RIALTO CHATTER: MINSKY'S And WHITE CHRISTMAS To Take Marquis Theatre?

The Broadway real estate game is in full swing with the news that the Marriott Marquis Theatre (1535 Broadway), current home to 9 to 5: The Musical, will soon be available. The big question now is what might be going into that theatre.

The NY Times Arts Beat shares that "Irving Berlin's White Christmas" might return to the Marquis in late fall (where the show played this past winter). Immediately following the seasonal production would be the Broadway premiere of "Minsky's."

According to the NY Times, Kevin McCollum, lead producer of both shows, has said that scenario is "definitely a possibility," but that he was still in the very Early Stages of considering moves into the Marquis.

It was announced July 29th that 9 To 5: The Musical will play its final Broadway performance on Sunday, September 6, 2009, following 24 previews and 148 performances. 9 To 5: The Musical opened at the Marriott Marquis Theatre on April 30, 2009 starring four-time Emmy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Allison Janney, Stephanie J. Block, Megan Hilty, and two-time Tony Award nominee Marc Kudisch. The show marks the Broadway debut of seven-time Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter and musician Dolly Parton as composer and lyricist. With direction by two-time Tony Award winner Joe Mantello and choreography by Tony Award winner Andy Blankenbuehler, 9 To 5: The Musical has a book by Patricia Resnick, based on her original story and screenplay for the smash 1980 film comedy.

"Minsky's" is a big, racy, romantic musical comedy set in Depression Era New York City. The king of burlesque himself, Billy Minsky, reigns over the rollicking backstage world of "Minsky's" where profit margins are as skimpy as the costumes. Billy knows that to keep the customers coming you have to give them legs, laughs and spectacle that pushes the limits, but even he's not prepared for the day he falls in love and the cops come banging on his door. This original musical brings back a golden era of theatre when audiences came to the theatre to laugh at the jokes, ogle the dancers and escape reality for a little while.

"Minsky's" began previews Janauary 21 and opened February 6, 2009 at Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. The show's play through March 1. Featuring music by three-time Tony Award-winning composer Charles Strouse ("Bye Bye Birdie," "Annie," "Applause") and lyrics by Susan Birkenhead ("Jelly's Last Jam" and "Triumph of Love"), "Minsky's" is Center Theatre Group's second collaboration with Tony Award-winning writer Bob Martin and director/choreographer Casey Nicholaw ("The Drowsy Chaperone").

Irving Berlin's WHITE CHRISTMAS, the new musical stage reinvention of the classic film, played a limited engagement on Broadway from November 23, 2008 through January 4th, 2009, following previews which began November 14. The production featured a cast of 33, including Jeffry Denman (The Producers) as "Phil Davis" and Meredith Patterson (42nd Street) as "Judy Haynes."

The musical tells the story of two showbiz buddies who put on a show in a picturesque Vermont inn, and find their perfect mates in the bargain. Full of dancing, laughter and some of the greatest songs ever written, Irving Berlin's WHITE CHRISTMAS promises to be a merry and bright theatrical experience for the entire family.

Irving Berlin'S WHITE CHRISTMAS was directed by Tony Award® winner Walter Bobbie (Chicago, Sweet Charity), with a book by David Ives (Is He Dead?) and Paul Blake, choreography by Tony Award® nominee Randy Skinner (42nd Street), set design by Tony Award® nominee Anna Louizos (In the Heights, Avenue Q), costumes by Tony Award® nominee Carrie Robbins (Grease, Over Here), lighting design by Tony Award® winner Ken Billington (Chicago, The Drowsy Chaperone, Annie), sound design by Tony Award® nominee Acme Sound Partners (In the Heights, Spamalot), orchestrations by Tony Award® nominee Larry Blank (The Drowsy Chaperone), vocal and dance arrangements by Bruce Pomahac, music supervision by Rob Berman, and casting by Jay Binder C.S.A. The stage production is based on the Paramount Pictures film, written for the screen by Norman Krasna, Norman Panama, and Melvin Frank.