Is The Capeman a step closer to a Broadway revial?
A Broadway revival of The Capeman was rumored in Nov 2009, with the recent announcement of the Public's free concert version that rumour took another step closer to reality. The recent Broadway revival of 'Hair' began life as a free concert in Delacorte Park - is The Capeman to follow a similar route?
Read more
Posted 22 Jul 2010
..Bird, ..Plane, It's Superman: B'way revival?
A Broadway revival of the 1966 musical It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman, music by Charles Strouse, lyrics by Lee Adams and book by David Newman, Robert Benton, may be on the cards.
Read more
Posted 4 Jul 2010
Championship Season: Levi Schreiber to star?
Liev Schreiber may return to Broadway in 2011/12 to star as 'George Sitkowski' in a revival of Jason Miller's Pulitzer-winning play That Championship Season, to be directed by Gregory Mosher.
Read more
Posted 4 Jul 2010
Hugh Jackman returning to Broadway in 2011?
Hugh Jackman may be returning to Broadway in 2011 to star in Stories About McAlary, a new play by Nora Ephron, based on the life of the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Mike McAlary.
Read more
Posted 4 Jul 2010
Minsky's: new musical aims for B'way in 2011
Minsky's, a new romantic musical comedy with book by Bob Martin, music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Susan Birkenhead, aims to open on Broadway in 2011.
Read more
Posted 2 Jul 2010
Old Masters: B. Murray & S. Waterston
The US premiere of Simon Gray’s The Old Masters will star Brian Murray and Sam Waterston, who will transfer with the show when it arrives on Broadway in 2011.
Read more
Posted 25 Jun 2010
Kinky Boots: Cyndi Lauper to write new musical
Pop star and songwriter Cyndi Lauper is to collaborate with Broadway veteran Harvey Fierstein in writing a new Broadway musical based on the 2005 movie Kinky Boots.
Read more
Posted 25 Jun 2010
Poor Behaviour will not star Kevin Kline
Michael Riedel reports that Poor Behaviour, by Theresa Rebeck, will still arrive on Broadway in the fall, but Kevin Kline will not star as previously rumored.
Read more
Posted 4 Jun 2010
Charlie & the Chocolate Factory: B'way?
It is reported that Sam Mendes is to direct a stage musical adaptation of Ronald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, expected to arrive on Broadway in 2011.
Read more
Posted 4 Jun 2010
The Mountaintop: Might Samuel L Jackson star?
New York Post reports that Samuel L Jackson may play Martin Luther King in Katori Hall's new play, The Mountaintop, winner of the 2010 Olivier Award Best New Play, helmed by Kenny Leon.
Read more
Posted 28 May 2010
Dances with Wolves: a new B'way musical?
Producer Matt Murphy has acquired the stage rights to Michael Blake’s 1986 novel 'Dances with Wolves.' Murphy intends to adapt the property into a dramatic musical for the Broadway stage.
Read more
Posted 16 Apr 2010
Born Yesterday: revival planned, Noth to star
Baz Bamigboye of the Daily Mail reports that Chris Noth (Sex and the City) and British actress Hayley Atwell may star in a planned Broadway revival of Garson Kanin's comedy, Born Yesterday. The show will arrive on Broadway later this year if Noth's schedule allows him to commit to a Broadway run.
Read more
Posted 26 Mar 2010
A Time to Kill: Grisham's 1st novel coming to Broadway
The Washington based Arena Stage will present the pre-Broadway world premiere of John Grisham's first novel A Time to Kill, adapted by Rupert Holmes, as part of their 2010/11 season. There has been no announcement as to when the play will arrive on Broadway.
Read more
Posted 12 Mar 2010
Newsies: Is Disney plannng a B'way musical?
Walt Disney Studios registered the domain name newsiesbroadway.com on 4 Mar 2010, raising speculation that Walt Disney Theatrical productions are planning on adapting the 1992 film musical 'Newsies' for the stage.
