Mackintosh to Bring Jersey Boys to the West End?

According to the London Daily Mail, the Broadway smash Jersey Boys may transfer to the West End in a staging presented by impresario Cameron Mackintosh.

The publication states that Mackintosh (Les Miserables, Miss Saigon) is "vying with Andrew Lloyd Webber to provide the venue for the fingersnapping, toe-tapping show about the rise of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.  The choice was the Adelphi (which is controlled by Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group) or Mackintosh's Prince Edward Theatre."  The production would open in late March 2008.

An architectural problem over stage size precluded the use of the Adelphi for director Des McAnuff and producer Michael David.  In addition, Webber plans to present his upcoming revival of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in that theatre.  "We are in discussions with the Prince Edward and we are not looking at any other theatres at this time," said Julian Stoneman, Jersey Boys' UK general manager.  If the transfer materializes, then the West End production of Mary Poppins, currently playing the Prince Edward, is likely to go on a national tour.

Although a casting search will soon be underway for an actor to play Frankie Valli in London, the Daily Mail states that "if there are problems finding such a performer in Britain, the producers might bring over John Lloyd Young, who created the role so memorably in New York."

Directed by two-time Tony award-winner McAnuff, Jersey Boys won four 2006 Tony Awards including Best Musical and continues to break box office records at the August Wilson Theatre since opening in November of 2005.  The national tour is currently playing through April 29th at San Francisco's Curran Theatre, where it recently launched.

Jersey Boys is written by Academy Award-winner Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, with music by Bob Gaudio, lyrics by Bob Crewe and choreography by Sergio Trujillo.

"Jersey Boys is the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons: Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi. This is the story of how a group of blue-collar boys from the wrong side of the tracks became one of the biggest American pop music sensations of all time. They wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide - all before they were thirty," according to press notes. 

The Broadway show stars Tony Award-winners John Lloyd Young and Christian Hoff, as well as Daniel Reichard and J. Robert Spencer. 

Visit www.jerseyboysbroadway.com for more information.