<Li> 1988--EMI studio cast album . This is a three - CD set which, for the first time, contained the entire score of the show, with the authentic 1927 orchestrations, uncensored lyrics, and vocal arrangements . The cast includes Frederica von Stade, Jerry Hadley, Teresa Stratas, Karla Burns, Bruce Hubbard, and Paige O'Hara . The album is conducted by John McGlinn . </Li> <Li> 1993--Toronto revival cast recording, starring Rebecca Luker, Mark Jacoby, Lonette McKee, Robert Morse, Elaine Stritch and Michel Bell (as Joe). </Li> <P> There have been many other studio cast recordings of Show Boat in addition to those mentioned above . The soundtrack of the 1936 film version has appeared on a so - called "bootleg" CD label called Xeno . </P> <P> Show Boat boldly portrayed racial issues and was the first racially integrated musical, in that both black and white performers appeared and sang on stage together . Ziegfeld's Follies featured solo African American performers such as Bert Williams, but would not have included a black woman in the chorus . Show Boat was structured with two choruses--a black chorus and a white chorus . One commentator noted that "Hammerstein uses the African - American chorus as essentially a Greek chorus, providing clear commentary on the proceedings, whereas the white choruses sing of the not - quite - real ." In Show Boat Jerome Kern used the AABA - chorus form exclusively in songs sung by African American characters (Ole Man River, Can't Help Lovin' dat Man), a form that later would be regarded as typical of' white' popular music . </P>

Which stage musical was groundbreaking when they used ballet to further the plot of the story