Broadway NewsBroadway Revival of The Music Man, Starring Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster, Sets New DatesThe production was to open in October at the Winter Garden Theatre.
By
Ryan McPhee
June 24, 2020
Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster
Pack up the 76 trombones—for now. As the COVID-19 pandemic keeps Broadway and theatres nationwide shuttered, the upcoming revival of The Music Man, starring Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster, has pushed back its opening. The Scott Rudin production now aims to begin April 7, 2021, at Broadway’s Winter Garden Theatre, with opening night set for May 20.
Performances were slated to begin September 9 ahead of an October 15 opening. Currently, all Broadway shows will remain closed through September 6, though an exact return date has yet to be announced. The ambiguous timeline has caused some shows to postpone their already delayed Broadway premieres; Flying Over Sunset, originally slated to open this spring before pushing to the fall, recently announced it hopes to play in spring 2021.
"Despite the postponement, we are sticking together as a company, and we are grateful to be able to do so. And so we look forward arriving at The Winter Garden," producer Rudin said, "and to being just one part of what we expect will once again be a vibrant and exciting Broadway."
Official rehearsals were to begin later this month (a series of workshops had already taken place prior to the pandemic); they are now slated to kick off in February.
Traditionally, a May opening is beyond the window to qualify for that year's Tony Awards. However, with the 2020 ceremony postponed indefinitely and an uncertain impact on current and future productions, it may very well be eligible once the awards resume. Plus, its above-the-title star power (both performers and producers) indicates The Music Man will be a key player in the industry's return.
In addition to Jackman as Harold Hill and Foster as Marian Paroo, the announced cast includes Jayne Houdyshell as Mrs. Shinn, Jefferson Mays as Mayor Shinn, Shuler Hensley as Marcellus Washburn, and Marie Mullen as Mrs. Paroo. Jerry Zaks will direct, with choreography by Warren Carlyle.
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