Well, spring is just around the corner. Year after year, the season bring some traditions such as the start of a new baseball year, the return of many leaves on the trees and flowers back in full bloom, and the openings of new musicals on the Great White Way we all know as Broadway. Many musicals tend to open in the spring because lots of producers in this town are aiming to get big box office business, great opening night reviews (especially from the Times) and most importantly, hoping to get some Tony award nominations for their shows. Here's some of the musicals that will be blossoming to audiences this springtime:
-Disaster!-(At the Nederlander Theatre. Now in previews. Opens March 8th)- What would it be like when a special effect-laden disaster movie (say The Towering Inferno, Independence Day, Twister) become lampooned as a musical spoof with lots of 1970's music (say disco music)? The results for this Off-Broadway transfer would be dangerously funny.
-She Loves Me-(At Studio 54. Now in previews. Opens March 17th)- Remember that 1998 Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan film, You're Got Mail? It was, in fact, based on the 1940 film, The Shop Around the Corner. The latter was even the inspiration for this musical (now in its third Broadway incarnation after two productions in 1963 and 1993). It stars Zachary Levi (TV's Chuck, Disney's Tangled) and Jane Krakowski (of 30 Rock fame).
-Bright Star-(At the Cort Theatre. Now in previews. Opens March 24th.)- Steve Martin has many names to his talents. Comedian. Actor. Playwright. Musician. Now he added a new profession. Broadway Composer. It's even that rare thing we get nowadays. A real "original" musical (in other words, not adapted from a film or a book).
-Shuffle Along-(At the Music Box Theatre. Previews begin March 15th. Opens April 28th)- Six-time Tony winner Audra McDonald returns to the stage in this show based on the 1921 musical and the events leading up to the making of the original production. Here's hoping Audra adds Tony award number seven to her awards mantle. Also starring Brian Stokes Mitchell (Ragtime, Kiss Me Kate) and Billy Porter (Kinky Boots).
-American Psycho-(At the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre. Previews begin March 24th. Opens April 20th)- This 80's-era NYC set thriller jumps from the big screen (the 2000 film with Christian Bale and Reese Witherspoon) to the big Broadway stage. Duncan Sheik (Spring Awakening) wrote an electronic score added with few songs from that decade. If you love the 1980's so much, this may be the show for you.
-Waitress-(At the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. Previews begin March 25th. Opens April 24th)- Based on the 2007 film starring Keri Russell, this musical is sure to serve many of its audiences a romantic treat worth talking about on the way home from the theatre. Plus, with a female leading lady (Tony winner Jessie Mueller), a female director at the helm (Tony winner Diane Paulus), a female librettist (screenwriter Jessie Nelson) and a female composer writing her first Broadway score (singer and songwriter Sara Bareilles), this show has "girl power" written all over it.
-Tuck Everlasting-(At the Broadhurst Theatre. Previews begin March 31st. Opens April 26th)- The classic 1975 fantasy novel becomes a musical. If you haven't read the book, the plot involves a ten-year old girl who meets a young boy and his family that lives life eternally. Weird, don't you think? This show is in the running to become a family-pleaser alongside old favorites such as The Lion King, Aladdin, Wicked and The King and I.
-Disaster!-(At the Nederlander Theatre. Now in previews. Opens March 8th)- What would it be like when a special effect-laden disaster movie (say The Towering Inferno, Independence Day, Twister) become lampooned as a musical spoof with lots of 1970's music (say disco music)? The results for this Off-Broadway transfer would be dangerously funny.
-She Loves Me-(At Studio 54. Now in previews. Opens March 17th)- Remember that 1998 Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan film, You're Got Mail? It was, in fact, based on the 1940 film, The Shop Around the Corner. The latter was even the inspiration for this musical (now in its third Broadway incarnation after two productions in 1963 and 1993). It stars Zachary Levi (TV's Chuck, Disney's Tangled) and Jane Krakowski (of 30 Rock fame).
-Bright Star-(At the Cort Theatre. Now in previews. Opens March 24th.)- Steve Martin has many names to his talents. Comedian. Actor. Playwright. Musician. Now he added a new profession. Broadway Composer. It's even that rare thing we get nowadays. A real "original" musical (in other words, not adapted from a film or a book).
-Shuffle Along-(At the Music Box Theatre. Previews begin March 15th. Opens April 28th)- Six-time Tony winner Audra McDonald returns to the stage in this show based on the 1921 musical and the events leading up to the making of the original production. Here's hoping Audra adds Tony award number seven to her awards mantle. Also starring Brian Stokes Mitchell (Ragtime, Kiss Me Kate) and Billy Porter (Kinky Boots).
-American Psycho-(At the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre. Previews begin March 24th. Opens April 20th)- This 80's-era NYC set thriller jumps from the big screen (the 2000 film with Christian Bale and Reese Witherspoon) to the big Broadway stage. Duncan Sheik (Spring Awakening) wrote an electronic score added with few songs from that decade. If you love the 1980's so much, this may be the show for you.
-Waitress-(At the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. Previews begin March 25th. Opens April 24th)- Based on the 2007 film starring Keri Russell, this musical is sure to serve many of its audiences a romantic treat worth talking about on the way home from the theatre. Plus, with a female leading lady (Tony winner Jessie Mueller), a female director at the helm (Tony winner Diane Paulus), a female librettist (screenwriter Jessie Nelson) and a female composer writing her first Broadway score (singer and songwriter Sara Bareilles), this show has "girl power" written all over it.
-Tuck Everlasting-(At the Broadhurst Theatre. Previews begin March 31st. Opens April 26th)- The classic 1975 fantasy novel becomes a musical. If you haven't read the book, the plot involves a ten-year old girl who meets a young boy and his family that lives life eternally. Weird, don't you think? This show is in the running to become a family-pleaser alongside old favorites such as The Lion King, Aladdin, Wicked and The King and I.
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