London Guys and Dolls Likely to Head to Bway Next Season

Variety reports that the smash London revival of Guys and Dolls is likely to bow on Broadway sometime during the 2006-2007 season.

After the hit production of the classic Frank Loesser musical ends its West End run at the Piccadilly Theatre in September, the show will set off on a UK national tour the same month.

Broadway casting has not been announced, but producer Howard Panter has big names in mind.  "The appetite from New York theatre owners is there, and we're in discussion with two major stars, but it's like a jigsaw: We're all dependent on fitting in with director Michael Grandage's dates and he's very busy."

Guys and Dolls opened in London on June 1st, 2005 with a lustrous cast in tow--Ewan McGregor (as Sky Masterson), Jane Krakowski (as Miss Adelaide), Russell (as Sarah Brown) and Douglas Hodge (as Nathan Detroit). The show, which has been a big commercial hit, also received a strong critical reception. Directed by Grandage and choreographed by Tony Award-winner Rob Ashford (who will reunite for the upcoming London Evita revival), the show is a somewhat grittier interpretation of the classic musical, which is set in a New York world of gamblers, gangsters, chorus girls and Sarah Brown, a Salvation Army girl who wants to reform all of them. Of course, Sarah also falls in love with gambler Sky Masterson.

The production currently features Sally Ann Triplett as Miss Adelaide, Adam Cooper as Sky Masterson, Kelly Price as Sarah Brown and Neil Morrissey as Nathan Detroit.  The musical is produced by the Donmar Warehouse, The Ambassador Theatre Group and Live Nation in association with Arielle Tepper and David Binder, Tulchin/Bartner Productions and IC Productions.

Guys and Dolls opened at the 46th Street Theatre on November 24th, 1950 and won the 1951 Tony Award for Best Musical. Running for 1,200 performances, it featured Robert Alda, Vivian Blaine, Isabel Bigley and Sam Levene as its leads. Based on the stories of Damon Runyon, Guys and Dolls features a score by Loesser and a book by Abe Burrows and Jo Swerling. There have been 3 Broadway revivals, and a 1955 film starred Marlon Brando, Blaine, Frank Sinatra and Jean Simmons.

The West End revival of Guys and Dolls is currently booking through September 2nd. It was also announced in October of 2005 that the musical is likely to transfer to Broadway.

Call (0)870 060 0123 for more information on the West End production, or visit www.guysanddollsthemusical.com.