Read more
Posted 6 Mar 2010
Dumbo: Disney are adapting film into a musical
The NY Times confirms that Walt Disney Theatrical productions are working on adapting the 1941 animated classic Dumbo into a musical. According to an anonymous Disney executive Stephen Daldry is also very much involved in the project.
Read more
Posted 6 Mar 2010
Sleepless in Seattle hopes to arrive on Valentine's Day
Producer David Shor, who is developing Sleepless in Seattle–The Musical for Broadway, has announced that Michelle Citrin, Michael Garin, and Josh Nelson will collaborate on the music and lyrics for the show. The musical is aiming for a Broadway bow on Valentine’s Day, 2011.
Read more
Posted 4 Mar 2010
Venus in Fur may transfer to Broadway
Broadway producer Robert Fox is in talks with the Classic Stage Company (CSC) about transferring their Off-Broadway production of David Ives new play, Venus in Fur, which features Wes Bentley and Nina Arianda, with direction by Walter Bobbie, to Broadway. Its arrival is said to depend upon a suitable small Broadway house becomes available.
Read more
Posted 3 Mar 2010
Abel Ferrara to direct Short Eyes
Indepentent film director Abel Ferrara, know for his grindhouse movies -The Driller Killer (1979), Ms. 45 (1981), King of New York (1990), Bad Lieutenant (1992), The Funeral (1996) - is to make his Broadway debut when he helms a revival of Miguel Pinero's 1974 play Short Eyes, which is expected to arrive on Broadway in 2010/2011.
Short Eyes, prison slang for a pedophile, tells the story of Clark Davis who is imprisioned for the rape of a young girl. He is befriended by popular and respected fellow inmate Juan Otero, to whom he confessers to having molested children but denies the rape charge for which he is imprisioned. The case against Davis proves weak and when it looks as if he will be released Juan struggles on whether to inform the authorities and risk being called a 'snitch,' and risk the anger of his fellow inmates.
The play is to be produced by Carl Rumbaugh, Susan Batson, Antone Pagan and Charles Rosen. Carl Rumbaugh told Variety that the show's capitalizatioin costs will come to amount $2.7 million, and that the producers hope to cast the play with actors who have previously worked with Abel Ferrara.
The revival will feature set design by Frank DeCurtis who has worked as production designer on Ferrara's movies Mary and Go Go Tales.
There has been no official announcement.
Short Eyes premiered on Broadway in 1974, directed by Marvin Felix Camillo, and was nominated for a 1975 Tony Award for Best Play. A film version was released in 1977, directed by Robert M. Young, in which the playwright starred in the role of Go-Go.
Pinero wrote the play while he was imprisioned for armed robbery at maximum security prison Sing Sing and it is based on his experiences while confined there. When released from prision he continued to write and was a co-founder of the Nuyorican Poets Cafe.
Posted 24 Feb 2010
National Pastime: new musical comedy to have pre-B'way bow
National Pastime, the new musical comedy about a fictitious, unbeatable baseball team, will have a pre-Broadway bow on vaunted soil. Algonquin Theater Productions, which is developing the show for a Broadway production targeted for the 2011 season, has been invited to present the show at the Grandstand Theater in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown on 1 May 2010.
The musical tells the story of WZBQ, a radio station in 1933 Iowa, which is on the verge of bankruptcy. To spark ratings, the station re-invents a long-defunct local baseball team and WZBQ begins to broadcast phony baseball games as though real.
National Pastime is the brainchild of two baseball fanatics, playwright Tony Sportiello--a lifetime baseball fan--and composer Al Tapper, whose collection of baseball memorabilia includes the home plate of the original Yankee Stadium and the cleats Ted Williams wore in his last game.
The 1 May engagement marks Sportiello's return to the Hall of Fame where his play, 'Contract Time,' was presented in 1992. The new musical will reunite Algonquin and Tapper, who previously collaborated on Off-Broadway's Sessions and An Evening at the Carlyle.
The Cooperstown performance, directed by Tom Herman with musical direction by David Wolfson, will precede a regional tryout of National Pastime, which has yet to be announced.
