Broadway says goodbye to Some Like It Hot at the Sam S. Shubert Theatre December 30. Adapted from the 1959 film written and directed by Billy Wilder, the musical opened December 11, 2022. After the final curtain comes down, the production will have played 43 previews and 441 performances.
The musical features a book by The Inheritance Tony winner Matthew López and Amber Ruffin and a score by Hairspray's Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, with the former providing music and both contributing lyrics. Tony winner Casey Nicholaw directs and choreographs.
Leading the cast are Christian Borle as Joe/Josephine, J. Harrison Ghee as Jerry/Daphne, Adrianna Hicks as Sugar, Kevin Del Aguila as Osgood, NaTasha Yvette Williams as Sweet Sue, Angie Schworer as Minnie, Adam Heller as Mulligan, and Mark Lotito as Spats.
The musical earned 13 2023 Tony award nominations, winning for its orchestrations (Charlie Rosen and Bryan Carter), choreography (Nicholaw), and costume design (Gregg Barnes). The production also earned a historic win as Ghee, winning Best Actor in a Musical, became (alongside fellow 2023 Tony winner Alex Newell) the first non-binary performer to win a Tony Award in an acting category.
Though this will not be the last bow for the musical; it will launch a North American tour in fall 2024. Cities and dates for the tour, along with casting, will be announced at a later date.
Inspired by the French film Fanfare of Love, Some Like It Hot follows two Prohibition-era jazz musicians in Chicago (played on screen by Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon), who witness a mob hit and go into hiding by disguising themselves as members of an all-female band. Through their escape plot, the two become enamored with the band's singer and ukulele player, Sugar, played on screen by Marilyn Monroe. The film was previously adapted for the stage as the 1972 musical Sugar, with a score by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill and a book by Peter Stone.
READ: Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman Have Read Your Criticisms About Broadway's Some Like It Hot
The Some Like It Hot ensemble includes TyNia René Brandon, DeMarius R. Copes, Jonathan Duvelson, Casey Garvin, Devon Hadsell, Jenny Hill, K.J. Hippensteel, Dan Horn, Brian Martin, Abby Matsusaka, Amber Owens, Kayla Pecchioni, Charles South, Ericka Hunter Yang, and Richard Riaz Yoder. Rounding out the company as swings are Ian Campayno, Elizabeth Earley, Ashley Elizabeth Hale, and Julius Williams.
The production features additional material by Borle and Joe Farrell, music supervision by Mary-Mitchell Campbell, music direction by Darryl Archibald, scenic design by Scott Pask, costume design by Gregg Barnes, lighting design by Natasha Katz, sound design by Brian Ronan, hair design by Josh Marquette, and make-up design by Milagros Medina-Cerdeira. Orchestrations are by Charlie Rosen and Bryan Carter, with vocal arrangements by Shaiman, dance and incidental music arrangements by Glen Kelly, and music coordination by Kristy Norter. The production is cast by The Telsey Office's Bethany Knox, with Karen Moore serving as production stage manager. Juniper Street Productions is production manager, with 101 Productions, LTD. as general manager. Cheryl Thomas is the hair and skin consultant.
Some Like It Hot is produced by The Shubert Organization, Neil Meron, and MGM On Stage, with co-producers including Roy Furman, Robert Greenblatt, James L. Nederlander, Kenny Leon, Hunter Arnold, John Gore Organization, The Dalgleish Library Company Group, Sheboygan Conservatory Partners, Ambassador Theatre Group Productions, Bob Boyett, Cue to Cue Productions, Janet and Marvin Rosen, The Araca Group, Concord Theatricals, Marc Howard, Independent Presenters Network, Juanita Jordan, Jujamcyn Theaters, Henry R. Muñoz III, Ostar, and Mariah Carey. D.S. Moynihan is executive producer.
The production is dedicated to the memory of producer Craig Zadan.
Christian Borle and J. Harrison Ghee in Some Like It Hot
Adrianna Hicks in Some Like It Hot
Kevin Del Aguila and cast of Some Like It Hot
NaTasha Yvette Williams and cast of Some Like It Hot
