Top Banana (Phil Silvers, 1951, repro)

Johnny Mercer and Hy Kraft’s 'Top Banana' exploded onto the Broadway stage at the Winter Garden Theatre in 1951, running for an astonishing 350 performances to conquer the mid-century commercial landscape as an absolute powerhouse event of the season. The breathless farcical plot follows Jerry Biffle, a flamboyant, pathologically demanding burlesque comic turned television variety superstar who orchestrates an intricate campaign of deceptions to maintain his ratings, starring comedic icon Phil Silvers.