Posted 24 Feb 2010
Romeo and Juliet's Last Goodbye to Buckley
Move over West Side Story, Sheakespeare's classic love story Romeo and Juliet is set to get a rock makeover as word comes that a new adaptation, to be called "The Last Goodbye," featuring the music of Jeff Buckley is in the works.
The show, adapted and directed by Michael Kimmel, is described as "Part rock concert, part Elizabethan verse, part 21st century musical..., Told through Jeff Buckley’s daring and soulful music, William Shakespeare’s romantic and violent tragedy is new yet again."
The musical, adapted and directed by Michael Kimmel, will mix Buckley's songs, such as 'Last Goodbye,' 'Lover, You Should’ve Come Over' and 'Eternal Life', with the lyrical dialogue of one of the Bard's most famous plays. Buckley's mother has autohorised the use of her son's music and is collaborating with Kimmel on the project. Kris Kuku is the show's musical director and is arranging Buckley's music for the stage.
The Last Goodbye, which had a concert reading at Joe's Pub in 2009, will have a developmental reading in Manhattan later this year, which is to be folloed by a out-ofptown try out. The musical then expects to arrive in NYC in 2010/2011.
Jeff Buckley, who released his first album 'Grace' in 1994, gained cult status following his death in a tragic drowning accident in 1997, aged 30 years old. A second album "Sketches for My Sweetheart the Drunk" was released posthumously in 1998.
Posted 23 Feb 2010
Menier Chocolate Factory to revive Aspects of Love - Broadway anyone?
In what is becoming a trend that makes the off West End venue, The Menier Chocolate Factory, look like a try out venue for West End and Broadway musical productions, comes news that Trevor Nunn is to direct a new version of Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'Aspects of Love.' Nunn directed the world premiere of Andrew Lloyd Webber's 'Aspects of Love' in 1989 - then it was a big musical extravaganza - now it is to be a more intimate affair.
'Aspects of Love,' which premiered on Broadway in 1990, has never had a Broadway revival, but given the Chocolate Factory's reputation, the excitement generated around Webber's Phantom 2 - "Love Never Dies," and the fact that Nunn is loved as a director by producers on both side of the Atlantic pond - that may change in the next year or two.
What does seem unlikely is that Trevour Nunn is being allowed by Andrew Lloyd Webber to revive one of his musicals, just to have it play at an off-West End venue - no matter how popualar that venue is - without expectations of a West End transfer. Once it hits the West End, the only thing that would appear to stop a Broadway outing would be negative reviews.
Read more at our sister site - www.londontheatre.co.uk
Posted 19 Feb 2010
Sweet Charity: Menier Chocolate Factory transfers to West End, Broadway anyone?
Menier Chocolate Factory's 'Sweet Charity' moves to the West End - Is this the prelude to a Broadway transfer?
London's fringe Menier Chocolate factor is rapidly gaining a reputation for producing quality musical revivals that transfer to London's West End and then onto Broadway.
Menier's production of Sondheim's 'Sunday in the Park with George' directed by Sam Buntrock, moved to Broadway in 2008. Daniel Evans (George) and Jenna Russell (Dot) both transferred with the production that played at Studio 54. The show was nominated for 9 Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical. It received rave reviews: Experience to be savored. (Variety); An absolute joy. (AP); A singular Broadway experience. (Star-Ledger); Elegantly acted, directed and designed. (New York Daily News).
The Menier's revival of 'A Little Night Music,' directed by Trevor Nunn, is now selling well at the Walter Kerr Theatre - starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury was there any doubts. The show is directed by Trevor Nunn.
And of course the company's production of La Cage aux Folles, directed by Terry Johnson, will soon play on Broadway starring Kelsey Grammer. Douglas Hodge, who starred in the productions premiere at the Menier Chocolate factor, and in the West End Transfer is making his Broadway debut as Albin.
So no words or hints yet, but with this reputation a Broadway transfer is always possible. Sweet Charity was last revived on Broadway in 2005, and starred Christina Applegate as Charity Hope Valentine. The Menier production, directed by Matthew White, stars Tamzin Outhwaite as Charity.
www.newyorktheatreguide.com will be watching the reviews when it opens on 4 May 2010, if they are good then the Menier may be announcing another Broadway transfer.
