13, a new musical by Jason Robert Brown,
is set for a Broadway run in 2008

In an interview with Bloomberg.com, Broadway producer Bob Boyett announced that he intends to bring Jason Robert Brown's new musical 13 to Broadway in 2008. The musical had its world premiere at the Los Angeles' Mark Taper Forum from 22 Dec 2006 - 18 Feb 2007.

The all-teenage cast musical is about thirteen 13 year olds who are finding their way from childhood into a whole new unnerving era, and focuses on one in particular, a boy who moves from New York to Indiana weeks before his bar mitzvah. His mission is to get the cool kids in school to come to the ceremony.

Boyett told Bloomberg "I'm very excited. It's one of the freshest and most fun shows to come along. It's a coming-of-age story that everyone can relate to."

The musical was thought by some critics to be too tame to appeal to teenagers, having none of the problematic themes of sex, drugs or crime. Despite this criticism the musical did receive positive reviews, Variety wrote of the show "If the prospect of watching an all-teen company enact an all-teen musical accompanied by an all-teen band makes you cringe: Chill, dude, 13 is sheer bliss."

No contracts have yet been signed, and Boyett still needs to find a director. (Todd Graff helmed the Los Angeles production). Bloomberg contacted the show's composer and lyricist Jason Robert Brown, and book writer Dan Elish, but they declined to comment.

Jason Robert Brown won the 1999 Tony Award for Best score for the musical Parade. He also composed for five songs for the musical Urban Cowboy (2003). His musical The Last Five Years played Off-Broadway in 2002.

The cast (all teenagers) for the Los-Angeles production featured: Ricky Ashley, Caitlin Baunoch, Jenáe Burrows, Emma Degerstedt, Tinashe Kachungwe, Tyler Mann, Sara Niemietz, Ryan Ogburn, J.D. Phillips, Ellington Ratcliff, Chloé Smith, Christian Vandal and Seth Zibalese.

The Los Angeles production's creative team featured David Gallo (Set Design), Candice Cain (Costumes), Mike Baldassari (lighting) and Duncan Robert Edwards (Sound).