EMPIRE was conceived in 1995 when Caroline Sherman was commissioned to write a historical guide of Manhattan for a NYC tourism company. She joined forces with Robert Hull to develop EMPIRE into a bigger idea.
 

In its first phase of development, the script and score were presented in two readings in LA and NYC in May, 2001. This was followed by a critically acclaimed, award winning 99-seat house production in West Hollywood, CA in 2003, and a sold-out benefit production at the Rich Forum in Stamford, CT, in 2004.

 

The second stage of development included a workshop production at the Rose Studio Space at Lincoln Center in 2011, several readings, and a regional production in La Mirada, California in 2016 that garnered outstanding audience feedback, repeat ticket purchases, multiple industry nods, and commanding reviews. 

 

Following the challenges of a world-wide pandemic, EMPIRE is ready to move forward to a Broadway production for the 2024/2025 season. This decision was fueled by the over 30,000 people who stood to applaud the show since its beginning. Much like the heroes of their story, Caroline and Robert don’t give up. After years of development, audience excitement, and real-world testing, EMPIRE the musical is on its way up ...