Read more at our sister site - www.londontheatre.co.uk
Posted 19 Feb 2010
Jon Robin Baitz's writting play for Broadway
American Playwright Jon Robin Baitz's is writing a play about film producer Robert Evans, a flamboyant character who was married seven times, but none of his marriages lasted more than three years. Joe Eszterhas, in his book "The Hollywood Animal" wrote of Evans, "All lies ever told anywhere about Robert Evans are true."
The play about The 79 year old Robert Evans, christened by some as "The Godfather of Hollywood," is expected to arrive on Broadway in 2011.
Evens, in his tenure as Head of Production for Paramount produced the movies "Barefoot in the Park," "The Odd Couple," "Popeye," "Rosemary's Baby," "The Godfather" and many more.
Baitz's body of work includes 'The Substance of Fire,' 'The Film Society,' 'Three Hotels,' 'The Paris Letter,' 'Ten Unknowns,' 'The End of the Day,'; A Fair Country' (a nominee for the Pulitzer Prize) and his acclaimed adaptation of 'Hedda Gabler.' Baitz’ has wrtten for “Brothers and Sisters,” “Alias” and “The West Wing.”
Posted 15 Feb 2010
Dracula could be revived starring Javier Bardem
Michael Riedel of the New York Post reports that moves are a foot to revive Hamilton Deane and John Balderston 1927's stage adaptation of Bram Stoker's Dracula.
Two different sets of producers are keen to jump on the current vampire craze "Twilight," "True Blood," "The Vampire Diaries" and believe the time is right for a revival of the show.
The first set are looking for an Off-Broadway revival that will play at the Little Shubert in Apr 2010 and may star F. Murray Abraham as Dr Van Hesling.
The second set of producers are hoping for a Broadway revival, and hope to sell seats by casting the oscar winning actor Javier Bardem as Count Dracula. It is not known if Bardier would accept the role if a Broadway production goes a head.
The last Broadway revival of the play 'Dracula' was in 1977 and starred Frank Langella as the blood drinking Count, directed by Dennis Rosa.
Posted 14 Feb 2010
B'way Revival of 'A Few Good Men,' planned for 2010/11
Producer Davenport has confirmed on his blog that he plans a Broadway revival of Aaron Sorkin's 'A Few Good Men,' to be directed by David Esbjornson, expected to arrive during the 2010/11 season.
Read more
Posted 29 Jan 2010
Leap of Faith may arrive on Broadway in Spring 2011
A musical version of the 1992 film comedy "A Leap of Faith" is to have its world premiere at the Ahmanson Theatre in the summer. Though there has been no confirmation it is rumoured that the musical will arrive on Broadway in early 2011.
Read more
Posted 29 Jan 2010
Is Antonio Banderas to star in a revival of Zorba?
It is reported that Antonio Banderas is to star in a Broadway revival of the Kander and Ebb musical Zorba, expected during the 2010/11 season.
According to Michael Riedel of the New York Post the musical is to be directed by Gary Griffin (The Color Purple) and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys).
Update: It is now reported that David Leveaux will direct the revival of Zorro - Gary Griffin and Sergio Trujillo are no longer connected with the planned revival.
Zorba first played on Broadway in 1968 and starred Herschel Bernardi as 'Zorba,' it was revived in 1983 with Anthony Quinn in the starring role.
Although there has been no official confirmation it is reported that Banderas will be in New York next week to meet John Kander and Joseph Stein (Fred Ebb died in 2004.) and that producers Fran and Barry Weissler are already raising money for the production.
Read more
Posted 15 Jan 2010
Boomers: Peter Baron tuning musical for Broadway
In the privacy of the Catskill Mountains, former Rock-N-Roller frontman Peter Baron is spending the next month and a half fine-tuning his cross-generational musical sensation, Boomers: Promises Made Not Kept.
