Complete book and Lyrics. With over 900 performances, Dorothy ranks as one of the longest running musical theatre productions of its time. While it was never the darling of the critics, it proved a smash hit with audiences, and was revived well into the 20th century. Lillian Russell starred in the popular Broadway production of 1887. With its well crafted libretto revolving around mistaken identities, rakish young men, and daring young ladies, Dorothy was a turning point in musical theatre setting the style for other comprehensive book musicals to follow.