Show Boat was first produced at the the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York, opening on December 27, 1927 and closing May 4, 1929.
It has been revived in New York four times since, starting at the Casino Theatre in 1932. The next revival opened at the Ziegfeld Theatre on January 5, 1946, closing on January 4, 1947. It played at the Uris Theatre in New York from April 24, 1983 – June 26, 1983.
The most recent revival had its world premiere in Toronto on October 17, 1993 at the North York Performing Arts Centre, and its Broadway premiere the following year, on October 2, 1994 at the Gershwin Theatre. The show won 17 major awards in New York, six of them Tony Awards, including Best Revival, Best Director, Best Choreography and Best Costumes. The production closed on January 5, 1997 after 951 performances.
This production played in London from April 28, 1998 to September 19, 1998, and was also seen on a national tour and in Australia.
If you are interested in the history of the show, try to get your hands on SHOW BOAT: THE STORY OF A CLASSIC AMERICAN MUSICAL by Miles Kreuger, which is unfortunately out of print.