Merlin (book by Richard Levinson and William Link, music by Elmer Bernstein, lyrics by Don Black) opened at the Mark Hellinger Theatre on Sunday, February 13th 1983. Chita played The Queen and the plot had her battling Merlin, the magician, played by Doug Henning who performed several of his own magic illusions. Merlin also featured Nathan Lane, and a very young Christian Slater who was 13 at the time.

The show was directed by Frank Dunlop, and choreographed by Christopher Chadman. Chita looked fabulous in costumes designed by Theoni V. Aldridge. The show closed August 7th, 1983 after 199 performances and 69 previews.

Merlin trivia:
Henning's illusions were used to advance the plot. At one point, Chita, as the wicked Queen transformed a black panther into Ariadne a temptress who betrays her mistress by befriending Merlin. Chita then turned Merlin's tutorial Wizard into a stone statue - a dirty trick that Merlin later turns on her.
Chita received her fourth Tony nomination for Merlin. The award went to Natalia Makarova for On Your Toes. Other nominees were Lonette McKee for Show Boat and Twiggy for My One and Only. Merlin was also nominated for Outstanding Musical, Director, Book, and Score. All the awards in those categories went to Cats - Trevor Nunn, T.S. Eliot, and Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Merlin was not the first Broadway musical appearance of the legendary wizard. He is also a character in the Rodgers and Hart musical A Connecticut Yankee and in Lerner and Loewe's Camelot.

Music from the short-lived show can be heard on "Unsung Musicals II," a 1995 recording that also features music from The Yearling; Carnival In Flanders; The Red Shoes; Foxy; Arthur, The Musical; and others. Musical Direction, Arrangements & Orchestrations for this album: Lanny Meyers; Album Producer: Bruce Kimmel; VSD-5564