All American (musical)

All American is a 1962 Broadway musical with a book by Mel Brooks, lyrics by Lee Adams, and music by Charles Strouse. The musical is a satire of American college football and the sometimes-strange cultural phenomena surrounding it.

The plot centers around Professor Fadin, an engineering professor from a small, obscure university who accidentally invents a new football strategy based on mathematical principles. He is subsequently recruited by the fictional Southern California Institute of Technology (SCIT) to coach their football team. The musical follows Fadin's attempts to understand and navigate the world of college football, his interactions with the team, and the cultural clashes that arise from his unconventional approach.

The original Broadway production starred Ray Bolger as Professor Fadin and Eileen Herlie as Susan. Although the show had a relatively short run of 80 performances, it is notable for being Mel Brooks' first foray into musical theatre. The songs included "Once Upon a Time," "I Wouldn't Have Missed It for the World," and "The Real Thing." Despite its short initial run, the musical has had subsequent revivals and productions. While not as well-known as some of Brooks' later works, All American remains a significant entry in the history of American musical theatre due to its satirical take on American culture and its early connection to the career of Mel Brooks.