The Pitmen Painters: National Theatre production to arrive on Broadway in Apr

London's National Theatre (NT) revealed its annual report on 22 Sep 2009 at a conference held for the Press. Executive producer Nick Starr announced at the conference that the NT's award winning (Evening Standard Award for Best Play) production of Lee Hall's comic-drama The Pitmen Painters, inspired by a book by William Feaver, will transfer to Broadway in Apr 2010, produced by Bob Boyett.

The play, which had its world premiere at the UK's Live Theatre in Newcastle upon Tyne in Sep 2007, performed at London's National Theatre from 19 May 08 to 25 Jun 08, and again from 27 Jan 09 to 14 Apr 09.

The Pitmen Painters: In 1934, a group of Ashington miners hired a professor to teach an art appreciation evening class. Rapidly abandoning theory in favour of practice, the pitmen began to paint. Within a few years the most avant-garde artists became their friends and their work was acquired by prestigious collections; but every day they worked, as before, down the mine.

The show opened in London to critical acclaim "Full of warm, gritty humour...deeply engaging and attractively acted production" (Independent); "tragic, funny and illuminating in one fell swoop of energy" (Evening Standard); "a riveting social document and an invigorating political war-cry" (Guardian); "Ablaze � with intellectual vigour, political passion and incendiary emotional energy" (The Times).

The London production was directed by Max Roberts and starred Christopher Connel, Michael Hodgson, Ian Kelly, Brian Lonsdale, Lisa McGrillis, Deka Walmsley, David Whitaker and Phillippa Wilson.

There has been no official announcement about the cast or creative team for the Broadway production, but it is expected Roberts will once again helm the production, and that many of the London cast will transfer to Broadway.

Playwright Lee Hall wrote the book and lyrics for the musical "Billy Elliot" for which he recently won two Tony Awards.