Boomers is a personal journey of a baby boomer through three decades, with the culture shock of the Boomers’ history as a backdrop.
Boomers: Promises Made Not Kept is expected to arrive in New York in Spring 2011. The show is anticipating a Broadway run, but has not disregarded the possibility of Off-Broadway.
Read more
Posted 16 Jan 2010
Is Brian Denneh to star in double bill at the John Golden
It is being reported that Brian Dennehy will star in a double bill of O'Neill's 'Hughie' and Beckett's 'Krapp's Last Tape,' which is rumored to be the next production to open at Broadway's John Golden Theatre.
Posted 08 Jan 2010
Orphans' Home Cycle plans Broadway outing in the Fall
The New York Times reports that a Broadway transfer of the current off-Broadway production of Horton Foote’s trilogy, The Orphans' Home Cycle will not bow on Broadway in the Spring of 2010, but will stead arrive in the fall.
James Houghton and Michael Wilson - respective artistic directors of the Signature Theater Company and Hartford Stage - told the New York Times that the delay is not due to the difficulty in raising the capital, but was rather to allow time to plan the marketing of the show properly, as well as to allow time for the creative team to upscale the production for a large theatre.
The producers, which earlier rumors said are headed by Jeffrey Richards and Daryl Roth, are said to be having talks with the teams behind the Broadway runs of 'Norman Conquests' and 'The Coasts of Utopia' - which like Orphans' Home Cycle were also presented in three parts, to learn from their experience of marketing a dramatic work that is presented in three seerate performances.
Meanwhile, Michael Reidel of the New York Post reports that plans for a Broadway production of The Orphans' Home Cycle are being quietly dropped as producers are finding it difficult to raise the capital in the present financial circumstances.
Posted 08 Jan 2010
Wanda's World - staged readings prepare for B'way outing?
Wanda's World - music and lyrics by Beth Falcone and a book by Eric H. Weinberger - is to have two staged readings at the The Gerald W. Lynch Theatre at John Jay College on 11 Jan 2010. A decision about the future of the project will be made dependent upon how the readings are received.
The readings are to be directed by Lynn Taylor-Corbett and will feature Sandie Rosa, James Royce Edwards, Leo Ash Evens, Heather Jane Rolff, Michael Dexter, Devin Ilaw, Karla Mosley, Christine Scharf, Valerie Wright, Alan H. Green and Liz Holtan.
Wanda's World tells the story of Wanda Butternut, a young girl woth a birthmark on her face. Wanda is about to face her first day of school in a new town and fears rejection by her schoolmates. She escapes her worries by creating a fantasy world in which she is a popular host of a hit TV talk show, Wanda’s World, in which Kids call the show to get help solving their problems. In her fantasy Wanda is beautiful, confident and always knows what to say.
The musical played an extended engagement Off-Broadway from 16 Jan - 10 Feb 2008 at the 45th Street Theatre.
Posted 8 Jan 2010
Godspell revival planned for 2010/11 season
Producer Ken Davenport has announced that his next project will be to mount the first Broadway revival of Godspell during the 2010/11 season. Davenport said of the project "G'Spell is one of the most beloved musicals on the planet, by one of the most "popular" musical theater composers on the planet, and is the type of unique theatrical experience that audiences crave, and then talk about."
Davenport has told Variety that his revival of Godspell will be housed in one of the smaller Broadway theatre's and will have a 'modest modest capitalization pricetag.'There has been no cast or creative team announced. Davenport writes on his Blog that he will make further announcements about the production soon.
This will be the second attempt at a Broadway revival in two years. Producer Adam Epstein was to have produced a Broadway revival that was set to open at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on 23 Oct 2008, but then announced in Aug 2008 that the production had been postponed. The planned revival was selling tickets and was to have starred Gavin Creel in the title role of 'Jesus,' alongside 'American Idol' finalist Diana DeGarmo as 'Mary.'
Posted 12 Dec 2009
Megan Mullally: Working on musical called Karen
Megan Mullally, best known for the role of 'Karen Walker' in the TV sitcom "Will & Grace," is working on a musical simply to be called 'Karen: The Musical.' The show will be based on the character she created for the TV series, for which Mullally won two Emmy Awards, and was nominated for five more."
