By admin 
Introduction
A Quarter-Century in the Making: Barry Manilow’s Labor of Love ‘Harmony’ Finally Hits Broadway
For most artists, a 25-year wait would be enough to abandon a project. But for the legendary Barry Manilow and his longtime collaborator Bruce Sussman, the story of Harmony was a debt they felt they owed to history. Now, after decades of setbacks, false starts, and relentless perseverance, the musical is finally making its grand debut on the Broadway stage.
To celebrate this monumental arrival, Ghostlight Records recently unveiled the production’s first single, the title track “Harmony.” The song provides a soaring introduction to the musical’s original score, composed by the 80-year-old Manilow with lyrics and a book by Sussman. The track features the powerful vocals of Broadway veteran Chip Zien alongside a talented ensemble portraying the “Harmonists”—the six young men whose lives form the heart of this epic tale.
The Story of the Comedian Harmonists
Harmony is based on the true, bittersweet story of the Comedian Harmonists, a group of German singers who became international sensations in the 1920s and ’30s. Moving from the subway tunnels of Berlin to the world’s most prestigious concert halls, the group sold millions of records and starred in dozens of films.
Manilow has often described them as a unique cultural phenomenon—a mix of “The Manhattan Transfer and the Marx Brothers.” They were known for their celestial harmonies and sharp comedic timing. However, their meteoric rise coincided with the ascent of the Nazi regime in Germany. Because the group was religiously diverse, featuring several Jewish members, they were eventually forced to disband, and their legacy was nearly erased from the annals of music history. “When we dug into it, it just killed me: Why don’t we know about them?” Manilow told The New York Times.
A Journey Defined by Resilience
The road to the Ethel Barrymore Theatre has been anything but easy. Harmony first premiered in California in 1997. It was originally scheduled to open on Broadway in 2004, but the production was infamously canceled at the eleventh hour when its funding collapsed.
Despite the heartbreak, the creators never gave up. The show found new life in 2022 with a highly successful Off-Broadway run at the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene. That production earned critical acclaim, winning the Off-Broadway Alliance’s Best New Musical award and receiving eight Outer Critics Circle Award nominations.
The Final Bow
Now directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Warren Carlyle, the Broadway production features a stellar principal cast, including Sierra Boggess and Julie Benko. For Manilow, who has spent his career creating some of the world’s most enduring ballads, Harmony represents his most personal work yet.
Preview performances for Harmony are set to begin on Wednesday, Oct. 18, with the official opening night scheduled for Monday, Nov. 13. For Barry Manilow, this isn’t just a new show—it is a 25-year dream finally coming home.