Groundhog Day secures August Wilson Theatre on B'way

It has now been confirmed that the new musical Groundhog Day, which recently opened to rave reviews at London's Old Vic Theatre, will officially open at Broadway's August Wilson Theatre on 17 April 2017, with previews beginning in March.

Click HERE to read our 5-star review on our London Theatre partner site.

The August Wilson Theatre is the Broadway home of the long-running jukebox musical Jersey Boys, which will play its final Broadway performance on 15 January 2017.

The creative team of Groundhog Day features four of the creators of the West End and Broadwy hit Matilda, who reunited for the project. These include director Matthew Warchus, composer and lyricist Tim Minchin, choreographer Peter Darling, and designer Rob Howell. They teamed up with original screenplay co-writer Danny Rubin to bring Groundhog Day to the stage.

Synopsis: "Groundhog Day is the story of Phil Connors, an arrogant Pittsburgh TV weatherman who, when sent to cover the annual Groundhog Day event in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, finds himself caught in a time loop where he is forced to repeat the same day again and again... and again. As each day plays out exactly the same as before Phil becomes increasingly despondent, but is there a lesson to be learned through his experiences, will he ever unlock the secret and break the cycle?"

The new musical underwent changes in the producing team when Scott Rubin withdrew from the project. The Broadway production is co-produced by André Ptaszynski for Whistle Pig Productions and Lia Vollack for Columbia Live Stage.

The 1993 film, with a screenplay by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis, based on a story by Rubin, and directed by Ramis, starred Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, and Chris Elliott. Released by Columbia Pictures, it was one of the top grossing films of 1993.

The London production will play its final performance on 17 September 2016. The London cast features two-time Tony nominee Andy Karl as Phil Connors and Carlyss Peer as Rita Hanson, alongside Leo Andrew, David Birch, Ste Clough, Roger Dipper, Georgina Hagen, Kieran Jae, Julie Jupp,Andrew Langtree, Vicki Lee Taylor, Emma Lindars, Antonio Magro, Carolyn Maitland, Kirsty Malpass, Lisa Mathieson, Jenny O'Leary, Leanne Pinder, Mark Pollard, Damien Poole, Jack Shalloo, Andrew Spillett and Spencer Stafford.

Casting for the Broadway production will be announced at a later date.

- by Tom Millward