Swept Away: Avett Brothers' Musical Set to Make Broadway Debut with Shipwreck-inspired Songs

A highly anticipated new musical, featuring songs by the acclaimed Americana band the Avett Brothers, is set to make its debut on Broadway this upcoming fall season. The production, titled "Swept Away," has garnered attention following successful runs in California and Washington.

The storyline of the musical draws inspiration from a notorious maritime disaster. The historical event, which took place in 1884, involved the wreck of a British yacht named the Mignonette. The harrowing tale of the four-man crew's struggle for survival, marked by extreme measures including cannibalism, sparked a lengthy and influential legal dispute.

An Adapted Narrative

To bring the compelling story to the stage, "Swept Away" reimagines the events, shifting the setting to 1888 and relocating the backdrop to a whaling ship off the coast of New Bedford, Massachusetts. This adaptation aims to capture the essence of the original tragedy while infusing it with a fresh perspective.

The musical's score predominantly features compositions from the Avett Brothers' 2004 album "Mignonette," which was directly inspired by the shipwreck. Additionally, the score incorporates songs from four other albums by the band, as well as an original composition penned specifically for the stage adaptation.

During a concert held on Friday night at Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, the band thrilled their audience by revealing that "Swept Away" would be arriving on Broadway. Several cast members from previous renditions of the show joined the band on stage, generating heightened anticipation for the upcoming production.