Thou Shalt Not (musical)

Thou Shalt Not
Poster from the production
Music	Harry Connick Jr.
Lyrics	Harry Connick Jr.
Book	David Thompson
Basis	Émile Zola's novel Thérèse Raquin
Productions	2001 Broadway

Thou Shalt Not is a musical based on Émile Zola's novel Thérèse Raquin with music and lyrics by Harry Connick Jr. and an adapted book by David Thompson. The musical deals with the consequences involved in the breaking of several Commandments, in particular the sixth and seventh. It ran on Broadway in 2001.

After 22 previews which had been delayed a week due to the September 11, 2001 attacks, the musical opened at the Plymouth Theatre on October 25, 2001. It ran until January 6, 2002 with 85 performances. It received largely negative reviews. "Simultaneously glorious and fatally flawed, this is one Broadway failure that belongs on everybody's must-see list." The Hamilton Spectator deemed it "a fabulous failure."

Under the direction of Susan Stroman, the creative team included Thomas Lynch's scenic design, William Ivey Long's costumes, Scott Lehrer's sound design, and Peter Kaczorowski's lighting design. The cast starred Craig Bierko (Laurent LeClaire), Norbert Leo Butz (Camille Raquin), Debra Monk, and Kate Levering (Therese).

The jazz pianist Laurent LeClaire returns to New Orleans from World War II and runs into his old friend Camille Raquin who is a frail man with an overprotective mother. Camille is married to his own cousin, Therese. Laurent falls in love with Therese, they become lovers, and conspire to kill her husband. Laurent murders Camille, who is pushed over the side of a rowboat. The news of his death sends Camille's mourning mother into a crippling stroke. After waiting a year, Laurent marries his friend's widow, but every time he tries to touch her, the ghost of Camille appears and drives them apart. In time, Therese is driven into madness and suicide, and Laurent kills himself.