War Horse to close on Broadway on 6 Jan 2013

The Lincoln Center Theatre's presentation of the National Theatre's production of Nick Stafford's adaptation of Michael Morpurgo's book War Horse, directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, will play its final performance on 6 Jan 2013. The show had been selling tickets through to 27 Jan 2013.

The 2011 Tony Award-winning Best Play, is the longest-running Tony Award-winning Best Play of the last decade. At time of closing War Horse will have played 718 performances and 33 previews.

André Bishop, Artistic Director of Lincoln Center Theater said, "It has been our great honor and pleasure to help bring War Horse to Broadway. War Horse is that rare play that brings joy to everyone it touches - from the most avid theatergoers to children, seeing their first Broadway show. There are few theatrical experiences that can be categorized as truly magical and everyone at LCT is thrilled to have been a part of this one."

"From its earliest days at the National Theatre workshop, War Horse has been a very special and unique project," added Nick Starr, Executive Director of the National Theatre of Great Britain. "Its journey from a rehearsal space to the National Theatre stage to Tony Award-winning play and international sensation has been thrilling and unprecedented. In 2013, War Horse will launch productions in Australia and Berlin, plus a UK tour, and planning is already underway for engagements in Asia and South Africa. I think it's safe to say this show's journey is far from over."

"Working with these two great theatres to bring a once-in-a-generation theatrical experience to Broadway is, for me, a source of deep personal pride and a highlight in my career," said producer Bob Boyett. "War Horse is theatre at its best: magical, moving, and invigorating. I'm so grateful to have been a part of bringing such an inspired and inspiring piece of theatre to New York."

The show opened at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre on 14 Apr 2011, following previews from 17 Mar 2011, and was originally scheduled to play a limited engagement that was originally scheduled to close on 6 Jun 2011.

The Broadway production opened to excellent reviews: Runs full gallop with theatrical magic (NY Daily News); The great spectacle of the season (Bloomberg); Emotionally stirring, visually arresting and compellingly told (Hollywood Reporter).

War Horse: At the outbreak of World War One, Joey, young Albert's beloved horse, is sold to the cavalry and shipped to France. He's soon caught up in enemy fire, and fate takes him on an extraordinary odyssey, serving on both sides before finding himself alone in no man's land. But Albert cannot forget Joey and, still not old enough to enlist, he embarks on a mission to find him and bring him home.

The cast currently features Andrew Durand (Albert Narracott), David Lansbury (Hauptmann Müller), David Manis (Arthur Narracott), Andy Murray (Ted Narracott), Harlan Bengel, Toby Billowitz, Lute Breuer, Hunter Canning, Anthony Cochrane, Ben Horner, Leah Hofmann, Tessa Klein, Nat McIntyre, Geoffrey Murphy, Tommy Schrider and Jack Spann, Stephen James Anthony (Billy Narracott), Sanjit de Silva (Lt. James Nicholls), Alyssa Bresnahan, Richard Crawford, Joel Reuben Ganz, Ben Graney, Alex Hoeffler, Brian Lee Huynh, Jeslyn Kelly, Tom Lee, Jonathan Christopher MacMillan, Jonathan David Martin, David Pegram, Kate Pfaffl, Leenya Rideout, Jude Sandy, Hannah Sloat, Elliot Villar, Enrico D. Wey, Isaac Woofter and Madeleine Rose Yen.

The play won five Tony Awards including Best Play, Best Direction, Best Scenic Design, Best Lighting and Best Sound, with a special Tony Award to the Handspring Puppet Company for their work in creating the show's puppet horses.

War Horse premiered at the National Theatre in Nov 2007, directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris and in association with Handspring Puppet Company.

After two sold-out runs at the National War Horse moved to London's West End in Mar 2009 where it continues to play to capacity houses at the New London Theatre.

The American premiere, which reunites the production's acclaimed London design team, features scenic design by Rae Smith, puppetry by Basil Jones and Adrian Kohler for Handspring, lighting by Paule Constable, movement and horse choreography by Toby Sedgwick, video by Leo Warner and Mark Grimmer, music by Adrian Sutton, songs by John Tams, and sound design by Christopher Shutt.

In addition to New York, War Horse has major productions running in London, Toronto, and a newly-launched US national tour which will visit 30 cities in the 2012-2013 season.