Bullets Over Broadway to close on 24 Aug 2014

The world premiere production of Bullets Over Broadway, the new Broadway musical adaptation of Woody Allen's and Douglas McGrath's screenplay of the 1994 film, has posted early closing notices and will play its final performance on 24 Aug 2014. When the show closes it will have played 33 previews, and 156 regular performances.

Bullets Over Broadway was originally selling tickets through to 28 Sep 2014 and subsequently announced and extension to its booking period to 4 Jan 2015.

The show opened on Broadway to to mixed-to-positive reviews: Watching this production was like biting into a chocolate bunny and discovering that it is hollow (newyorktheatreguide.com); This musical certainly works its tail off to tickle and delight (New York Daily News); It's an extremely funny, devilishly entertaining show from start to finish (The Record); Close - but no cigar (Variety).

The cast features Brooks Ashmanskas (Warner Purcell), Zach Braff (David Shayne), Karen Ziemba (Eden Brent), Nick Cordero (Cheech), Marin Mazzie (Helen Sinclair), Vincent Pastore (Nick Valenti), Betsy Wolfe (Ellen), Lenny Wolpe (Julian Marx) and Helene Yorke (Olive Neal).

Bullets Over Broadway opened at the St. James Theatre on 10 Apr 2014, following previews from 11 Mar 2014.

The musical is directed by five time Tony Award winning director and choreographer Susan Stroman, and features scene design by Santo Loquasto (Fences), costume design by William Ivey Long (Don't Dress for Dinner), lighting design by Donald Holder (Annie) and musical arrangements and supervision by Glen Kelly (Young Frankenstein).

Synopsis: 'Bullets Over Broadway tells the story of aspiring young playwright 'David Shayne.' Newly arrived on Broadway in 1920's New York, Shayne is forced to cast 'Olive Neal,' the talentless girlfried of the mobster 'Cheech,' in his latest drama in order to get it produced. The one advantage to the arrangement is that the mobster has great ideas for rewrites of the play.' As opening night approaches, Shayne finds himself in trouble: The leading lady 'Helen Sinclair' is a man-obsessed alcholoic; his leading man Warner Purcell is making passes at the mobster's girlfreind; and he has plagiarized the mobster's re-writes. What could possibly go wrong?!'

The musical features a score of existing music from the period. The film's score features such songs as 'Toot, Toot, Tootsie, Goodbye ' 'When the Red, Red Robin Comes Bob, Bob, Bobbin' Along' and ' That Certain Feeling.' The 1994 film, written by Woody Allen and Douglas McGrath, and directed by Woody Allen, was nominated for seven Oscars, winning Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Dianne Wiest). It starred John Cusack (David Shayne), Jennifer Tilly (Olive Neal), Chazz Palminteri (Cheech), Dianne Wiest (Helen Sinclair) and Jim Broadbent (Warner Purcell).

- by Bona Ruocco