The Last Ship, featuring music by Sting, coming to B'way

Producers Jeffrey Seller and Kathryn Schenker have announced that The Last Ship, with an original score by 16-time Grammy Award winner Sting, will open on Broadway in the fall of 2014, following a pre-Broadway World Premiere at Chicago's Bank of America Theatre in the summer of 2014.

The World Premiere production features direction by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello ('Wicked'), a book by Tony Award winner John Logan ('Red') and Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winner Brian Yorkey ('Next to Normal') and choreography by Olivier Award winner and Tony Award Nominee Steven Hoggett ('Once').

The Last Ship: Life in the English seafaring town of Wallsend has always revolved around the local shipyard, where the hardworking men of this close-knit community construct magnificent vessels with tremendous pride. But Gideon Fletcher dreams of a different future. He sets out to travel the world, leaving his life and his love behind. When Gideon returns home fourteen years later, he finds the shipyard's future in grave danger and his childhood sweetheart engaged to someone else. As the men of Wallsend take their fate into their own hands and build a towering representation of the shared dream that has defined their existence, Gideon realizes that he left behind more than he could have ever imagined.

Sting said,

The memories at the heart of The Last Ship have occupied my mind for most of my life. I was compelled to tell this story, and I've had the great fortune of collaborating with an enormously talented team."

On 24 Sep 2013 Sting will release a new album of original material entitled The Last Ship, inspired by the story of the forthcoming musical. In celebration of the album, Sting will perform a series of 10 concerts to benefit The Public Theater in New York City in their intimate, 260-seat Anspacher Theater from 25 Sep - 09 Oct 2013.

Sting has received sixteen Grammy Awards for his work, receiving his first Grammy for Best Rock Instrumental Performance in 1981, and an Oscar nomination for the best song. He is a member of both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. Prior to starting his solo career, he was the principal songwriter, lead singer and bassist of the rock band The Police.