Floyd Collins

William Floyd Collins ((1887-07-20)July 20, 1887 – c. February 13, 1925(1925-02-13)) was an American cave explorer in central Kentucky, an area which houses hundreds of miles of interconnected caves, including the Mammoth Cave National Park. On January 30, 1925, while trying to discover a new entrance to the system of underground caves that were a popular tourist attraction in Kentucky, Collins became trapped in a narrow crawlway 55 feet (17 m) below the surface. The reports about efforts to save Collins became a nationwide newspaper sensation and among the first major news stories to become a sensation on the new technology of broadcast radio. The rescue attempt grew to become the third-biggest media event between the world wars.

After four days during which Collins could be brought water and food, a collapse in the cave closed the entrance passageway to everything except voice contact. Collins died of thirst and exposure after about fourteen days underground, three days before a rescue shaft reached his position. Collins' body was recovered two months later.

Floyd Collins (musical)

Floyd Collins is a musical with music and lyrics by Adam Guettel, book by Tina Landau, and additional lyrics by Landau. The story is based on the death of Floyd Collins near Cave City, Kentucky in the winter of 1925. The musical opened Off-Broadway on February 9, 1996, where it ran for 25 performances. There have been subsequent London productions as well as regional U.S. productions.

Productions

Floyd Collins premiered at the American Music Theater Festival, in Philadelphia, in 1994.

The show opened Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons, New York City, on February 9, 1996 and closed on March 24, 1996 after 25 performances. Directed by Landau, the cast included Christopher Innvar as Floyd Collins, Martin Moran as Skeets Miller, Jason Danieley as Homer Collins, and Theresa McCarthy as Nellie Collins, as well as Cass Morgan, Brian d'Arcy James, Matthew (Matt) Bennett and Michael Mulheren. The musical won the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical, and the 1995-1996 Obie Award for its score. In 2003, a reunion concert was held at Playwrights Horizons with Romain Frugé as Floyd Collins and most of the original cast.