Posted 11 Dec 2009
Reading of Carrie goes well
The private reading of the musical Carrie, based on Stephen King's novel, held in Manhattan on 20 Nov 2009 went well. The reading, which featured Sutton Foster, Marin Mazzie and Molly Ranson was described as "astounding!" by one of the people present. The musical's original creators are re-working the script though and it is rumored that a Broadway revival is being planned. The show played Broadway in Spring of 1988 and played only 16 previews and five regular performances. The New York Times critic Frank Rich called it a' musical wreck.'
Posted 1 Dec 2009
York's Enter Laughing may play Broadway
Producer Dan Whitten is planning on bringing the York Theatre Company's Enter Laughing to Broadway during the 2010-11 season. The musical played to critical acclaim at Off-Broadway's York Theatre at St. Peter's in late 2008, and again early 2009. It is hoped Josh Grisetti who played the lead role in the Off-Broadway productions will star on Broadway.
Posted 22 Nov 2009
Paul Simon's The Capeman coming back to Broadway?
Paul Simon's The Capeman was a flop in 1998, closing after just 3 months, and lost a total of $11 million dollars. However, plans are afoot to revive the musical. If the musical returns to the Great White Way it will feature a new book, and it is said Paul Simon may star in the production. There are no dates as to when this may happen.
Posted 22 Nov 2009
The First Wives Club loses director - still Broadway bound!
The Broadway-bound musical The First Wives Club as lost its director Francesca Zambello. Producers are seeking a replacement - and say that they remain committed to bringing the show to Broadway. The show had its world premiere at San Diego’s Old Globe Theatre from 17 Jul - 30 Aug 2009. No dates as to when the musical will come to Broadway.
A Run-DMC musical: Hollywood producer Paula Wagner working on a musical about the hip-hop group Run-DMC. There are no dates as to when this may come to Broadway
Regina Spektor to compose music for new musical Beauty
Regina Spektor is to score a new musical to be titled Beauty, inspired by the fairytale Sleeping Beauty, which is expected to arrive on Broadway for the 2011-12 season, directed by Tina Landau.
Ken Davenport hopes to produce Somewhere in Time on Broadway
Producer Ken Davenport is working on a new Broadway bound musical Somewhere in Time, based on the novel 'Bid Time Return' by Richard Matheson and the film adaptation, Leslie Arden is writing the score.
Under My Skin - new comedy aims for Broadway
New comedy by Robert Sternin and Prudence Fraser, ' is aiming for Broadway. Richard Kind starred in reading held in Santa Barbara on 17 Sep.
Woodstock musical expected in 2010/11
Michael Lang and Sam Nappi are reported to produce a Broadway musical about Woodstock, expected on Broadway during the 2010/11 season.
Deborah Cox to star in new musical about Josephine Baker
Deborah Cox will star in Josephine a new musical about Josephine Baker - an American expatriate who became a legend of Paris Music Halls. No dates have been announced.
New musical Empire sets its eyes on New York
a new musical about the building of the Empire State Building, by Caroline Sherman and Bobby Hull, is being considered for development for a New York outing. The musical had a private workshop in New York on 14 & 15 Sep 2009. A Broadway run was being talked about for this season, but producer Ricky Stevens says it will now open in London, in Spring 2010.
Benny Andersson says Chess is returning to Broadway
London's The Stage newspaper reports (3 Sep 2009) that former Abba member Benny Andersson plans to revive Chess: The Musical. The composer told the paper that discussions are well underway, and though still not confirmed he is confident the show will be revived on Broadway. The original production opened at Broadway's Imperial Theatre in 1988, and closed after just 68 regular performances. The show received a terrible review by NY Times critic Frank Rich: "War is hell, ..., 'Chess' sometimes comes remarkably close."
Jerusalem: Jez Butterworth's play is said to be coming to Broadway in 2010 with British star Mark Rylance.
Latest News...
|
