The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

Book by Larry L. King and Peter Masterson
Music and Lyrics by Carol Hall
Opened June 19, 1978
1,6348 performances, after an off-Broadway run at the Entermedia Theatre, at the 46th Street Theatre

Click here to read the Evening News Review of "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" Tempo production.

The Story

Four Texans collaborated to create The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, a rollicking musical with a country western sound. The plot concerns a small-town brothel which is closed down by a zealous, right wing broadcaster. The citizens object to the shutting down of the house, but despite appeals that go as high as the governor, the brothel finally locks its doors. The house of prostitution was based on a real one, The Chicken Ranch of La Grange, Texas, which was in operation from the 1840s to 1973.
The name came from the fact that livestock, including chicken, would be accepted as payment for services rendered.

The Controversy

There were some objections to the show's advertising. Bus ads reading "Have fun at the Whorehouse" were taken down after protests from some church groups. Certain television stations would not air the production's commercial because of the "OW" word in the title. On the Tony Awards, some lyrics were bleeped when a number from the show was performed.

The Success

Despite timidity in some quarters over the language and subject matter, the production played 1,639 Broadway performances and sent out three national touring companies. The 1982 Universal film version starred Burt Reynolds and Dolly Parton. The film's score was supplemented by new songs from Parton.