Everything you need to know about ‘BOOP! The Musical’ on Broadway

The beloved cartoon flapper Betty Boop takes to the stage in a new musical created by Grammy Award winner David Foster and more celebrated theatre icons.

An all-star team of theatre powerhouses has joined forces to bring BOOP! The Musical to Broadway. The animated character Betty Boop is one of the world's best-known cartoon personalities, having graced television screens countless times since her first appearance in the cartoon Dizzy Dishes in 1930. Now, Betty will debut on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theatre in March 2025.

BOOP! follows Betty Boop on her day off, when she trades her black-and-white world for the colorful New York City. Reprising their roles from the show's Chicago world premiere, rising star Jasmine Amy Rogers will make her own Broadway debut as Betty Boop alongside Tony Award winner Faith Prince (Guys and Dolls) as Valentina, Erich Bergen (Madam Secretary, Waitress) as Raymond, and more.

Written by multi-Grammy Award winner David Foster, Tony nominee Susan Birkenhead, and Tony winner Bob Martin, and directed and choreographed by Tony winner Jerry Mitchell, the musical is sure to dazzle Betty Boop fans and theatre fanatics alike. Go along on Betty's adventure and discover more about the show below.

Get BOOP! The Musical tickets now.

What is BOOP! The Musical about?

BOOP! tells a new, original story about the cartoon icon. Super-celebrity Betty Boop dreams of a day off from her black-and-white world, so she goes on an exciting and action-packed adventure in New York City filled with vibrant color, music, and love. Betty navigates the pressures of fame, forges friendships, and explores romance along the way.

Where is BOOP! The Musical playing?

BOOP! The Musical is playing at Broadway's Broadhurst Theatre, located at 235 W. 44th St. between Broadway and Eighth Avenue. Opened in 1917, the Broadhurst Theatre is a historic venue known for its charming design and intimate atmosphere, with a seating capacity of 1,218.

In recent years, the Broadhurst Theatre has hosted acclaimed productions such as The Hills of California, A Beautiful Noise, and Jagged Little Pill.

How long is BOOP! The Musical?

BOOP! The Musical runs approximately 2.5 hours, including one intermission. This is a typical length for a Broadway show; musicals typically run anywhere from 90 minutes to 3 hours.

What days is BOOP! The Musical playing?

BOOP! The Musical will play eight performances a week at the Broadhurst Theatre, with performances usually scheduled every day except Monday. There are two performances on Thursdays and Sundays.

The standard schedule is subject to one-off changes. For a complete performance calendar, please visit the BOOP! The Musical page.

When did BOOP! The Musical premiere?

BOOP! The Musical premiered at Chicago's CIBC Theatre in November 2023 and transfers to Broadway in March 2025.

Nearly 100 years earlier, in 1930, the character of Betty Boop debuted in Dizzy Dishes, a cartoon short by Fleischer Studios as part of the series Talkartoons. Created by Max Fleischer, she would go on to become a globally recognizable icon.

Who wrote BOOP! The Musical?

BOOP! The Musical features music by multi-Grammy Award winner David Foster, known for writing award-winning songs like Whitney Houston's “I Have Nothing,” Earth, Wind & Fire's “After the Love Is Gone,” and Andrea Bocelli and Celine Dion's “The Prayer.”

Lyrics are by Tony Award nominee Susan Birkenhead (Working, Jelly’s Last Jam), and the script is by Tony Award winner and comedian Bob Martin (The Drowsy Chaperone, The Prom). The team's work is based on the iconic character of Betty Boop, created by Max Fleischer and drawn by Grim Natwick.

