https://www.broadwayleague.com/press/press-releases/broadway-theatres-to-dim-lights-in-memory-of-beloved-actor-hinton-battle/

Dolly Parton is working “9 to 5” on her forthcoming Broadway musical. While speaking with PEOPLE about her new line of baking mixes with Duncan Hines, the country music legend, 78, shared an update about the highly anticipated Broadway musical about her life and career.

The superstar says that not only has it long been a dream of hers to tell her story with a stage production, she teased that aspiring actors may get their shot to play her by entering a talent search.

“Right now, I'm working on my life story as a musical, and so going on Broadway and opening my show on Broadway, that's been a biggie [goal] in my mind for many, many years,” the Grammy winner says. “That'd be the one that I want to make certain I get done while I'm still kicking, while I'm around to stay involved in it.”

Parton shares that she’s hoping to see that dream come true by "late '25." In order to get the project — which she wrote the music and half of the script for — to New York City, the music icon reveals that she may even host a “Finding Dolly” contest.

It won’t just be one Dolly under the bright lights of Broadway: The “Jolene” singer says she expects there to be three performers playing her at different phases of her life, including a “little Dolly,” an “earlier years Dolly” and “an older Dolly.”

“We're going to be auditioning and trying to find them through different means,” Parton shares. “I think that'll be fun for people, too. You never know where you're going to find them. They may never have been on stage before, or maybe in some local theater somewhere, but we're going to look for them and that's going to be part of the fun, I think.”

The “I Will Always Love You” artist has been teasing the stage show, which chronicles her humble beginnings growing up in Tennessee to the superstardom she’s found across entertainment, for several years.

Back in 2016, the singer-songwriter mentioned that she was working on a Broadway musical in an interview with Variety when discussing the genesis for her NBC TV movie Coat of Many Colors. She revealed at the time that the project, inspired by the song of the same name and her childhood, was developed as she began revisiting her youth while chipping away on the material for a theater script.

Parton said of the musical she had been working on, “The whole first act is my early days before I went to Nashville. The second act is about my days in Nashville and beyond. So the first part of the musical will be a lot like Coat of Many Colors with music and songs and will involve more details.”

More recently, the hitmaker told USA Today in an October 2023 interview that the pandemic led to the musical’s delay. “I was just about to have it ready when COVID hit and Broadway shut down. Then I thought, “Well, maybe I’ll do it as a biopic,” and wrote up a script for that. But then I was like, “Nah, everybody’s doing a biopic! I’m going back to Broadway now that it’s open,” she told the outlet.

The musician added, “So I’m hoping to have my show [there] in spring of 2025. That’s my aim!"

The currently-untitled musical won’t be Parton’s first time headed to Broadway. She previously wrote the score to a stage musical adaptation of the feature film inspired by her hit, 9 to 5. After debuting in 2008, the production made its debut in the Big Apple in 2009 and garnered her a Tony Award nomination for best original score.

Hats off to “Gutenberg! The Musical!” The Broadway show, starring Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells (whose characters wear dozens of caps) as they reunited 12 years after “The Book of Mormon,” has recouped its initial investment of $6.75 million. During the show’s 20-week run, “Gutenberg” generated plenty of buzz and became one of the rare new productions to break through to audiences during post-pandemic times.

First conceived at the Upright Citizens Brigade and later produced Off Broadway, “Gutenberg” follows two theater composers who attempt to attract potential investors for a musical about Johannes Gutenberg, creator of the printing press. The only caveat: they know almost nothing about Gutenberg beyond a quick Google search. Clips from the show-within-a-show often went viral on TikTok thanks to surprise appearances from “guest producers” including Hillary Clinton, Steve Martin and Martin Short, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Anne Hathaway and Anna Wintour, Will Ferrell and Audra McDonald, who (spoiler alert!) present the main characters with official Broadway contracts to back their wacky endeavor.

“Gutenberg” concluded its limited run on Jan. 28. In its final week, the show set a box office benchmark at the James Earl Jones Theatre with $1.463 million. It broke its own record from the week of Dec. 31, 2023 when “Gutenberg” grossed $1.28 million. Rannells and Gad have recorded a cast album, which will be available in the spring.

Alex Timbers, who helmed the original Off Broadway show, directed “Gutenberg,” as well as “Beetlejuice” and “Here Lies Love.” The design team includes Scott Pask (scenic design), Emily Rebholz (costume design), Jeff Croiter (lighting design), M.L. Dogg & Cody Spencer (sound design), T.O. Sterrett (music supervision, arrangements and orchestrations), Marco Paguia (music director), Liz Caplan (vocal supervision), C12 Casting (casting director) and Rachel Sterner (production stage manager).

Opera Australia and GWB Entertainment announced the performers who will join Sarah Brightman in the Australian production of Sunset Boulevard.

Joining Brightman are Tim Draxl as Joe Gillis, Robert Grubb as Max Von Mayerling, Ashleigh Rubenach as Betty Schaefer, Jarrod Draper as Artie Green and Paul Hanlon as Cecil B. DeMille.

Silvie Paladino will play Norma Desmond on Tuesday evenings and Wednesday matinees.

The full cast is here.

The Australian production will be directed by Paul Warwick Griffin with set and costume design by Morgan Large, choreography by Ashley Wallen, and musical supervision by Kristen Blodgette.

The show opens in Melbourne in May 2024 before transferring to Sydney in August 2024.

Words cannot express how much I endorse this article, especially the bit about... well, you'll know when you run across it.

Attending a Broadway show is a unique experience, but it's important to remember that it's not just about the actors and the production—it's also about being a courteous audience member. Your behavior can significantly impact the enjoyment of the show for both yourself and those around you.

Below, check out some tips to ensure you are the best possible audience member when attending a Broadway show.

Arrive early

One of the most basic yet crucial tips for being a courteous audience member is arriving at the theater on time. Most Broadway shows will begin about five minutes after their scheduled time, but you don't want to risk getting there at the last moment and missing the start of the show. Some productions do not even allow late seating, meaning if you arrive after the show begins, you won't be allowed in.

Instead, aim to arrive about 20 minutes before the start of the show, giving you time to get into the theatre, hit the restroom and/or bar if you need it, and situate yourself in your seat. If you require extra time, note that most shows will open their doors to the audience around 45 minutes before showtime.

Allow other guest to their seats

If your seat is on the aisle and you arrive to the theatre early, expect that other guests will need to enter your row before the start of the show. When this happens, simply rise and step back into your folded seat to allow them to pass in front of you, or step into the aisle if room is available and that is more convenient to you. This is bound to happen more than once during your trip to the theatre, so try your best to be respectful of your neighbors as they arrive.

That said- if you are sitting in the middle of a row, do your best to be courteous of the people who accomodated you to get to your seat, ie: limit your activity in and out of your row to what is absolutely necessary.

Handle latecomers gracefully

If you find yourself seated next to latecomers, be courteous and make room for them to pass. Avoid making disapproving comments or giving them dirty looks. Remember that everyone makes mistakes, and it's best to handle such situations with grace and understanding.

Be mindful of personal space

A sold-out show can be quite crowded and some theatre seats can be quite small. It's essential to be aware of your personal space and respect the personal space of others. Avoid spreading out your arms and legs beyond your assigned area and do not kick the seat of the person in front of you.

You should generally avoid bringing large bags to the theatre. Be sure that your personal belongings are few/small enough to be tucked under your legs or chair. Do not hang your coat off of the chair infront of you nor behind your own chair as both interfere with the limited space of those around you. If you are uncomfortable leaving your coat on or resting it on your lap, consider taking advantage of coat check when available.

Additionally do not place any parts of your body or personal items in the aisle, on a ledge (if you are near one), or on the front of the stage, as all can be dangerous for the actors and theatre personnel.

Silence Your Devices

...or better yet, just turn them off altogther. If you can't do that, absolutely set your device to Silent or Do Not Disturb. You don't want to be the person who ruins an important moment for everyone else. Furthermore...

Do not take calls during a Broadway show. ==========

Do not text during a Broadway show. ==========

Do not check your email during a Broadway show. ==========

Do not scroll through Instagram during a Broadway show. ==========

Do not photograph or record a Broadway show. ==========

Anytime your phone screen lights up in a dark theatre, it disturbs the viewing experience of the people around you and affects the concentration of the actors onstage.

After a show has begun, DO NOT USE YOUR PHONE. After intermission concludes, DO NOT USE YOUR PHONE.

Stay quiet

Whispering, talking, or commenting during the performance is not okay. ==========

Any noise outside of the action of the show is incredibly distracting to those around you and disrespectful to the actors on stage. Save your discussions and comments for intermission or after the show.

Broadway shows are not sing-alongs. Unlike concert experiences, audiences are not welcome to sing with the actors, however temping it may be. Instead, sing along to cast recording on your way home.

If you purchased snacks or candies at the consession stand before the show or during intermission, do your best to unwrap them before the show begins to avoid disrupting the experience of those around you.

Remain in your seat

Barring emergencies, do you best to remain in your seat until intermission or the end of the show. Make sure to visit the restroom before the show starts. Planning ahead ensures you won't miss any crucial moments and neither will the people around you.

Respond appropriately

Applause is a way to show appreciation for the performers, but it's essential to do so at the right moments. In most cases, applause is appropriate at the end of a song, scene, or act, and at the conclusion of the entire show. Avoid clapping or cheering during quiet or dramatic moments that require the audience and actors' full attention.

Also, encourage your children to do the same and help to educate the next generation of courteous theatre-goers.

At the end of the performance, go wild and cheer as loudly as you please. If you truly enjoyed the show, consider standing ovations to express your admiration for the cast and crew's hard work.

No you're a pro! Go off and be the best Broadway audience member you can be!

BrodwayWorld sat down with Andy Karl to find out all about him living his own personal 'Groundhog Day' down under in Melbourne, the musical's Broadway run, and more. Karl returns to the role after originating the role in London (and returning to it once more last year) and on Broadway.

What about this role and show keeps drawing you back?

That question has a multitude of answers. Firstly, it is the greatest script, score and philosophical idea I have ever worked on. Secondly, I’m highly aware of the irony of repeating a role of a character that is repeating the same day over and over in a production that is repeating itself and to me that is the greatest bit of meta-comedy I am sustaining. Third, I feel like Groundhog Day really has something to say about the big questions in life. This is a piece of theatre that has a strong statement about living life, the acceptance of death, love, respect and the profound strength derived from the people around you. All of which bubbles with comedy and theatre magic.

Do you ever feel like you’re living your own Groundhog Day moment doing this show?

Absolutely. It’s by choice, which is very different from being trapped in a time loop like Phil Conners. I’m definitely experiencing wild parallels to the show, and have for years. It does hit me quite hard when I say certain lines that comment on the endless repetition. But what’s such a thrill to me is the intensity of living a full character and story within the 2 1⁄2 hours on stage. I always feel truly satisfied at the end of each performance

Those who saw the show on Broadway were quickly charmed by this incredibly unique show. Tim Minchin in a recent interview gave his thoughts on why the show might not have found an audience on Broadway after being a huge hit abroad. Have you found audiences receive the show differently outside the US?

I think those who have seen the show anywhere have responded so well to it. The Broadway run was an unfortunate set of circumstances that led to it having the MOST incredible reviews and accolades I’ve ever seen but not striking gold at the box office. I’ve seen lesser shows with absurd plot lines have extensive runs on Broadway so nothing is certain and art is subjective. What I know to be true is that Groundhog Day is a work of art. An elevation of original source material and a rich tapestry of comedy, philosophy, staging and theatre at a high concept with absolute accessibility. It is meant for everyone and every town that has a theatre.

The production is incredibly physical... How do you prepare for getting back into an arduous show schedule?

Gym, yoga, caffeine, water, food, vocal warm up and unwavering determination to give audiences a really good time.

What’s it like mounting the show with an entirely new company?

I enjoy it so much. There is nothing like seeing a new cast work so hard on something that they don’t entirely understand it’s power until it all comes together. The repetition is monotonous and tricky. I watch their eyes light up when they finally see the sum of all its parts make Groundhog Day the special show it is. My brain also has fun seeing new faces in the same costumes and feeling like I’m living some Marvel multi-verse movie

What’s one moment you look forward to each night on stage?

There are many. One that is significant to me is singing Tim Minchin’s song “Seeing You” near the end of the show. It begins as a soliloquy as Phil is describing his incredible appreciation of being in this present moment that he never expected but highly aware of his calm gratitude for living here and now. It’s become a moment for me personally to expose my absolute open gratitude for every person in the theatre. I’ve never had such a moment before and I cherish it deeply every show.

Is there anything you’re particularly excited to do off-stage in Melbourne?

I already did a bucket list item and saw Djokavic play at the Australian Open. What an absolutely legendary tennis player in an absolutely legendary arena. Next, I may see some Koalas and Kangaroos. I’m a simple tourist.

Why must audiences come and catch Groundhog Day down under?

Tim Minchin’s incredible score, Danny Rubin's hilarious profound story, Mathew Warchus’s sublime direction, Rob Howells marvellous set, Lizzie Gee’s exuberant choreography, a cast of the most talented people Australia has to offer and GWB’s dedication to this amazing work of art. Also come see me have an existential performance that at some point in the show will hit me like a ton of bricks and internally freak me out while maintaining a meta-physical repetitive 4th dimensional tour de force. Basically, I’m just saying I know my lines and I love what I get to do.

Of all the films on IMDB's list of the 1000 highest-grossing movies of all time, 31 have been adapted into Broadway musicals.

Check out a guide to each those musicals, along with musicals that are in development or ones that have not yet made their way to Broadway.

This daffy musical about racing trains inspired countless stage careers, including my own. A child’s imagination made real, it is a perfect introduction to theatre.

The light at the end of the tunnel shines again this summer as Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Starlight Express returns to London. The original production closed in 2002 after almost 18 years, making it the West End’s ninth longest-running show. For me it was the gateway to a love of theatre and performing which has never left – and also means I can’t visit Pizza Express without humming the title track. Here’s why we should hail the musical’s return …

It’s the original piece of immersive theatre

In 1984 this was as immersive as it got: a theatre turned into a racetrack. When the show takes over the huge Troubadour in Wembley Park it’s bound to be even more spectacular. Seating charts with “first-class carriage” and “trackside” options have given an idea of how close audiences will get to the racetrack as the cast of 40 quadruple threats (acting, singing, dancing – and skating) whiz past, leaving you with the wind in your hair and a whiff of deodorant in your nose.

Glorious joyous nonsense

The concept of Starlight sounds like screwball ramblings: “A child’s train set comes to life and they race to be the fastest. Chuck in love story between steam train Rusty and first-class carriage Pearl. His rival, Greaseball, will be a sendup of Elvis. Everything about Electra will strongly suggest he’s bisexual – let’s call his first song AC/DC.” But oh boy, is it fun. New director Luke Sheppard showed us with & Juliet that he knows how to do fun on stage and hopefully will do so on tracks, too.

It will get kids into the theatre

Lloyd Webber said he conceived the show as an entertainment event for children who love trains. The whole show is a child’s imagination made real and Starlight has always been the perfect family-friendly entry point to the magic of live theatre for tiny humans. You would not believe how many people on stage and behind the scenes are there because they saw singing steam trains when they were young. The show transports families into a world of high-energy escapism, and never has that been more needed. The new crew are champs

Original choreographer Arlene Philips has turned creative dramaturg alongside a new team. Tim Hatley’s design for Back to the Future made a musical feel like a film, Andrzej Goulding’s Life of Pi video turned a theatre into an ocean and Gabriella Slade’s costumes crowned the Six queens. I’m excited to see the man who taught me to shuffle ball change when I did panto, choreographer Ashley Nottingham, have better success with actual professionals.

It’s still a mystery

Who knows what this version will be like? A key plot point (spoiler alert!) is diesel being better than electric. Cue Tesla owners revolting. Perhaps there will be a Hogwarts Express crossover? At least the jokes about British trains being late will still be relevant. The new production will be updated and refreshed for a new generation. It’s already a rework of a rework after it was revised in the 90s and again in Germany, where it has run since 1988 and where the British train is now named Brexit. But the music is pure nostalgia and the synth beats will be banging for Starlight Express and Make Up My Heart, both with lyrics by Richard Stilgoe. The catchy I Do was added to the German version, composed by Lloyd Webber’s son Alistair and with lyrics by Nick Coler – expect that to be your latest earworm.

It’s punderful

Critics will get to choo-choose as many skating and train-related puns as possible. Expect them to use their platform to get their skates on before being derailed, going off the tracks and becoming a trainwreck.

A reimagined production of Beauty and the Beast will embark on a North American tour in June 2025.

The tour will hold technical rehearsals and begin performances at Schenectady's Proctors Theatre in June 2025, before an official opening at Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre in July. In August, the tour will stop at Minneapolis' Orpheum Theatre. Casting and a full itinerary for the two-year tour route will be announced at a later date. A spokesperson for Disney says there's currently no Broadway plans for this new production.

Back to the Future the Musical is headed to Japan! The musical will be performed at JR East Shiki Theater in Takeshiba, Tokyo beginning in April 2025. The production was announced during a press conference held on January 24 with director John Rand, lead producer Colin Ingram, and Chiyoki Yoshida, President and CEO of Shiki Theatre Company.

Tickets will go on sale in December 2024 and casting will be announced at a later date.

For the 2024 Academy Awards, Danielle Brooks was nominated in the category of Actress in Supporting Role for her turn as Sofia in the film adaptation of the musical “The Color Purple.” Brooks earned a Tony Award nomination for her performance in the same role in the 2015 revival.

Nominated in the same category is Da’Vine Joy Randolph, who was nominated for her work in “The Holdovers.” Broadway audiences will recognize Randolph from her Tony-nominated performance as Oda Mae Brown in the 2012 musical adaptation of “Ghost.”

In the category of Actor in a Supporting Role, Robert De Niro was nominated for “Killers of the Flower Moon.” De Niro co-directed and produced the 2016 musical “A Bronx Tale.”

Tony-nominated actor and producer Colman Domingo earned his first Oscar nomination for Actor in a Leading Role for his turn in “Rustin.” As a performer, Domingo has been seen in the currently running “Chicago,” 2008’s “Passing Strange” and 2010’s “The Scottsboro Boys,” the latter for which he earned his Tony nomination. Domingo co-wrote the book for 2018’s “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical”.

Emma Stone, who replaced as Sally Bowles in the 2014 revival of “Cabaret,” was nominated for Actress in a Leading Role for her turn in “Poor Things.”

Bradley Cooper was also nominated in the Oscar’s leading actor category for his portrayal of Leonard Bernstein in “Maestro.” Cooper was also nominated as a writer of the original screenplay for “Maestro” and again as producer for the film.

For the first time in the Middle East, the popular and award-winning Broadway musical “Hamilton” is being shown in a four-week run at Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi.

Worded and composed by Hollywood actor and songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda, the 2015 production is about the unlikely rise of US founding father and politician Alexander Hamilton.

Although the story takes place in 18th-century New York City during the American Revolution, the music is gutsy and punchy, sung in rap and hip-hop style, which makes musical theater “cool,” according to “Hamilton” music director Alex Lacamoire.

During a media lunch and sneak preview of the musical in the UAE capital, Lacamoire told Arab News: “By and large there are people who tend to feel some distance with Broadway musicals. They don’t feel like it’s for them.

“But I’ve been finding that with the power of the way Lin writes, he makes musical theater accessible, hip, crackle.”

Lacamoire and Miranda have been friends and fellow actors (on the musical “In The Heights”) for 20 years, and Lacamoire recalled the first time he heard about the idea of “Hamilton.”

He said: “I was lucky to hear Lin’s songs just after he wrote them. Lin came to my room and said, ‘hey, here’s this song that I wrote.’ It was just like a seed of an idea, and we never could have dreamed that it could have gotten to Broadway, let alone come here to Abu Dhabi.

“Anytime I see someone wearing a ‘Hamilton’ shirt anywhere in the world, it is mindboggling to me.”

Although Lacamoire had initial doubts about Miranda’s unconventional choice of music, he warmed to it.

“Everybody thought Lin was crazy. I thought it was a joke. I wasn’t sure he was taking it seriously until I heard more and more music and I realized how serious he was. He did have the confidence, he saw it, and that’s what makes him a genius,” he added.

Australian actor Jason Arrow plays the lead role of Alexander Hamilton.

He said: “It is equal parts rewarding and challenging. There’s a lot to say. Honestly, it’s keeping my brain alert that is the hard bit. In work generally, when you’re so used to something, you just switch off, which I absolutely cannot do in this part at all.”

The drama-filled story of Hamilton is a manifestation of the American Dream. The founding father, once referred to as “the original immigrant,” was born out of wedlock in the West Indies in 1757. In the newly born country of the United States of America, Hamilton became its first secretary of the treasury at the age of 32.

“The thing that surprised me the most about him was his early life, the fact that he didn’t really have a family. He’s kind of on his own, which made me find a sympathetic ear for him,” Arrow added.

There is also a feminine touch to the story in Hamilton’s wife, Eliza, played by Filipina stage actress Rachelle Ann Go.

She told Arab News: “It’s a great musical. I feel I’m never going to get tired of being part of the show. It’s like a family.”

Go previously starred in the London and Manila productions of the show.

Having recently become a mother herself, the role felt personal. She said: “She is like the heart of the show. I fell in love with this character because of the way she ended the story, continuing Alexander’s legacy.

“All the emotional depth I feel, I can now understand Eliza’s story better: Her strength and resilience, going through a lot of things, but still having that voice and grace in her. As a woman, I’m rooting for this character,” Go added.

The show has been praised for its diverse casting and bold lyrics that reflect modern politics.

“We can always speculate and say, ‘it’s the music, the message, or it just came at the right time.’ But I honestly think it just has the right amount of everything – the entertainment and different song styles – that you need, and I think that’s what’s drawing people to it,” Arrow said.

Lacamoire said: “It doesn’t matter where you live, what language you speak, at the end of the day the show has enough draw to it with exciting aspects that will hook you in regardless of what you know about American history.

“It’s not just an American story. It’s about someone who, against odds, creates a life for himself, and who doesn’t want that? People enjoy the story of the underdog.”

Out of town, on Broadway and on the road, the recent revival of “1776” was strategically cast in a nontraditional manner, with actors of diverse gender identities and racial backgrounds portraying the white, male Founding Fathers as they finalized the Declaration of Independence. “Putting history in the hands of the humans who were left out the first time around,” read the show’s marketing material.

But a lawsuit, filed earlier this week by actor Zuri Washington, alleges racial discrimination and retaliation on the show’s national tour. Washington hopes the complaint, which recounts producers’ dismissal of Washington’s hair preferences and alleges she was terminated after expressing an intent to submit a formal report of discrimination, reignites conversations about the industry’s inequitable treatment of Black hair and the harmful perpetuation of the “angry Black woman” stereotype.

“I was made to feel like I did something wrong in the course of this entire experience, and I know I didn’t do anything wrong,” Washington tells The Times. “I could have done things differently, perhaps. But what they did to me is like a legal version of tone-policing, and like I’m being constantly punished for existing and telling my truth.”

Washington filed the complaint against the tour’s production companies NETworks Presentations and 1776 Touring, and several of their employees. The tour’s production companies did not respond to The Times’ request for comment.

The article goes into more detail. Makes for interesting reading.

BroadwayWorld also covered this lawsuit in some detail a couple of days before the LA Times.

Disney’s Theatrical Group has posted closing notices for the London production of Frozen. Frozen will extend for the final time, completing its run at Theatre Royal Drury Lane after three years on 8 September 2024, having been seen by over 2.8 million people.

Frozen has music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, a book by Jennifer Lee, and is directed by Michael Grandage.

Director Michael Grandage said today, “It has been a joy to be part of the Frozen journey in London. Working with the team at Disney, the brilliant creative team, and the incredible cast have made this one of my happiest theatre experiences.

“Frozen opened in the UK on the heels of the pandemic, and it was glorious to welcome back audiences, many of whom were coming to the theatre for the first time. To introduce so many to the power of theatre and hopefully cultivate a life-long love for it, has been an immense privilege.”

The cast of Frozen includes Jenna Lee-James as Elsa until Sunday 28 January 2024 (Samantha Barks who originated the role of Elsa returns to the show on 7 February 2024) and Laura Dawkes as Anna.

How to Dance in Ohio has announced its closure on Broadway. The show’s final performance will be February 11. The new neurodivergent coming-of-age musical opened at the Belasco Theatre December 10 after beginning previews November 15. At the time of closing, the musical will have played 27 previews and 72 regular performances.

The production was a major milestone for neurodivergent representation on Broadway, with seven openly autistic actors playing the show's seven autistic characters, as echoed in the show's mantra: "nothing about us without us."

The show had just released its cast album January 19.

"Developing new work is always a risk, but producing this show was an endeavor we eagerly accepted,” said the show’s producers in a statement. “We're incredibly proud that this original, joyful, and life-affirming musical has deeply moved countless audience members at the Belasco Theatre and beyond. Broadway has been changed forever because of How to Dance in Ohio and all the artists involved. We look forward to seeing its legacy continue in new and exciting ways."

Directed by Sammi Cannold, the production is a verifiable cornucopia of Broadway debuts, with Cannold making her long-awaited Main Stem debut alongside the show's writers, composer Jacob Yandura and book writer and lyricist Rebekah Greer Melocik, and much of the cast.

Adapted from Alexandra Shiva's 2015 HBO documentary, the show follows the challenges faced by a group of autistic young adults at a counseling center in Ohio. With the support of clinical psychologist Dr. Emilio Amigo, the center arranges a spring formal dance and encourages them as they encounter love, fear, stress, excitement, and hope, along the path to human connection.

Developing and producing Broadway musicals is very expensive and time-consuming, which is why it's very rare for musicals to open directly on Broadway. Most shows have an out-of-town tryout and/or are developed by (or in association with) a non-profit/subscription based theatre company.

This is a roundup of where musicals (and plays) opening on Broadway in 2024 were developed, including:

• Days of Wine and Roses (off-Broadway, Atlantic Theater Company)
• The Notebook (Chicago Shakespeare Theater)
• Water for Elephants (Atlanta, PigPen Theatre)
• The Who's Tommy (Chicago, Goodman Theatre)
• The Outsiders (San Diego, La Jolla Playhouse)
• Lempicka (Williamstown Theatre Festival, then La Jolla Playhouse)
• The Wiz (US tour)
• Suffs (off-Broadway, Public Theater)
• Hell's Kitchen (off-Broadway, Public Theater)
• Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club (London)
• The Heart of Rock & Roll (San Diego, The Old Globe)
• The Great Gatsby (New Jersey, Paper Mill Playhouse)

And if you thought eight years working in a Broadway show was a long time, here's an interview with Karl Jurman, who just retired from the The Lion King after 26 years.

Highlights:

> > > Could you tell this was going to be special in those early workshop days? > No. I remember at one point [director Julie Taymor] was doing the workshop and The Magic Flute at the Met. We were sharing a cab up the West Side Highway after rehearsal one day, and I just looked at her and I said, “Do you think this puppet thing is gonna work?” She goes, “It’s not Cats. Yeah.” OK, she has confidence in it, I have confidence in it. And remember, there was never a South African show outside of Serafina on Broadway, and that show had lasted just a little over a year. As a musician, I was just focused on learning some South African music and seeing how it goes. If it’s a hit, it’s a hit. If it’s not, we keep moving on. > >

> > > Was South African music in your wheelhouse, or was it new to you? > Totally new. That was the joy of it, bringing that to Broadway. Learning the music. And bringing something new that hadn’t really been in the movie. > >

> > > What did you learn working on it that you’ll take with you? > Mostly all the African stuff that [vocal director and arranger Lebo M] did in the vocals. As music directors, we were so tied in with the vocal side of things. How they work, their harmonies, how they approach music—the outlook they have on music, the spirit they put into their music. It wasn’t the most complicated music in the world, but we were also mixing it with Mark Mancini’s film scoring and the Broadway-style musical numbers and Julie’s puppets. That’s too exciting to pass up. > >

> > > It's wild to me that all these years later, it still stands alone. It’s still the top of the charts almost every week. > It turned out to be a masterpiece, but it took a while. I remember we’d been with the show out-of-town in Minneapolis and by the time we got back, the people on the beaches in Long Island knew more about The Lion King than we did, and we were doing it. The word was out. The publicity department, the marketing people are so good at Disney. I do remember from the first preview in Minneapolis the animals coming down the aisle and the whole audience just started talking and looking. It was like nothing they’d ever seen. No one was ready for that effect. We’d played about 32 bars and the place was in an uproar. That was very exciting, but it’s unexpected. > >

> > > What are you going to miss the most? > The people. What I’ve been trying to do all these years is keep the spirit that we found in Minneapolis alive, the spirit the original creators started. The feeling of community, the importance of bringing South African culture to the United States and then the world. I’ve been trying to get that spirit of community all these years and impart that to all the people that have music directed and taught new people, and it lives on today. It lets it speak to everyone. I’ll miss conducting “Circle of Life” and quickly glancing to the audience and seeing tears in their eyes. > >

> > > What will you miss the least? > Well, the paperwork. To run the ship, it’s a whole department. The orchestra is 23 people, and they all have subs so it turns out to be 150 people. And then there’s the whole cast and all of their covers. That’s a lot of people to manage and direct, to give them the spirit and show them why it’s important to invest when you play or perform the show. > >

Interview with Miguel Cervantes, who played Hamilton for eight years.

Highlights:

> > > According to Lin-Manuel Miranda, who made curtain call remarks at Cervantes' closing performance, "That's 6,039 hours you've been on this stage [as Hamilton], a total of 251.6 days, 24/7. In other words, to find someone who has been Alexander Hamilton longer than Miguel Cervantes, you have to go back to the late 1700s to talk to the original guy." > >

> > > The consistency of the show is perhaps the only unchanging aspect of Cervantes' life over the last eight years. While some changes were expected and accepted (such as his family moving from New York to Chicago and back to accommodate the sit-down production), others were far more difficult to survive. > >

> > > On October 12, 2019, Cervantes' daughter Adelaide passed away only five days before what would have been her fourth birthday. Adelaide's brief life was inextricably tied to Hamilton: shortly after Cervantes' was cast, Adelaide was diagnosed with a rare childhood form of epilepsy called Infantile Spasms (IS), which caused her to suffer dozens of seizures each day. Cervantes' wife Kelly became a full-time caretaker for Adelaide and their young son, working alongside several doctors, nurses, and friends to keep Adelaide alive. Meanwhile, Cervantes acted out the horror of a parent losing a child onstage every day. > >

> > > "I couldn't have written a better version of this tragedy that we experienced," Cervantes states, his voice low with reverence. "I say this all the time: You could have Hamilton, I don't want it, if that meant we could have had a different ending for my daughter. But that was not the option I was given. Instead, this show gave me an opportunity to use my frustrations and anger and sadness." > >

> > > "Could I have done Hamilton for another year? Yeah, sure. I could have kept going. But the reality of watching my son go from four years old to 11 years old right in front of my eyes..." Cervantes clears his throat, pulling himself out of a memory. "I'm needed somewhere else. And it's a hard thing, because I've never closed a show. I've never left a show before, every show I've ever done in my entire life closed. Since I was a kid, I never left before the show closed. But the recognition of my own mortality, that my kids are getting older, and that life is moving...it was time." > >

How to Dance in Ohio has partnered with the Autistic Theatremakers Alliance. The inaugural partnership event will take place January 25, with an extraordinary celebration of New York’s neurodivergent theatre companies.

The production will welcome Actionplay, EPIC Players, and The Neurodivergent New Play Series to the show, with an exclusive talkback discussing autistic representation on Broadway to follow. The performance will also feature ASL interpretation. The talkback will be moderated by Autistic Theatremakers Alliance Executive Director (and Playbill writer) Margaret Hall.

The Autistic Theatremakers Alliance (ATA) seeks to reduce stigma and increase inclusion of autistic persons in all aspects of theatre making and offer support and foster connections between autistic artists and the American theatre industry at large.

The non-profit is an alliance of autistic-friendly theatre companies and industry leaders dedicated to the mission of uplifting autistic individuals in the arts through institutional support. The ATA also provides resources for autistic artists in the form of grants and affinity events to foster community connections, plus resources regarding sensory-friendly performances and training.

For more information, about the January 25 talkback, visit AutisticTheatremakers.org.

The curtain has fallen on Schmigadoon! On Thursday, creator Cinco Paul announced on social media that the musical series will not be getting a third season on Apple TV+. This is despite the fact that Paul and his team have written the complete season, including 25 songs.

"I am sad to share that Apple will not be moving forward with season 3 of Schmigadoon!" he wrote. "The season is written (including 25 new songs), but we unfortunately won't be making it. Such is life. I want to thank everyone involved with the show, our incredible cast & crew & writers, our wonderful supporters at Broadway Video, Universal & Apple, for everything they did to make it happen."

That's even more songs than the season 2 soundtrack, which already nearly doubled the new songs from season 1.

"It's a miracle we even got two seasons, honestly," Paul continued. "And I'm so grateful we did. And to all the fans of the show out there — thank you with all of my heart. Your love and support has meant so much, and the fact that you connected with our show, that it brought some joy, means the world to me."

Paul closed by suggesting that there might be a future for the show yet. "This was tough news to get, but the optimist in me is convinced it's not the end of Schmigadoon," he wrote. "And maybe it's even a happy beginning."

The statement referenced the season 2 finale song, "Happy Beginning," which Paul previously told EW could point to the musical themes of season 3. "The inspiration behind "Happy Beginning" was really "Rainbow Connection" [from The Muppet Movie]," he said. "It's meant to be a little hint about how things could move forward. The feeling of that is so optimistic and hopeful in that song, although there's a little melancholy tied in always with Kermit. That's the genius of the Muppets and of Paul Williams, who wrote "The Rainbow Connection."

While season 1 of the show used the Golden Age of Broadway musicals of the 1940s and 50s as inspiration, season 2 moved into the darker evolution of 1960s and 70s shows, as evidenced by its title change to Schmicago. Season 3 was poised to move into the era of the mega-musical of the 1980s and 1990s.

Paul told EW the crashing of a chandelier in the season 2 finale was a clear nod to 1980s hit The Phantom of the Opera.

Season 2 ended with Melissa (Cecily Strong) and Josh (Keegan-Michael Key) expecting a child, a longtime dream of theirs. "They're pregnant right at the end of the episode," Paul said. "I'm an optimistic, hopeful person, so I think they'll have a child and they will love it and it'll become a huge part of their lives.

Paul also hinted at a grander mythology to the mechanics of the world of Schmigadoon!, though he was unsure if it might ever be part of the storytelling. "I have a mythology in my head, but in some ways I'm following the Groundhog's Day principle here," he noted. "Which is that the original script had a big explanation for why Bill Murray was living the day over and over, and then they cut it out and no one missed it. No one cares. So, I'm leaning in that direction, although there is a bigger mythology in my head. But who knows if that'll ever see the light of day. Sometimes that stuff bogs things down and overcomplicates something that's just fun."

Other dreams for season 3 included wanting to recruit Broadway legends Bernadette Peters and Mandy Patinkin for potential roles. But Paul also seemed to hint that season 3 would bring the series to a close, suggesting that going any closer to contemporary musical theater might overcomplicate matters.

"I would be afraid of going too far because the musicals were very self-aware and a lot of meta-commentary on stuff, which is what we're doing already," he reflected. "It's a hat on a hat."

But for now, the question of whether Paul will ever get around to finishing the hat remains an open one.

https://archive.md/WmyBu

Cameron Mackintosh Ltd saw turnover almost double year on year – to £186 million – as the company reports its first full 12 months of accounts since the pandemic. However, the numbers are still down slightly when compared with accounts pre-pandemic.

According to documents filed to Companies House, covering the period to March 31, 2023, turnover at the company – which operates eight venues and produces shows such as Hamilton – jumped from £94.5 million the year before to £186 million.

Profit before tax was £45.5 million, compared with £18.9 million in 2022. The accounts mark the first full year since the pandemic. Comparatively, in the year to March 31, 2019 – the last year recorded that was not impacted by Covid disruption – turnover was £210 million, with profit before tax put at £51.4 million.

"Turnover and profits were materially better than the previous year as the group’s performance continued to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and benefited from a full year’s trading," the report said. CML covers productions, venue operation (Delfont Mackintosh) and licensing arm (Music Theatre International).

It highlighted productions such as Les Misérables, Mary Poppins, Hamilton and The Phantom of the Opera as contributing to the success of the year, and its portfolio of eight venues, including the Prince Edward and the Novello Theatre. The report also pointed to "significant improvement in audience attendance levels".

Writing in the report, secretary Richard Knibb wrote: "Production around the world returned to something approaching normality, following the disruptions in the previous two accounting periods due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The group had productions of Les Misérables, Mary Poppins, Hamilton and The Phantom of the Opera running in the West End and a UK touring production of Les Misérables."

The success of the company comes as it emerged that producing venues in London are facing "devastating" financial issues due to increased costs and changing audience patterns, as reported by The Stage.

Josh Groban and Annaleigh Ashford completed their runs in Sweeney Todd at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on January 14. Aaron Tveit and Sutton Foster start performances as Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett on February 8. The standbys and understudies will be playing the lead roles until they join the cast, and the production announced the cast schedule for all performances January 17-February 8 via Instagram.

Nicholas Christopher will play Sweeney Todd for all Wednesday-Saturday performances. Christopher will also play Pirelli for Sunday performances. Paul-Jordan Jansen will play Sweeney Todd for all Sunday performances.

Jeanna de Waal (Diana, The Musical) will play Mrs. Lovett for all evening performances and DeLaney Westfall will play the role for Wednesday and Saturday matinees.

Raymond J. Lee (Groundhog Day) will play Pirelli for all evening performances. Daniel Torres (The Music Man) will play the role for Wednesday and Saturday matinees.

The critically acclaimed cast of the smash hit Donmar Warehouse production of the Broadway musical Next to Normal are set to return as the show prepares to transfer to London’s Wyndham’s Theatre from 18 June for a strictly limited 14-week run.

The cast includes: Caissie Levy (Frozen, Broadway) as Diana Goodman, Jamie Parker (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, West End/Broadway) as Dan, Jack Wolfe (Shadow and Bone, Netflix) as Gabe, Eleanor Worthington-Cox (Jerusalem, West End) as Natalie, Trevor Dion Nicholas (Aladdin, West End) as Dr Madden/Dr Fine, and Jack Ofrecio (The Merry Wives of Windsor, Shakespeare’s Globe) as Henry.

The musical, about early-20th-century efforts to win the right to vote for women, will open in April at the Music Box Theater.

https://archive.md/W5wBh

She has been a first lady, a United States senator, a secretary of state, a Democratic nominee for president, and, most recently, a podcaster and a Columbia University professor. Now Hillary Rodham Clinton is adding some razzle-dazzle to her résumé: She’s becoming a Broadway producer. Clinton has joined the team backing “Suffs,” a new musical about the women’s suffrage movement, as has Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner.

The producing team announced Wednesday that the show, which had an Off Broadway run last year at the Public Theater, will transfer to Broadway in the spring, opening at the Music Box Theater on April 18.

“Suffs” explores the early-20th-century struggle for women’s voting rights in the United States; the dramatic tension involves an intergenerational struggle over how best to hasten political change. The musical is a longtime passion project for the singer-songwriter Shaina Taub, who wrote the book, music and lyrics; Taub also starred in the Off Broadway production, but casting for the Broadway run has not yet been announced.

The musical is being directed by Leigh Silverman (“Violet”); the lead producers are Jill Furman (“Hamilton”) and Rachel Sussman (“Just for Us”). The show is being capitalized for up to $19.5 million, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission; Furman said the actual budget will be $19 million.

The Off Broadway production of “Suffs” opened to mixed reviews; in The New York Times, the critic Maya Phillips wrote that “the whole production feels so attuned to the gender politics and protests of today, so aware of possible critiques that it takes on its subject with an overabundance of caution.” But “Suffs” sold well, and Taub and the rest of the creative team have been reworking the show over the past year.

“We’ve done a lot of work on it — we’ve listened to the critics, and we listened to the audiences,” Furman said. In the months since the Public run, Furman and Sussman added, Taub has rewritten some songs, distilled the book, removed recitative and shortened the running time. “We feel really confident in what we’ve created,” Sussman said.

The lead producers said Clinton and Yousafzai would be ambassadors for the show, helping to promote it as well as offering input. Clinton is a lifelong theater fan who, in the years since her bid for president, has become a frequent Broadway (and sometimes Off Broadway) theatergoer. Last year, a special performance of “Suffs” was held to raise money for groups including Onward Together, which she co-founded to support progressive causes and candidates; Clinton attended and participated in a talkback. Yousafzai, an advocate for women’s education, also saw the show, and called it “amazing.”

“Suffs” is joining what is shaping up to be a robust season for new musicals on Broadway: It is the 11th new musical to announce an opening this season, with at least a few more still expected. “The season is very crowded, and we recognize that,” Furman said, “but we think there is a market for this kind of story.”

Deadline reports that most of the Broadway cast is making the move from Off Broadway, though Hannah Cruz, who played Ruza Wenclawska at the Public, takes over from Phillipa Soo as Inez Milholland, and Skinner is taking over for Aisha de Haas in the Alva Belmont/Phoebe Burn roles.

As well as Tabu, Suffs will also star Tony Award winner Nikki M. James (The Book of Mormon) as Ida B. Wells, Tony Award nominee Jenn Colella (Come From Away) as Carrie Chapman Catt, Grace McLean (Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812) as President Woodrow Wilson, Hannah Cruz (MCC’s The Connector) as Inez Milholland, Kim Blanck (Signature Theatre's Octet) as Ruza Wenclawska, Anastacia McCleskey (Waitress) as Mary Church Terrell, Ally Bonino (Broadway debut) as Lucy Burns, Tsilala Brock (The Book of Mormon National Tour) as Dudley Malone, Nadia Dandashi (Broadway debut) as Doris Stevens, and Tony Award nominee Emily Skinner (Side Show) as Alva Belmont/Phoebe Burn. Rounding out the company are Hawley Gould (Lincoln Center Theater’s Camelot) as the Alternate for Alice Paul, Jaygee Macapugay (Here Lies Love) as Mollie Hay, and Laila Drew as Phyllis Terrell/Robin (Broadway debut). The ensemble will feature Dana Costello (Pretty Woman) as well as Jenna Bainbridge, Monica Tulia Ramirez, and Ada Westfall making their Broadway debuts. The cast will also include Christine Heesun Hwang (Les MisérablesNational Tour), Kirsten Scott (Jersey Boys), Housso Semon (Girl From The North Country), and D'Kaylah Unique Whitley (Dear Evan Hansen).

The show will begin performances at the Music Box Theatre on March 26 2024 ahead of its opening night on April 18.

Harmony, the Barry Manilow/Bruce Sussman musical that opened in November to good reviews that never translated to big audiences, will play its final performance at the Barrymore Theatre on Sunday, February 4.

Producers Ken Davenport, Sandi Moran and Garry Kief made the announcement this evening. At the time of its closing, Harmony will have played 24 previews and 96 regular performances. The musical began previews October 18 and opened November 13.

Directed and choreographed by Warren Carlyle, Harmony tells the true story of the Comedian Harmonists, a German vocal group that achieved international fame and success in the 1920s and ’30 but were all but wiped from history by the Nazis. At the peak of its career, the group sold millions of records, made dozens of films and played to sold-out venues around the world.

With a score by Manilow and book and lyrics by Sussman, Harmony stars Chip Zien, Sierra Boggess, Julie Benko, Allison Semmes, Andrew O’Shanick and, as the Harmonists, Sean Bell, Danny Kornfeld, Zal Owen, Eric Peters, Blake Roman, and Steven Telsey.

Last week, the show grossed $534,769, filling just 77% of seats at the Barrymore despite a modest average ticket price of $84.91. Attendance for the show peaked in mid-November when the show filled slightly more than 80% of seats.

The Kleban Foundation has announced the recipients of the 34th annual Kleban Prize for Musical Theatre. The 2024 Kleban Prize for the most promising musical theatre lyricist has been awarded to Rona Siddiqui. The 2024 Kleban Prize for the most promising musical theatre librettist has been awarded to Lisa Loomer.

Rona Siddiqui is a composer/lyricist based in NYC. A Grammy nominated artist, Rona Siddiqui is a recipient of the Jonathan Larson Grant and Billie Burke Ziegfeld award and was named one of Broadway Women's Fund's Women to Watch. Her musicals include Salaam Medina: Tales of a Halfghan, an autobiographical comedy about growing up bi-ethnic in America, One Good Day, Hip Hop Cinderella, and Treasure in NYC. She is the recipient of the ASCAP Harold Adamson Lyric Award, the ASCAP Foundation Mary Rodgers/Lorenz Hart Award and ASCAP Foundation/Max Dreyfus Scholarship. She has been in residency at Musical Theatre Factory and Ars Nova. Rona also served as Music Supervisor of A Strange Loop on Broadway. www.RonaSiddiqui.com

Lisa Loomer is a playwright whose work has been produced at major theaters across the country and is taught in both Women's Studies and Latine Studies classes. Her recent play Roe, about Roe v. Wade, debuted at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and went on to such theaters as Arena Stage, The Goodman, and Berkley Rep. Other plays include The Waiting Room (Williamstown, Vineyard), Living Out (Mark Taper, Second Stage), Distracted (Mark Taper, Roundabout), ¡Bocón! (Mark Taper Forum) and Café Vida (LATC). Ms. Loomer is an alumna of New Dramatists and the recipient of The American Theater Critics Award (twice), Pen award, Jane Chambers award (twice), Kennedy Center New Plays Award, Susan Smith Blackburn, and an Imagen Award for positive portrayals of Latine people in all media. Screen credits Girl, Interrupted. She is the bookwriter of the musical adaptation of Real Women Have Curves which is currently running at the American Repertory Theater in partnership with the producers Jack Noseworthy and NAMCO. Current projects include the musical of Like Water for Chocolate and a new play, Side Effects May Include...about Pharma.

Since its inception, Kleban Prize winners have been selected by judging panels comprised of the theatre’s most respected artists and administrators. The trio of celebrated judges making the final determination this year were Tony Award-winning playwright, composer, and lyricist Michael R. Jackson (A Strange Loop), Elissa Adams (Associate Artistic Director ,Theater Latte Da; Producer, NEXT Festivals), and award-winning actor and playwright Chistine Toy Johnson (The Music Man, Pacific Overtures, Falsettoland).

The Kleban Foundation was established in 1988 under the will of Edward L. Kleban, best known as the Tony and Pulitzer Prize winning lyricist of the musical A Chorus Line. Kleban’s will made provisions for annual prizes, which in recent years have totaled $100,000 each, payable over two years, to be given to the most promising lyricist and librettist in American musical theatre. For over 30 years, the Kleban Prize has recognized and honored some of the American musical theatre’s brightest developing talents.

"The Kleban Prize for Musical Theatre is one of the theatre's most distinctive honors,” says Tony Award winner Richard Maltby Jr., President of the Kleban Foundation. “After the last few challenging years, Ed Kleban's legacy may be more important than ever in supporting the creators of tomorrow's American musicals. Ed Kleban recognized that theatrical wordsmiths have the hardest time supporting themselves while honing their craft, and so the Kleban awards are specifically for librettists and lyricists. It is notable that the Kleban Prize is not given to a specific work, as other awards are, but instead, it is given for work yet to be written. With a uniquely generous endowment, the Kleban Prize identifies, celebrates and supports promising writing talent in the theatre, just when emerging writers -- and established writers -- need help the most. Kleban Prize winners are going to define the art form for years to come. The Kleban Foundation is proud to carry on Ed Kleban's enlightened legacy.”

Over more than three decades, the annual Kleban Prize for Musical Theatre has awarded over $6,000,000 to 83 artists who collectively have garnered seven Tony Awards (with nearly 30 Tony nominations), 59 Emmy Awards, three Grammy Awards, 10 Drama Desk Awards, nine Outer Critic Circle Awards, five Obie Awards, two Olivier Awards, and two Pulitzer Prizes. The list of previous Kleban Prize winners includes Lisa Kron (Fun Home), Robert L. Freedman and Steven Lutvak (A Gentleman’s Guide To Love and Murder), David Lindsay-Abaire (Kimberly Akimbo, Shrek), Jason Robert Brown (Parade, The Last Five Years), John Bucchino (A Catered Affair, It’s Only Life), Gretchen Cryer (I’m Getting My Act Together and Taking It on the Road, The Last Sweet Days of Isaac), Michael Korie (Grey Gardens, Happiness), Jeff Marx and Robert Lopez (Avenue Q), Michael John LaChiusa (Giant, See What I Wanna See, The Wild Party), Glenn Slater (The Little Mermaid) and John Weidman (Pacific Overtures, Road Show, Assassins).

Broadway singers, the vocal virtuosos of the theater world, bring the magic of musicals to life through their exceptional voices and dramatic flair. These performers are the heart and soul of Broadway productions, enchanting audiences with their ability to convey emotion, tell stories, and showcase unparalleled vocal talents.

The list consists of:

1. Ethel Merman
2. Julie Andrews
3. Barbara Cook
4. Patti LuPone
5. Bernadette Peters
6. Audra McDonald
7. Angela Lansbury
8. Kristin Chenoweth
9. Lin-Manuel Miranda
10. Mandy Patinkin
11. Lea Salonga
12. Idina Menzel
13. Brian Stokes Mitchell
14. Hugh Jackman
15. Leontyne Price

Hard to argue with the likes of Julie Andrews, Barbara Cook and Audra McDonald, but some of the choices on this list are... interesting. Lin-Manuel Miranda is a top-tier talent, a real polymath, but his singing is at best acceptable. Same with Hugh Jackman. Strange choices for a website called "The Singers Room". And has Leontyne Price done any musicals other than Porgy and Bess (which a lot of people, including the Gershwins, classify as an opera)?

You’d be forgiven if you thought butter was a carb, just like it’s totally understandable if you didn’t know the new “Mean Girls” is a musical.

Paramount, which released the movie over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, chose not to explicitly market it as a song-and-dance spectacle, according to the studio’s president of global marketing and distribution Marc Weinstock.

“To start off saying musical, musical, musical, you have the potential to turn off audiences,” he says. “I want everyone to be equally excited.”

The PG-13 film triumphed in its box office debut with $33 million over the four-day weekend. But despite the cultural prominence of Tina Fey’s 2004 comedy, which propelled Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams and Amanda Seyfried to stardom, Weinstock’s job – selling the masses on (and clearing up any confusion about) “Mean Girls” – was trickier than trying to make fetch happen.

The story is the same, following Cady Heron as she moves to Illinois from Africa and navigates the lawless jungle of high school. But this rendition – adapted from the Broadway show – has singing and dancing. It isn’t a remake or sequel, and there are new actors (“Sex Lives of College Girls” star Reneé Rapp and “Spider-Man: No Way Home” actor Angourie Rice led the cast) embodying the Plastics.

“This is a movie within the ‘Mean Girls’ world,” Weinstock says. “We didn’t want to distill it down to one thing, because it’s not one thing.”

Where do you start with marketing such a familiar property?

There are two audiences: the audience that grew up with “Mean Girls,” and the audience that didn’t. On “Mean Girls” Day, which is Oct. 3, we released the entire movie on TikTok in 23 separate clips. Non-fans started watching and were like, “Wait, this is a great movie.” They immediately got familiar with the world.

Some fans of the original felt strongly about the tagline, “This is not your mother’s ‘Mean Girls.'” What were you trying to convey?

People kind of misconstrued it and took offense. All we meant to say was that it’s a new twist. People took it literally. “What do you mean? I’m not a mom!” We moved away from that and toward “A new twist from Tina Fey.” It’s her vision, and it’s fantastic.

Did you intentionally avoid advertising the movie as a musical?

We didn’t want to run out and say it’s a musical because people tend to treat musicals differently. This movie is a broad comedy with music. Yes, it could be considered a musical but it appeals to a larger audience. You can see in [trailers for] “Wonka” and “The Color Purple,” they don’t say musical either. We have a musical note on the title, so there are hints to it without being overbearing.

How did you make it clear from the first trailer that new actors are playing Regina George and Cady Heron?

Our first teaser was Reneé Rapp to the camera singing “My name is Regina George.” It did so much for us because immediately it said, “This is your new Regina. Lindsay Lohan and Rachel McAdams are not in this movie.” We did have Tim [Meadows] and Tina in the spots to show familiarity.

Did you take any lessons from another very pink movie, “Barbie”?

It was the campaign of the year. They did a great job in ubiquity, and that’s the one thing we tried to do: be anywhere and everywhere. I get excited when people come up to me and say, “It’s on my [social media] feed every two seconds.”

What kind of fun did you have with quotable lines from the 2004 film?

We didn’t want to copy the lines exactly because we didn’t want people to think they were getting a version of the old movie. We used odes to it, like a bus ad that says “Look both ways, Regina!” It’s a funny line for those who know, and those who don’t know want to investigate it. We were conscientious that we weren’t like, “Here are all the lines from the first movie! It’s back again!” We wanted to show there was something fresh.

I saw that people online were upset the premiere was held on a Monday and not a Wednesday.

I know. That was due to talent availability. It’s a boring answer.

Douglas Lyons, the writer of “Chicken and Biscuits,” is adapting “Big River” as a film. The show, which features music influenced by country and gospel, is based on Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” It opened on Broadway in 1985 and won seven Tony awards, including best musical, and seven Drama Desk awards.

“It is my deepest honor to adapt this beloved Broadway classic for the big screen,” Lyons said. “With its legendary score and moving tale, ‘Big River’ invites us all to remember there’s more beauty in humanity than hate.”

“Big River” is being developed in partnership with Mary Miller and William Hauptman, as well as by the musical’s original producer Rocco Landesman, Emily Baer and Jason Seagraves under his Prod Co. banner. “Chicken and Biscuits” opened on Broadway in 2021 at the Circle in the Square Theatre.

“Big River” follows Huck and Jim as they race down the mighty Mississippi to secure Jim’s freedom. Lyons will reimagine the story so that it centers on the perspectives of both Jim and Huck, instead of just focusing on Huck’s story. The musical features songs such as “Free at Last,” “Muddy Water” and “World’s Apart.” The show’s hit song “River in the Rain” reached No. 36 on the U.S. country music charts and has been re-recorded by Alison Krauss.

Landesman conceived of the idea of adapting Twain’s novel for the stage and persuaded Roger Miller, an 11-time Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, to write the music and William Hauptman to write the book. The show was a box office hit, running for 1,005 performances, and was revived on Broadway in 2003 by Deaf West Theatre, going on to win another Tony in 2004. Landesman believes Lyons has found a fresh way to tell the story.

“Douglas has taken the greatest American novel of all time and made it relevant to our time,” Landesman said in a statement.

https://archive.md/rJt6Z

“The Great Gatsby,” F. Scott Fitzgerald’s 1925 novel of garish glamour and dashed dreams, is coming to Broadway as a musical this spring.

The show — the latest in a long string of adaptations of this widely read story — had a pre-Broadway run last fall at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, N.J., where it opened to mixed reviews. (As it happens, the book also arrived to mixed reviews, and is now widely considered a great classic of American literature.)

The lavish production will join a spring Broadway season packed with new musicals at a moment when many industry leaders are concerned that there do not seem to be enough patrons to keep most of the shows afloat.

This new “Gatsby” musical is backed by Chunsoo Shin, a Korean producer hungering for a Broadway hit after a spate of unsuccessful ventures here. He most recently was part of the producing team for “Once Upon a One More Time,” the short-lived show featuring Britney Spears songs; previous endeavors included a stage adaptation of “Doctor Zhivago” and a Tupac Shakur musical, “Holler if Ya Hear Me.”

The “Great Gatsby” musical features songs by Nathan Tysen and Jason Howland, who collaborated on the 2022 musical “Paradise Square,” and a book by the playwright Kait Kerrigan (“The Mad Ones”). (Tysen and Kerrigan are married to each other.) The director is Marc Bruni, whose previous Broadway outing, “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,” which opened in 2014, was a significant hit.

The musical will star two Broadway fan favorites. Jeremy Jordan, a Tony nominee for “Newsies,” will play the nouveau riche title character, Jay Gatsby, while Eva Noblezada, a two-time Tony nominee, for “Miss Saigon” and “Hadestown,” will play Daisy Buchanan, the young woman with old money whom Gatsby has long desired.

“The Great Gatsby” is scheduled to begin previews March 29 and to open April 25 at the Broadway Theater, one of Broadway’s largest houses.

The novel has been explored in other media many times, including in a glitzy 2013 Hollywood film directed by Baz Luhrmann that starred Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan. On Broadway, there was a “Great Gatsby” play staged in 1926, the year after the novel’s publication; Off Broadway there was a highly acclaimed seven-hour version, called “Gatz,” developed by Elevator Repair Service and staged at the Public Theater in 2010.

The novel entered the public domain in 2021, opening the door to any number of adaptations. Most significantly, at least for theater audiences, is another musical adaptation in development. It’s called “Gatsby” and is scheduled to start performances in May at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Mass. That production, which also has Broadway aspirations, has a book by the Pulitzer-winning playwright Martyna Majok (“Cost of Living”), songs by the rock star Florence Welch (of Florence and the Machine) and Thomas Bartlett (also known as Doveman), and direction by Rachel Chavkin (a Tony winner for “Hadestown”).

In the original 2004 Mean Girls, gossip plays out through word of mouth or surprise three-way phone calls. But in the film adaptation of the Mean Girls musical, vicious teen backstabbing gets a social media makeover.

The film, which was also written by Tina Fey, moves the classic 2000s flick to the present day, trading Y2K aesthetics for Gen Z vibes. With that shift comes the need to bring modern-day tech and social media into the movie — because how can you accurately depict the 2020s high school experience without it?

For directors Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr., the challenge became incorporating social media into this new take on Mean Girls in a way that would ring true with audiences today (especially younger viewers).

"You can't overdo it," Perez Jr. told Mashable in a video interview.

"It's a balance, right?" Jayne added. "If you go too hard with it in scenes where it doesn't count, it feels superfluous."

They found inspiration in the framing device of the musical on which the film is based, which sees Janis (Auli'i Cravalho) and Damian (Jaquel Spivey) recounting Cady's (Angourie Rice) encounter with the Plastics as a "cautionary tale." With that in mind, Perez Jr. said, the vision for Mean Girls became: "Let's do this film as if Janis and Damian directed it."

We see this right from Mean Girls' opening moments. Janis and Damian film themselves vertically on a phone while singing in a garage. Seconds later, the screen widens into a CinemaScope aspect ratio as we journey to Cady's home in Africa. Throughout the film, we'll see these aspect ratio changes time and time again, as the format jumps between widescreen and vertical phone screens. Sometimes these changes even happen mid-musical number.

How can social media shape a Mean Girls musical number?

Take Karen's (Avantika) Halloween costume banger "Sexy." In the original stage musical, the song opens with a gag that involves Karen appearing onstage, realizing she's messed up her song, and leaving. Seconds later, in one of the musical's biggest applause breaks, she returns to the stage and starts all over again.

"We're huge fans of the musical. We love how she walked out on stage, then left, and that was the joke there," explained Jayne. "But that just wouldn't translate [to film]. So, what would she do?" Mean Girls solves that problem by having Karen singing into her phone camera while preparing for the Halloween party, only to restart her recording when she screws up.

"We pitched that ['Sexy'] should start as a Karen 'Get Ready With Me' video," Jayne said.

From there, Karen's "Sexy" dance is picked up by other performers in their own videos, mimicking how TikTok dances spread. These dances come courtesy of the film's choreographer Kyle Hanagami, whose viral dance combos are an internet staple. "He is so beloved by the internet, and he speaks internet," Jayne said, "so he just knew how to do all of these fun transitions that all the kids do."

Capturing the overwhelming nature of social media

Beyond being a tool to add new flair to musical numbers, social media becomes a key storytelling device in Mean Girls. Think of it as an evolution of the talking heads in the original, where North Shore students tell the camera things like, "I saw Cady Heron wearing army pants and flip flops, so I brought army pants and flip flops." The new Mean Girls sees these kinds of observations texted between friends or brought up in TikTok videos.

The role of social media becomes especially prominent in key montages, like reactions to Regina George (Reneé Rapp) falling over at the Christmas talent show or to her getting hit by a bus. Since these incidents were filmed by other students, the magnifying glass on people like Regina and Cady grows a hundredfold. Their every move is replayed and dissected for the whole world to see. (You can spot several cameos in these sequences, including rap superstar Megan Thee Stallion and influencers like the Merrell Twins and Alan Chikin Chow.) The scope and potential reach of these posts makes Cady's experience more overwhelming than the gossip of the original, or even in the musical, which projected an onslaught of posts onto the back of the stage.

"When we dive into these barrages of social media posts, we wanted it to feel like these characters are scrolling through their phone. It's in your face. We wanted it to feel violent, in a way," Jayne said of the montages.

"Yeah, if you're getting bullied, that's what it feels like," Perez Jr. added.

"When people are talking well of you, it feels euphoric. And when people are disparaging you and making jokes about you, it feels devastating," Jayne said. "We wanted that to feel as real as we could make it."

That sense of overwhelming emotion in the face of relentless social media scrutiny came in part from Jayne and Perez Jr.'s scouting of real high schools. There, they saw the impact of technology on teen life firsthand. They cited things like phones always being out and plugged in to charge in classrooms as guidance for the ubiquity of tech in Mean Girls. But what surprised them most about current teen culture was the difference between interactions in real life and online.

"[The students] kind of seemed nicer. I heard a lot of people be really nice to each other," said Perez Jr. "So I would ask, 'What's going on here?' And the kids were like, 'Oh no, no one's mean to your face anymore. They're vicious to you online.'"

"I do not have the mental fortitude to go back to high school and experience it that way, with social media. I would just crumble!" Jayne laughed. "But it was really interesting speaking to [students] and trying to understand their experience now, and bring it to the movie [in a way that would] resonate with today's audience."

Clinical psychologist Emilio Amigo, who runs a counseling center for autistic people in Columbus, Ohio, had a big idea: "Many of my clients never went to their homecoming or prom because they weren't welcomed," he said. "I'm like, 'How many of you guys would love to go to a big formal?'"

Putting on a prom involved teaching his clients new skills, like dancing or asking someone out. Their journey was the subject of a 2015 documentary called "How to Dance in Ohio."

That story is now a Broadway musical.

The new Broadway musical "How to Dance in Ohio" tells the real-life story of a group of autistic young people who are getting ready for their first formal dance. In a trailblazing first, the autistic characters are all played by autistic actors. "How to Dance in Ohio"

"All of us who work on the show get messages from autistic individuals saying, 'I've seen myself represented onstage.' That's what we do it for," said Sammi Cannold, the show's director. She was not, however, its first one. That was the legendary Hal Prince, director of shows like "Phantom of the Opera," "Evita," "Cabaret," and many Sondheim musicals. He sadly passed away in 2019.

"Hal's granddaughter is autistic; my brother is autistic," said Cannold. "For him the show was very personal; for me the show is very personal."

But "How to Dance in Ohio" isn't just about autistic people. All of the autistic characters are played by autistic actors.

Cannold said feedback she got from people saying, "I don't think you're gonna find the actors that you're looking for," implied that there aren't enough Broadway-caliber actors with autism. But, she said, "We could've cast the show three times over."

Ashley Wool, Imani Russell and Liam Pearce are among the show's autistic actors. "I think you've picked the perfect three people, because all three of us are so different," said Pearce.

Pearce was diagnosed as being on the spectrum when he was age five; Wool was a junior in college. And Russell said it was May 2021 when they were diagnosed: "And I was really excited, 'cause I finally had a word for something that I think I knew about myself, internally, for a long time, but I didn't have the language for."

Autism comes in a huge variety of forms; it's described as a spectrum for a reason.

Amigo said, "The great enemy of someone who's autistic is social anxiety and anxiety. And that comes from, 'I don't know what to expect, I don't know what I'm supposed to do, I don't know what to say.'"

Wool said, "People like me are more sensitive to a lot of different things, like lights or sounds."

"I think another thing, when it comes to being autistic, is the concept of masking," said Russell, "which is sort of having to hide the movements that we do, or the sounds that we make, or having to speak at times that you don't want to speak to make other people feel comfortable."

The actors were encouraged to blend their own expressions of autism with their characters'. Pearce said, "Sammi Cannold, our director, was very open and supporting of being, like, 'If you, onstage, feel the need to let out your energy or, like, show your excitement in your own, individual, physical ways that you do outside of this rehearsal space, feel free.'"

The rehearsal process offered unusual accommodations for the cast and crew, like someone saying they have a sensitivity to scented soap: "And then our company management team will say, 'Okay, we're gonna replace all the scented soap in the building with unscented soap,'" said Cannold. "And so, it's hundreds of little things like that."

For autistic showgoers with sensory sensitivities, the show offers cool-down areas, sunglasses, and headphones.

And for non-autistic audience members, there's a message.

> > > Do I only exist on this planet > to make somebody else feel inspired? > –"Nothing at All," from "How to Dance In Ohio" > >

Pogue said, "While the characters explicitly sing, 'We don't want to be objects of pity, we don't want to be inspiring,' at the same time, there's probably not an audience member who doesn't say, 'It's about people with challenges succeeding,' which is inspiring."

Russell said, "I like to pose the question, is your feeling of inspiration just infantilization? They're so inspiring because they're autistic, but they did that? Autistic, but they did that? It's not that our disabilities are the hurdles. It's other people's expectations for us that are the hurdles."

Wool added, "The point that we're making is, it's not an 'In spite of…' It's a 'Yes, and…'"

"How to Dance in Ohio" has earned itself an army of fans. Wool recalled at the very first preview, "The seven of us came on stage to do the prologue -- standing ovation, for like a minute-and-a-half. I was like, 'Wait a minute. We haven't done anything yet! We haven't earned this!'"

"It's so cool, at our stage door and stuff, like, young kids have come up to me like, 'I'm autistic, too!'" said Pearce.

But some of the biggest fans are the real people from the documentary. Sammi Cannold introduced them on opening night, including the real-life Drew – Pearce's character. "It was a really crazy, awesome, surreal experience to be able to, like, look at him and be like, 'Hey, thank you for existing, because my entire life and what I do here every night, is because of you.'"

Dr. Amigo liked it, too. He said he's seen it "a few times. if I'm counting right, it's about 13."

Do the show and the documentary help his clients in any way? "Every day," he said. "Because it's a story about them. It builds our self-esteem. It builds our sense of significance."

When cast members were asked how they hope their show will be perceived in the future, Russell said, "Oh, 'How to Dance in Ohio,' that was one of the beginnings."

"A turning point," said Wool.

Amigo said, "I hope that in ten years, it's no longer a big deal that there are seven autistic actors in a cast. Like, 'Okay. So what? That's great. Let's go. Let's start working on a play!'"

The musical-comedy “Shucked” had its closing performance on Broadway Sunday night, but the show went out with an even louder set of whoops than expected, as the curtain call included the news that a feature film adaptation is in the works.

Show reps confirm to Variety that a movie version of “Shucked” is being set up with Mandalay Pictures. The producers for Mandalay will be Jason Michael Berman (AIR) and Jordan Moldo, along with Alan Fox.

“We’re all a little sad to say goodbye to this. But there’s some good news,” one of the Broadway production’s producers, Mike Bosner, said amid the cast’s final farewells. “We don’t have to say goodbye just yet. Because I’m happy to announce that we will be making a feature film of ‘Shucked,'” he said, as the crowd’s cheering began to drown him out.

Robert Horn, who wrote the show’s book, is writing the screenplay adaptation. Horn is one of the executive producers, as well, along with Jack O’Brien, who directed the Broadway production, and Brandy Clark and Shane McAnally, who composed the music.

Horn, O’Brien, Clark and McAnally were all Tony-nominated for their work, and Clark and McAnally won the Drama Desk Award for outstanding music.

No casting has been revealed.

“Shucked” was already set to enjoy an after-life in the wake of the Broadway closing, as a North American tour was announced in the fall, with the first dates set for Nashville. Further U.S. dates have not yet been announced, but productions in London and Australia are planned as well.

The Broadway cast album is currently up for the Grammy for best musical theater album.

At Sunday’s closing performance, Alex Newell, who won a Tony for featured male performer in a musical, playing Lulu, received what attendees said was a three-minute standing ovation for the showcase number “Independently Owned”… an uptick on the minute-plus ovation that performance regularly earned throughout the run.

Theatreland is taking a gamble on a wave of quirky little shows to challenge the big but tired box office beasts

A fresh kind of musical theatre show, set apart by having started life on the fringe or in a small-scale provincial production, is challenging the established order in London’s West End this season.

A wave of new, quirky productions will be taking their places alongside Phantom of the Opera-style classics and all those big, popular musicals that rework a familiar film title or milk a superstar legacy.

Latest to graduate to the major league is Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York), an acclaimed British musical which has just been rewarded this weekend with a run at the Criterion theatre on Piccadilly from April. “It has not sunk in yet,” said its writer Kit Buchan. “Hearing that it will be on in the West End is a bit like the answer to a prayer. But it feels so unlikely: I am not sure I will really believe it until I see the curtain go up.”

Buchan wrote the show with his friend Jim Barne after they decided to branch out from writing songs for the band they have played in together since school. Audiences and critics responded enthusiastically. The show, developed over seven years and now finishing a sold-out run at the Kiln in north London, has earned rave reviews. The Evening Standard critic said the two-hander musical “matches its wide-eyed hero and sardonic heroine with just the right mix of sugar and sour”.

There are high hopes, too, for another unconventional show, Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder!. It impressed critics at the Edinburgh fringe, and is now poised for a West End run.

“New British musicals are having a moment, and that is really exciting,” said its producer, Francesca Moody, who brought Phoebe Waller Bridge’s Fleabag to the stage. “This is the riskier end of a risky market, but there are a group of producers who are prepared to take it up a gear by backing writers with shows that are not based on existing book or film titles. And the West End is making room for them in the ecosystem.”

An affectionate whodunnit parody, Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder!, began as a lockdown project for writers Jon Brittain and Matthew Floyd Jones. Moody is aware that keeping the charm of this small production when it’s in a big London theatre will be crucial. “You have to hold on to the things that have made it successful, like the reusing of the set and the multi-casting. Those elements, the pace and the velocity of movement, make it satisfying.”

By transferring to the West End, these small shows will follow a path recently laid by new musicals including Jack Godfrey’s Babies, which is tipped to return to the West End after a tryout last year, and Operation Mincemeat, a word-of-mouth hit which has won huge audience loyalty. Leading the charge was Six, the musical about the wives of Henry VIII. Written by two students for the Edinburgh festival, it has gone on to reach big audiences internationally. Next up in the West End will be Starter for Ten, adapted by Emma Hall & Charlie Parham from the David Nicholls book and 2006 film, with songs by pop-punk composer Tom Rasmussen.

“There is an interest in musicals from younger audiences now,” said Barne. The show he has created with Buchan, a funny riff on the romcom, has already won two industry prizes. In the lead roles are Dujonna Gift and award-winner Sam Tutty – who both starred in Dear Evan Hansen – as young wedding guests who meet at JFK airport. The show, originally called The Season, ran in several provincial theatres before catching the eye of the Kiln’s artistic director, Indhu Rubasingham, who will be taking over from Rufus Norris at the National Theatre.

According to the old joke, the fastest route to the bright lights of the West End is “practice, practice, practice”. In recent years, though, it has seemed quicker to simply string together a juke-box musical, or adapt a hit film. Musicals based on the songs of Tina Turner, Whitney Houston or Frankie Valli, together with all-singing, all-dancing versions of films such as Mrs Doubtfire, Back to the Future and Pretty Woman, have recently dominated.

But these small, new musicals are reassuring proof that practice and new creative talent can still count: “We made a joke that if we ever had a show on in the West End, we would both get a tattoo,” said Buchan, a performance poet, who has also written for the Observer. That tattoo now looks like a certainty, and will be of a small bat, not the wedding cake of the show’s title.

Neither is planning to leave their day job yet however: they claim that rumours of the money to be made with a West End musical are exaggerated. Buchan, like the hero of his show, works in a cinema, and Barne for a music publisher in Wiltshire.

Despite many younger people having a prejudice against musicals, they were drawn to the form because they wanted to write songs that “were more answerable to the story, and the characters and, of course, the audience”, says Buchan. “People do look down on musicals because they so clearly want to be loved. But we felt liberated from the pressure to be edifying. You can just be entertaining.”

Mean Girls, the movie-musical adaption that opens in theaters this weekend, feels like both an inevitable release and a bizarre confluence of trends that began long before its young cast was even born. We know that Hollywood will take any opportunity to expand an existing piece of intellectual property in a bid to make more cash; they kind of tried this already with Mean Girls’ ill-advised straight-to-ABC Family sequel in 2011. The decision to revisit the property as a straight remake but with songs is something that has only happened a handful of times. But given how recently the same thing happened with The Color Purple, we could be entering a new era of the movie to musical to movie musical pipeline. This phase is based, above all else, on the recognition of an old piece of film, but with some songs thrown in to justify its existence.

The story of how we ended up with movie-to-musical-to-movie musical adaptions of both The Color Purple and Mean Girls playing simultaneously in theaters across the country starts in 2001 with The Producers. Based on the 1968 Mel Brooks film, The Producers became the biggest hit of the 2001 Broadway season, won a record-breaking 12 Tony Awards, and made a ton of money. And even though it was a film first, when a Broadway musical is that successful, a film adaptation is all but guaranteed.

Even before The Producers, most Broadway musicals were based on something. Historically, it was common to adapt operas (Rent, Miss Saigon) biographies (Evita, Hamilton), and Shakespearean texts (Kiss Me Kate, West Side Story). There were plenty of musicals in Broadway’s Golden Age based on films, too; Nine and Sweet Charity are both based on Fellini films, and Sondheim’s A Little Night Music was based on an Ingmar Bergman film. (All three of these were later adapted back into movie musicals, too.)

Broadway figured out how to cash in on the Intellectual Property boom long before Hollywood did. In the 1990s, Disney adapted Beauty And The Beast and The Lion King into stage shows. Those were already movie musicals, so the transition was pretty natural, and The Producers was a Broadway-centric plot with a couple of existing songs, so that transition made sense too. The latter’s success, however, spawned an avalanche of successful, mainstream American films being turned into stage musicals, including Hairspray, Young Frankenstein, Legally Blonde, The Color Purple, Bring It On, and Mean Girls. Hairspray was also adapted back into a movie musical (and it remains one of the best in the genre, regardless of source material).

To anyone who has paid attention to Hollywood in the past two decades, this latest push should sound familiar. There was a spate of remakes of Baby Boom-era classics in the early 2000s (Stepford Wives, Yours, Mine, and Ours, Freaky Friday …). There were also a bunch of film series based on popular novels, kicking off with the Lord Of The Rings and Harry Potter series. Today, it’s endless sequels or endless live-action remakes of animated Disney movies. Though quality can vary with the latter, it’s fairly clear that these are exercises in brand extension, a way to bring audiences into theaters by tantalizing them with a familiar favorite. Usually, these remakes provide at least something new: updates to lyrics, new songs, updates to potentially outdated gender roles.

The thing with this most recent adaptation of Mean Girls that stands out, though, is that it only seems to have a passing interest in being a musical. The stage production, which opened on Broadway in 2018, is hardly a masterpiece, but it is decent, and it has some fun Broadway pastiche across its score. But Mean Girls 2024 cuts almost all of the group numbers, instead focusing on solos or duets, which have also been rearranged to sound like pop songs. Truthfully, it’s more like a live-action Disney remake, updated to suit modern sensibilities, where the characters occasionally burst into song at random.

It really doesn’t matter how good or bad Mean Girls (2024) is, though, because the original film has been one of the internet’s favorite movies for almost 20 years. Hairspray and Little Shop Of Horrors, another standout in the genre, were not based on wildly popular films, and live theater is inherently a niche, exclusive audience. Those film adaptations needed to stand on their own because audiences generally weren’t going to see a musical adaptation of a John Waters film (they were going to see Zac Efron, more likely). But an audience will go see something that says Mean Girls (or The Color Purple, or Matilda) because it’s a beloved film and they’re predisposed to like it.

It stands to reason that there will be more movies based on musicals based on movies. Both Spamalot and Sunset Boulevard are reportedly in development, and maybe one or both of them will be pretty good. Maybe Legally Blonde, a musical adaptation that turned out far better than anyone expected, will make a decent movie musical. But if we’ve learned anything over the past couple of years in Hollywood, it’s that it doesn’t have to be to make a lot of money; it just has to be called Legally Blonde.

On the same topic, Dan Murrell (probably my favourite critic) dissects why Hollywood is ashamed of promoting the fact the movie musicals it makes are musicals.

Mean Girls is easily winning the box office popularity contest with an estimated four-day opening of $31.5 million over the long Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend, although severe winter weather saw more than 50 theaters close Friday in such hubs as Chicago and Toronto. Many of the shuttered cinemas hope to reopen Saturday.

The Paramount film arrives on the big screen 20 years after the Lindsay Lohan-led cult classic Mean Girls, which was directed by Mark Waters and written by Tina Fey, strutted into cinemas. Fey returned to pen the script for the new film, which stars Angourie Rice, Reneé Rapp, Auli’i Cravalho, Bebe Wood and Chris Briney. Fey and Tim Meadows also reprise their roles from the 2004 movie.

Females turned out in force to see the new film, making up 74 percent of Friday ticket buyers. Younger females in particular were keen to see the musical right away. Nearly 70 percent of all ticket buyers were between ages 18 and 34, including 40 percent between 18 and 24. The movie topped Friday’s chart with $11.5 million and is coming in ahead of expectations.

The original Mean Girls sports a Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score of 84 percent; the score for the new film is currently a fresh 70 percent from the first 108 reviews. While the 2004 film earned an A CinemaScore, the updated version earned a B+.

Directed by Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr., Mean Girls cost a relatively modest $36 million to produce before marketing and is the latest musical to brave the big screen after Wonka and The Color Purple.

Screenrant points out that the musical's estimated 3-day box office of about $29M and 4-day estimate of $31.5M is considerably better than the 2004 original, which had an a 3-day opening gross (not adjusted for inflation) of $24.4 million and a 4-day total of $25.6 million, though it didn't open over a holiday.

Even though the Mean Girls musical has beaten the original's opening, it still has a long way to go if it wants to outgross the 2004 movie entirely. In addition to being a much-quoted classic, 2004's Mean Girls was a box office hit, becoming the 26th highest-grossing domestic movie of the year, above blockbusters including Alien vs. Predator, Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, and A Series of Unfortunate Events. Ultimately, with a domestic gross of $86 million and an international haul of $44 million, the movie grossed $130.1 million worldwide.

The new movie's success may end up depending on word of mouth. While the Mean Girls (2024) reviews are strong, earning a 70% score on Rotten Tomatoes, they can't quite compete with the Certified Fresh 84% of the original. Word of mouth could also be impacted by the fact that the movie wasn't advertised as a musical, which could potentially lead to audience consternation. However, the same advertising scheme didn't hurt the box office results of the 2023 holiday musical release Wonka, which became one of the top hits of the year.

Wonka opened somewhat higher than Mean Girls, with a 3-day opening gross of $39 million. However, if the new movie keeps up its pace relative to that 2023 release, which has so far earned a domestic total of $167.8 million, it could very well cross the $100 million mark in North America. Even if it earns a small international gross, the musical could very well pull ahead of the original movie with that kind of total.

As part of a longer interview Kate Miller-Heidke talks musical theatre, Muriel's Wedding and Bananaland:

“I think I was a very eccentric child, a bit socially backward, a sort of mixture of painfully awkward and introverted and also a terrible show-off who loved to sing. I didn’t know where I fit in for a long time, and then I discovered amateur musical theatre. I found my people. When I met the theatre kids I realised, ‘Oh, I’m not such a freak after all’.” She took violin and piano lessons and joined the children’s chorus of professional productions of Brisbane shows like Oliver.

But the highlight [of her career] so far has been the success of Muriel’s Wedding the musical. “It’s such a buzz to get to sit in the audience after a few champagnes and getting to watch what we’ve done without any pressure of performing myself. The opening night of Muriel’s Wedding at that point was the biggest thrill I’d ever experienced. Partly because it wasn’t me on stage.” Yes, she still gets nervous every performance, despite decades of experience. She’d be worried if she wasn’t she says.

This year promises to be a busy one for her and Nuttall. They plan to go to the UK where Muriel’s Wedding, which won five Helpmann Awards, including Best Original Score, is slated to open on the West End after a regional tour in Britain.

BANANALAND, the project that’s brought them to the Sydney Festival, was a project they began during COVID lockdown, with Nuttall writing the script and Miller-Heidke writing the music particularly with the voice of Max McKenna in mind. McKenna, then known as Maggie, starred in Muriel’s Wedding and has what Miller-Heidke describes as one of her “favourite voices on the planet.” It is directed by Simon Phillips, who also directed Muriel’s Wedding on stage.

BANANALAND follows the story of angry punk rockers Kitty Litter and their unexpected rise to fame when one of the band’s protest anthems becomes a hit with the unlikeliest of listenerships – kids. A narrative similar to that of the Wiggles, some of whom started in the band the Cockroaches.

“The main protagonist, Ruby Semblances, is in a band who are on a mission to save the world. She’s got a bit too much Rock Eisteddfod in her background. And she takes it very seriously. She almost has a messiah complex. She’s a magnetic presence and the rest of the band take their lead from her, and they have very strong messages which are quite didactic.

“We began it so long ago it started off with Joh Bjelke-Petersen in mind. Now it’s about Clive Palmer’s incursion into federal politics,” says Miller-Heidke, who, like Nuttall, is a Queenslander who grew up with Bjelke-Petersen and Palmer often discussed.

“The kids mistake the political anthem for a song about a magical land where everybody gets a free banana and it starts climbing the charts to become a hit with the very young set,” she says.

Things go bad, there’s hints of violence, a giant inflatable penis, and Miller-Heidke warns the show really is not intended for children. “Keir created the story, the characters and the whole script, and it’s very, very rare to get an original show put up like this. It costs millions of dollars. It’s very risky. Musicals usually take about 10 years to develop, and we’re just so lucky that Brisbane, now Sydney Festival got on board to support it.

“Because it’s a comedy it lives or dies by the laughs and by the time we got to opening night in Brisbane I was like, is this even funny? I don’t know any more. And then when the audience started to laugh, and then when that laughter kept building and building and there was this sort of runaway train of laughter I was like, ‘Oh, thanks’. That sort of exhilaration is really cool.”

Roundabout Theatre Company's 2024-2025 Broadway season will include a jazz-infused, New Orleans-style production of The Pirates of Penzance, which began as a small in-house reading before the pandemic, then was further developed in a benefit concert last season. The production, which will close out the 24-25 season will premier in April 2025 at the Todd Haimes Theatre on Broadway and star musical theatre heartthrob Ramin Karimloo as the Pirate King and David Hyde Pierce as the Major General and WS Gilbert. The Gilbert & Sullivan classic features a new adaptation by Rupert Holmes. Let's see if Karimloo will keep his shirt on during the show.

New West End musical The Time Traveller's Wife has posted early closing notices at the Apollo Theatre in London.

The show was originally booking to 30 March 2024, but will now close on 24 February 2024.

Anyone who has purchased tickets after 24 February will be contacted by their ticketing provider.

Based on the best-selling book by Audrey Niffenegger and the movie screenplay by Bruce Joel Rubin, The Time Traveller’s Wife boasts original musical from multi Grammy Award-winning composers Joss Stone, and Dave Stewart from Eurythmics. The shows’s book is by Lauren Gunderson, with additional songs by Nick Finlow (music) and Kait Kerrigan (lyrics).

Reviews for The Time Traveller’s Wife were mainly positive, if not glowing. Last Sunday, 7 January, the show celebrated 100 performances in the West End.

Burlesque has announced further dates for its world premiere production.

Based on the 2010 musical drama film, directed by Steve Antin, it revolves around a small-town girl named Ali Rose (played by Christina Aguilera in the original flick) who moves to Los Angeles and stumbles upon a struggling burlesque lounge owned by Tess (played by Cher on screen).

Penned now for the stage by Antin, the theatrical version will have tunes by Aguilera, Sia and Diane Warren, as well as additional numbers by Jess Folley and Todrick Hall and additional material by Kate Wetherhead.

Performances from 13 to 29 June at Manchester Opera House have now sold out, but the production has added a second run at the same venue from Thursday 3 October to Saturday 2 November 2024.

Before that, the piece will play at Glasgow Theatre Royal from 11 to 28 September 2024. These two runs will come prior to a West End transfer, with details to be revealed.

On the creative team are Nick Winston (director and choreographer), Soutra Gilmour (set designer), Tom Curran (musical arrangements and orchestrations), Ryan Dawson Laight (costume designer), Phil Bateman (musical supervisor), Chris Poon (musical director), Robin Antin (creative co-producer/associate choreographer), Harry Blumenau (casting director), Sarah-Jane Price (casting associate) and Lloyd Thomas (production manager).

Casting for the runs are to be revealed.