Chitty Chitty Bang Bang to close 31 Dec 2005

The producers of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang have announced that the Broadway musical will play its final performance on the 31 Dec.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang made its American premiere at Broadway's Hilton Theatre on the 28 Apr 2005, following previews from the 27 Mar. When the show closes on the 31 Dec 2005 it will have played 34 preview and 285 regular performances.

The story of the adventures of Chitty, the magical car as it sails the seas and flies through the air. Chitty's eccentric inventor, Caractacus Potts and his enchanting children Jemima and Jeremy, join the truly scrumptious Truly Scrumptious and batty Grandpa Potts to outwit the dastardly Baron and the evil Child Catcher.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang has music & lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman. The original film, which was adapted for the screen by Roald Dahl from the novel by Ian Fleming, has been adapted for the stage by Jeremy Sams.

The show directed by Adrian Noble stars Ra�l Esparza as Caractacus Potts, Erin Dilly as Truly Scrumptious, Philip Bosco as Grandpa Potts, Marc Kudisch as Baron Bomburst and Jan Maxwell as Baroness Bomburst. Also featured in the cast are Chip Zien as Goran, Robert Sella as Boris, Kevin Cahoon as the Childcatcher, Frank Raiter as the Toymaker and the children, Henry Hodges as Jeremy and Ellen Marlow as Jemima.

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang opened to mainly luke-warm to poor notices from the popular press: Ben Brentley of the New York Times says �Lavish wind-up music box of a show.� Howard Kissel of New York Daily News wrote �For the most part, the evening is listless, the plot merely providing pretexts for the unexciting songs and Anthony Ward's lavish, imaginative sets and costumes.� and Elysa Gardner of USA Today said �Far more inspired as a commercial vehicle than a creative one.�

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is produced on Broadway by Dana Broccoli, Barbara Broccoli, Michael G. Wilson, Frederick Zollo, Nicholas Paleologos, Jeffrey Sine, Harvey Weinstein, East of Doheny Theatricals and Michael Rose Limited.