BOOP! The Musical characters

BOOP! The Musical brings Betty’s animated world to life with a vibrant cast of characters, including some characters featured in her cartoon shorts alongside new additions for the musical. Here’s a full list of the central characters:

• Betty Boop: A spirited young woman and jazz singer who, with the unwitting help of her inventive Grampy, travels to modern-day New York City.
• Grampy: Betty's inventive grandfather who creates a machine capable of transporting her to the real world. He is protective of Betty and initially hesitant about her journey.
• Valentina: A NASA scientist who has history with Grampy and becomes close friends with Betty Boop.
• Trisha: A young Betty Boop enthusiast who befriends Betty at New York Comic Con.
• Dwayne: A jazz musician and Betty's love interest, who accompanies her and Trisha as they explore New York City.
• Raymond Demarest: A mayoral candidate who initially collaborates with Betty, but not for long!
• Carol: Trisha's mother who, inspired by Betty's encouragement, decides to run for mayor.
• Pudgy the Dog: Brought to life by marionette designer Phillip Huber, Pudgy is Betty's loyal and playful puppy companion.

BOOP! The Musical songs

BOOP! The Musical employs a contemporary score interwoven with classical jazz sounds. The below song list is from the Chicago production and is subject to change for the Broadway production; this article will be updated with any changes made after performances begin.

Act 1

• "A Little Versatility"
• "Ordinary Day"
• "In Color"
• "Get Her Back!"
• "I Speak Jazz"
• "Portrait of Betty"
• "Sunlight"
• "My New York"
• "Love Sneeze"
• "A Cure for Love"
• "Where I Wanna Be"

Act 2

• "She’s Here/She’s Gone"
• "Win with Betty"
• "She Knocks Me Out"
• "My Hero"
• "Together You and Me"
• "Take It to the Next Level"
• "The Campaign"
• "Why Look Around the Corner"
• "Something to Shout About"
• "Color of Love"

Major productions of BOOP! The Musical

BOOP! The Musical has only had a few major productions thus far, but success on Broadway could lead to more productions around the country and world.

• 2023 world premiere: BOOP! The Musical makes its world premiere at the CIBC Theatre in Chicago starting in November 2023, starring Jasmine Amy Rogers as Betty Boop.
• 2025 Broadway premiere: BOOP! The Musical makes its Broadway debut in April 2025 at the Broadhurst Theatre in New York City, with Rogers and many of her co-stars reprising their roles from Chicago.

Onscreen adaptations of BOOP! The Musical

There is no film adaptation of BOOP! The Musical, but the show is based on the Betty Boop cartoon character who appeared in multiple TV series and films. She debuted in Talkartoons, a series of animated shorts featuring various characters, and led her own cartoon series in the 1930s.

Reports of full-length Betty Boop movies being in pre-production have surfaced as recently as 2014, but none have yet come to fruition.

Fun facts about BOOP! The Musical

With source material from one of animation’s most iconic and enduring characters, the Broadway production of BOOP! The Musical is set to bring Betty’s whimsical world to life in a way that captures her charm, sass, and undeniable influence. Here are some more fun and fascinating facts about Betty's colorful history.

• Betty Boop actually began as a French poodle with floppy ears but was soon reimagined into a fully female human character.
• Betty's cheeky and risqué persona often led to censorship. In the early 1930s, the Hays Code, which enforced strict moral standards in film, forced Betty's sexier aspects to be toned down, despite her popularity as a symbol of liberation.
• Betty Boop's iconic catchphrase is "Boop-Oop-a-Doop," or sometimes "Boop-Boop-Be-Doop."
• Betty Boop's character is inspired by the performer Helen Kane, whose own catchphrase was "boop-oop-a-doop." Fleischer's use of her persona prompted a lawsuit, in which it was also alleged that Kane herself based her act on a different performer, a Black child entertainer named Esther Lee Jones.
• Jerry Mitchell, the musical's director and choreographer, said in an interview with ABC7, "I think the world is full of so much cynicism right now, and this is a story about the only thing that matters in life, and that's love."

How to get BOOP! The Musical tickets

The animated flapper-style cartoon, who doubles as a symbol of women's empowerment, is officially coming to New York. The show is a kaleidoscope of color and nostalgia and promises to be as animated and charming as Betty Boop herself.

Get BOOP! The Musical tickets now.

Photo credit: BOOP! The Musical in Chicago. (Photos by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman)