ben-hur was an 1899 theatrical adaption of the novel "" (1880) by lew wallace. the play was dramatized by william w. young and produced by marc klaw and a. l. erlanger. inspired by the success of wallace's popular novel, the stage production was notable for its elaborate use of spectacle. it had six acts with incidental music written by american composer edgar stillman kelley. the stage production opened at the broadway theater in new york city on november 29, 1899, and became a hit broadway show. traveling versions of the production, including a national tour that ran for twenty-one years, played in the united states, great britain, and australia. by the end of its run in april 1920, the play had been seen by more than twenty million people and earned over $10 million at the box office. there have been other stage adaptations of wallace's novel as well as several motion picture versions.