The original production of Showboat opened in the Ziegfeld Theater on December 27, 1927 and ran for 572 performances. The Great Performances show was originally produced for the Papermill Playhouse of Milburn New Jersey.
The character Rubber Face Smith is omitted from this production, as is now the usual practice. Rubber Face was played in the 1927, 1932 and 1946 stage productions of "Show Boat" by Francis X. Mahoney, who is the only actor associated with the role. He also played it in the 1936 film version and in a 1948 City Center revival of the show shortly before his death. Since Mahoney's death, the role, a tiny one to begin with, and one having almost nothing to do with the plot, has often been omitted. In this 1989 production of "Show Boat", Rubber Face's lines are given to Windy, the ship's pilot.
This is one of the few stage productions of "Show Boat" since 1966 to use all of the original lyrics of the song "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man". In 1966, some of the lyrics were rewritten by an anonymous source for fear they might be considered racist.
Although this production still does not include the complete "Mis'ry's Comin' Round", which was cut at Florenz Ziegfeld Jr.'s orders from the original stage production, it does reinstate the always cut "Let's Start the New Year", and also includes "I Still Suits Me", from the 1936 film version of "Show Boat".