Rocky the Musical to Close on Broadway, 17 Aug 2014

Producers Stage Entertainment have announced that Rocky the Musical will close at the Winter Garden Theatre on Sunday 17 August 2014.

After declining box office grosses, the show was currently booking to 29 March 2015, but will now close seven months early after 28 previews and 188 regular performances. Producers of the show are reportedly now looking to mount productions across the U.S and internationally. The musical was nominated for 4 Tony Awards at the 2014 ceremony, and took home the award for Best Scenic Design of a Musical (Christopher Barreca).

Rocky the Musical opened on Broadway on 13 March 2014, following previews from 13 Feb, as well as a successful run in Hamburg Germany where it continues to play. After a strong opening, the production failed to be a hit at the box office, regularly bringing in between 40-60% of its weekly gross potential.

The musical opened to mixed-to-positive reviews with many critics praising the staging, impressive set designs and central performance of Andy Karl: "big-hearted, quick-fisted and predictable" (NY Daily News); "Rocky is sure to emerge victorious" (NY1); "a major crowd-pleaser on Broadway" (Newsroom Jersey).

Rocky the Musical features a score by Tony Award-winning team Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens (Ragtime, Once on This Island), with 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 musical is directed by Alex Timbers, and features choreography by Tony nominees Steven Hoggett and Kelly Devine.

The show's principle cast include Andy Karl (Rocky), Margo Seibert (Adrian), Terence Archie (Apollo Creed), Dakin Matthews (Mickey) Danny Mastrogiorgio (Paulie), and Jennifer Mudge (Gloria).

The musical follows the plot of the 1976 film of the same name as struggling small time Philly boxer, Rocky Balboa, gets a once-in-a-lifetime shot to go the distance against heavyweight champ Apollo Creed. Whilst his relationship with his shy girlfriend Adrian begins to develop, will it also survive the contest?

Rocky the Musical features set design by Tony Award-winner Chris Barreca, costume design by David Zinn, lighting design by Christopher Akerlind, sound design by Peter Hylenski, video design by Dan Scully and Pablo N. Molina, orchestrations by Stephen Trask and Doug Besterman with music supervision by David Holcenberg.