Rocky: new musical announces dates

Rocky, a musical adaptation of the Oscar-winning 1976 film of the same name, will open at Broadway's Winter Garden Theatre on 13 Mar 2014, following previews from 11 Feb 2014.

Casting and the full creative team for Rocky will be announced in the near future.

Tells the story of struggling small time Philly boxer, 'Rocky Balboa,' who gets a once-in-a-lifetime shot to go the distance against heavyweight champ 'Apollo Creed.' However, will the blossoming relationship between Rocky and his shy girlfriend 'Adrian' survive the contest.

Rocky features an original score by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, the Tony Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated songwriters behind 'Ragtime,' 'Once on This Island' and 'Anastasia,' and a book by multiple Tony Award-winner Thomas Meehan ('The Producers,' 'Hairspray' 'Annie') and Sylvester Stallone, who was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for the 1976 Oscar-winning Best Picture, "Rocky."

The production is directed by Tony Award nominee Alex Timbers ('Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson' and 'Peter and the Starcatcher'), and features choreography by Kelly Devine, best known for the long-running Broadway hit 'Rock of Ages,' and fight choreography by Steven Hoggett, who received a Tony Award nomination for his work on 'Once.'

Produced on a shoestring budget, the original 1975 film, "Rocky," was shot in 28 days, and starred its young and then-unknown screenwriter, Sylvester Stallone. Stallone's performance would earn him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and launch his acting career.

The small underdog film went on to become an American film classic, winning the 1976 Academy Award for Best Picture, and launching Rocky Balboa as one of the most successful and iconic characters in Hollywood history.

The musical Rocky had its world premiere in Hamburg, Germany in 2012, were it is still playing. The German production's original cast, directed by Alex Timbers, starred Drew Sarich (Lestat) as 'Rocky' and Wietske van Tongeren as his girlfriend, 'Adrian.' The musical featured songs from the film's original soundtrack: 'Gonna Fly Now' and 'Eye of the Tiger.'

The 1976 film 'Rocky,' was written by Sylvester Stallone and directed by John G. Avildsen. Stallone starred as 'Rocky Balboa' and Talia Shire as his shy girlfriend 'Adrian.' The film won three Oscars, including Best Film.