Peter Masterson with music and lyrics by Carol Hall, nominated for seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, and the basis for the 1982 movie starring Dolly Parton and Burt Reynolds.

Broadway currently boasts 41 theaters. This number has always been ever-changing—since even before the first time the word “Broadway” was used to describe professional theater in New York.

This time, the reader question was: There are only three states in America without known Broadway musicals set within their borders. Can you guess which three? WE're breaking it down state by state.

Celebrate the life and films of Colin Higgins at the 12th installment of 'Kat Kramer's Films That Change The World' on May 25th at NuArt Theater, featuring a red carpet reception and live performance by Ty Taylor.

Singer/songwriter Susannah B has music in her blood. She is the daughter of the late Broadway composer and lyricist Carol Hall, whose credits include the 1978 classic The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and its 1994 Broadway sequel The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public.  Listen to her on a podcast episode now!

BroadwayWorld is saddened to report that original 'Val' in A CHORUS LINE, Pamela Blair has died at 73. in Phoenix.

Amber Iman, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Annie Golden and more will be featured in Williamstown Theatre Festival's Fridays@3 reading series.

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, the second show of the 2023 season at the Alhambra Theatre and Dining, opened on February 10th. The audience observed wonderful storytelling as the actors revealed how “The Chicken Ranch” got its start and was ultimately shut down when it was revealed to be a brothel of sorts.

For the first time in nearly two decades, the Alhambra Theatre & Dining will stage the musical comedy, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.  The second show of the Alhambra’s 2023 Season (it’s 55th season) officially opens Friday evening, February 10. It will be preceded by two “preview” performance on Thursday, February 9. 

Gettysburg College's Majestic Theater celebrates the return of its summer classic film series in 2021 after a forced hiatus last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Enjoy classic movies in the beautifully restored historic theater Wednesday nights at 7:30 p.m. June through August. Tickets are just $7 and are on sale now. Advanced ticket purchase is strongly recommended.

The criteria are that these shows have been nominated for Best Musical from the 3rd Tony Awards (the ceremony that started the Best Musical category) in 1949 to the nominations of what will now be the 74th Tony Awards in 2021. I will be determining their signs based upon their Broadway premiere date. With those rules in mind, here we go!

The Town Hall presented Broadway By The Year: Broadway Musicals of 1965 and 1978 on Monday, May 20 at 8pm. Check out the photos from the performance!

The Town Hall presented Broadway By The Year: Broadway Musicals of 1965 and 1978 on Monday, May 20 at 8pm. Check out the photos from backstage!

Based on the true story of a legendary brothel that operated from the 1840s to 1973, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas is a rollicking hootenanny of a musical. Miss Mona's cozy bordello, The Chicken Ranch, is the heart and soul of this small Texas town -also one of its worst-kept secrets.

The Town Hall presents Broadway By The Year: Broadway Musicals of 1965 and 1978on Monday, May 20 at 8pm. Created, written, hosted and directed by Scott Siegel for The Town Hall, the evening continues Broadway By The Year's 19th season at The Town Hall

Like Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper radiating adoration and raw sexual chemistry, singing "Shallow" at the Oscars, as Sheriff Ed Earl Dodd's hand roved up Miss Mona Stangley's lace stockings while they nuzzled on the couch, Angel Tuider Frale and Michael c De Baca scorched the stage at Carrollwood Players. The yearning for something more, an unrequited love was palatable. That's called great acting.

Palm Canyon Theatre's current production of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas breathes plenty of energy - and a fair bit of sexuality - into the 1978 musical. Although it is not the first musical to be based on a factual event, it has certainly chosen one of the stranger events to revisit: the closing of a Texas brothel called The Chicken Ranch.

With a proliferation of pimps, drug dealers and muggers saturating Times Square, business on Broadway was struggling during much of the 1970s, with theatres frequently left empty for long stretches and shows that didn't receive enthusiastic praise from the critics usually shutting down quickly.

San Francisco's 42nd Street Moon (Daren A.C. Carollo and Daniel Thomas, Co-Executive Directors) has announced the full cast and creative team for the opening production of its 2018-2019 season, THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS (nominated for seven Tony Awards). THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS features a book by Larry L. King and Peter Masterson, and music and lyrics by Carol Hall. 42nd Street Moon's production runs from October 3 - 21, 2018 and will perform at San Francisco's Gateway Theatre (formerly the Eureka Theatre). The press opening will take place on Saturday, October 6 at 6:00 p.m. Tickets range from $30 - $75 and can be purchased through the Box Office at (415) 255-8207 or online at www.42ndstmoon.org.

San Francisco's 42nd Street Moon (Daren A.C. Carollo and Daniel Thomas, Co-Executive Directors) has announced the full cast and creative team for the opening production of its 2018-2019 season, THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS (nominated for seven Tony Awards). 

The Studio Theatre Presents THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS, July 12 - July 29, 2018.

Musical Theatre West (MTW) presents Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice's musical masterpiece Evita at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center February 10-26.

Musical Theatre West (MTW) presents Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice's musical masterpiece Evita at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center February 10-26.

The Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival / Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, Inc. announced their 2017 lineup Saturday, August 27 at their annual Festival Fundraiser.