Once: musical to play on B'way from 28 Feb 2012

The producers of the musical Once, a stage adaptation of the 2007 Academy Award-winning film of the same name - currently playing Off-Broadway - have announced it will transfer to Broadway.

The musical will open at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre on 18 Mar 2012, following previews from 28 Feb 2012. Tickets for the Broadway transfer are now on sale, and the show is currently booing through to 18 Nov 2012.

Once is currently playing Off-Broadway at the New York Theatre Workshop, where the show began previews on 15 Nov 2011, and opens on 6 Dec. The Off-Broadway run is scheduled to close on 1 Jan 2012.

Directed by the Scottish director of 'Black Watch,' John Tiffany, with choreography by Steven Hogget, the musical stars Steve Kazee ('110 in the Shade') as 'the Guy' and Cristin Milioti ('The Little Foxes') as 'the Girl.'

The cast also features David Abeles, Claire Candela, Will Connolly, Elizabeth A. Davis, David Patrick Kelly, Anne L. Nathan, Lucas Papaelias, Andy Taylor, Erikka Walsh, Paul Whitty and J. Michael Zygo.

The set and costume design are by Bob Crowley, lighting design is by Tony winner Natasha Katz and sound design is by Clive Goodwin.

Once is a modern day musical set on the streets of Dublin about a street musician and a Czech immigrant. During an eventful week the two meet, begin writing songs together, rehearse and record their songs to take to London in hopes of landing a music contract. Through the music they write, the duo works through their past loves, and are confronted with their new feelings for each other.

The musical features the Academy Award-winning music and lyrics of Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, with a book by award-winning Irish playwright & screenwriter, Enda Walsh (Penelope,' Hunger, The New Electric Ballroom). Steven Hoggett (American Idiot, Black Watch) will provide musical staging and Martin Lowe (Mamma Mia!) is the music director.

Once is being produced on Broadway by Barbara Broccoli, John N. Hart Jr., Patrick Milling Smith, Frederick Zollo, Brian Carmody, Michael G. Wilson, and Robert Cole.

The 2007 Academy Award-winning film, Once, was written and directed by John Carney, and starred Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, with original music and lyrics by Hansard and Irglová.

Once writer/director John Carney asked Glen Hansard, his bandmate from the popular Irish Rock band The Frames, to share his busker anecdotes as well as compose songs for a film he was working on about street musicians. When the lead actor withdrew from the project, Glen stepped into the role opposite first time actress Markéta Irglová. The independent Irish film was made for under $150,000, was shot in 17 days, and went on to gross over $10,000,000, becoming a critically acclaimed international smash.

Glen and Markéta won the 2007 Academy Award for Best Original song for "Falling Slowly," the Los Angeles Film Critics Award for Best Music, and the soundtrack was nominated for two Grammy Awards. The duo has been on a highly successful worldwide tour performing music from the platinum selling film soundtrack.