Play It Again, Sam signalled Woody Allen's first Broadway success, opening at the Broadhurst Theatre on February 11, 1969, with critics immediately seduced by its charm. Allen, who had up till this point been largely associated with film and television, was applauded for his ability to translate his blend of comedy to the stage.  In addition to being a critical success, Play It Again, Sam, which tells the tale of Allan, a neurotic bespectacled recently divorced New Yorker looking for love in all the wrong places, immediately struck a chord with the audiences.  

Following on from the success of the play, Play It Again, Sam was adapted for film.

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The popularity of Play It Again, Sam is still evident, with a recent US poll ranking it as one of the most popular plays to be performed in both amateur and professional theatre.