In a Maine coastal village toward the end of the 19th century, the swaggering, carefree carnival barker, Billy Bigelow, captivates and marries the gentle millworker, Julie Jordan. Billy loses his job just as he learns that Julie is pregnant and, desperately intent upon providing a decent life for his family, he is coerced into being an accomplice to a robbery. Caught in the act and facing the certainty of prison, he takes his own life and is sent 'up there.' Billy is allowed to return to earth for one day fifteen years later, and he encounters the daughter he never knew. She is a lonely, friendless teenager, her father's reputation as a thief and bully having haunted her throughout her young life. How Billy instills in both the child and her mother a sense of hope and dignity is a dramatic testimony to the power of love.

• Winner! 1993 Olivier Award Best Musical Revival
• Winner! Five 1994 Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Musical
• Winner! Three 1994 Drama Desk Awards
• Nominee: Seven 1994 Drama Desk Awards including Outstanding Musical Revival
• Winner! Two 2018 Tony Awards
• Nominee: Eleven 2018 Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Musical
• Winner! Five 2018 Drama Desk Awards including Outstanding Orchestrations
• Nominee: Twelve 2018 Drama Desk Awards including Outstanding Musical Revival

In a Maine coastal village toward the end of the 19th century the swaggering carefree carnival barker Billy Bigelow captivates and marries the gentle millworker Julie Jordan. Billy loses his job just as he learns that Julie is pregnant and desperately intent upon providing a decent life for his family he is coerced into being an accomplice to a robbery. Caught in the act and facing the certainty of prison he takes his own life and is sent 'up there.' Billy is allowed to return to earth for one day fifteen years later and he encounters the daughter he never knew. She is a lonely friendless teenager her father's reputation as a thief and bully having haunted her throughout her young life. How Billy instills in both the child and her mother a sense of hope and dignity is a dramatic testimony to the power of love.