Legendary actor, director, writer and producer Jerry Lewis will make his theatrical directorial debut on Broadway with the new musical, "THE NUTTY PROFESSOR", based on the 1963 film that he starred in and co-wrote. With music by Academy Award, Emmy Award, Grammy Award and Pulitzer Prize winner Marvin Hamlisch and a book and lyrics by multiple Tony Award winner and Grammy Nominee Rupert Holmes, the musical is aiming for a bow on Broadway in the 2010/2011 season and is being produced by Loud Watch Productions, LLC.
Recognized as one of The American Film Institute's best comedies in their "100 Years...100 Laughs", "THE NUTTY PROFESSOR", written by
Jerry Lewis & Bill Richmond, was released by Paramount Pictures in 1963 and just recently crossed the 800 Million Dollar mark in world-wide grosses. The film also starred Lewis in what went on to be one of his most famous roles and successful films. Since its release, there have been countless tributes and homage to the film and Lewis' performance, not only in the US, but in Europe, Asia, Australia and across the globe.
"I was born with show business in my blood and working on Broadway gets it coursing through my veins like no other place can. Marvin and Rupert have given one of my favorite and most enduring films "THE NUTTY PROFESSOR" a hilarious and gorgeous adaptation for Broadway and I could not be happier. Does this story sing and dance? You bet it does," says
Jerry Lewis.
Professor Julius Kelp is a dull geek with a bright idea. Privately experimenting in his laboratory to find the cure for his social failures, he creates a potion that transforms him into a smooth talking, party animal named Buddy Love. Buddy is everything that Julius always dreamed of being and gets the girl that he always dreamed of dating, Stella. The only problem is that the potion doesn't last very long. Will the school find out his secret and will Stella stick around even after Love has left the building?
Marvin Hamlisch states, "Music is truly an international language and it has the ability to bring people together like nothing else...except comedy. It's a thrill to be working with
Jerry Lewis, a true king of comedy, and bringing this classic story to life on Broadway with music."
"
Jerry Lewis has been my hero from boyhood, not only as one of the most gifted entertainers of all time but also as one of the grand masters of movie-making. To work with Jerry and the vivid cast of characters he created is a privilege and thrill beyond measure," says
Rupert Holmes.
Marvin Hamlisch has won virtually every major award that exists for composers. He has written the score for the Broadway musicals They're Playing Our Song, Sweet Smell of Success, The Goodbye Girl, Smile and A Chorus Line, for which he shares The Pulitzer Prize. Mr. Hamlisch also wrote the score for the Broadway play with music Imaginary Friends. He is the composer of more than 40 film scores including his Oscar-winning score and song for The Way We Were, his adaptation of
Scott Joplin's music for The Sting , and the
Steven Soderbergh-
Matt Damon film The Informant.
Multi Tony Award winner
Rupert Holmes has worn many hats on Broadway including book writer, composer, lyricist and orchestrator. His Broadway credits include Curtains (Tony Award Nominations for Book and Lyrics, New York Drama Desk Award Best Book), the Tony Award winning musical The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Tony Awards for Book, Music and Lyrics), Say Goodnight Gracie (National Broadway Theatre Award, Best Play; Tony nom., Best Play) and more. For television, Holmes created and wrote the Emmy award-winning series "Remember WENN" and the mystery novels for Random House Where the Truth Lies (Booklist Top Ten Debut Crime Novel; Best American Mystery Novel 2004, Nero Wolfe nom.), Swing (San Francisco Chronicle Top Ten Fiction). His pop songs have been recorded by everyone from
Barbra Streisand to Britney Spears, he's penned Billboard Top Ten hits for himself and others, and contributed to the Golden Globe-winning score of A Star is Born.
Jerry Lewis is no stranger to Broadway, appearing and touring the US & UK in Damn Yankees! in 1995 and
Jerry Lewis at The Palace in 1953, however, "THE NUTTY PROFESSOR" marks Lewis' Broadway debut as director. His countless film credits as performer, director, writer, producer, and sometimes as all four, include The Bell Boy, The Ladies Man, It's Only Money, The Delicate Delinquent,
Martin Scorsese's The King of Comedy and many more. Lewis is also an acclaimed author having written three best sellers: The Total Filmmaker, a oft-used guide for directors; and the memoirs
Jerry Lewis: In Person and the recently released Dean & Me: A Love Story. His humanitarian efforts for The Muscular Dystrophy Association for over half a century have won him countless accolades, including a Nobel Peace Prize nomination, and his annual Telethons, which have grossed over 2 Billion Dollars, have provided a high point for Broadway shows who are given the opportunity to perform for a national audience- and, "Jerry's Kids," MD afflicted children all over this country. Mr. Lewis received an Oscar in 2009 with the
Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, awarded by the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Casting and additional creative team will be announced later this year.
Marvin Hamlisch's (Music) life in music is notable for its great versatility as well as substance. As composer, Hamlisch has won virtually every major award that exists: three Oscars, four Grammys, four Emmys, a Tony and three Golden Globe awards; his groundbreaking show, "A Chorus Line", received the Pulitzer Prize. He is the composer of more than forty motion picture scores including his Oscar-winning score and song for The Way We Were and his adaptation of
Scott Joplin's music for The Sting, for which he received a third Oscar. His prolific output of scores for films include original compositions and/or musical adaptations for Sophie's Choice, Ordinary People, The Swimmer, Three Men and A Baby, Ice Castles, Take The Money and Run, Bananas and Save The Tiger. His latest effort is The Informant, starring
Matt Damon, directed by
Steven Soderbergh, scheduled for release in September, 2009.
Marvin Hamlisch holds the position of principal pops conductor for the National Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Colorado Symphony Orchestra, Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Symphony and San Diego Symphony. Mr. Hamlisch was Musical Director and arranger of
Barbra Streisand's 1994 concert tour of the U.S. and England as well as of the television special, "
Barbra Streisand: The Concert" (for which he received two of his Emmys). Hamlisch is a graduate of the Juilliard School of Music and Queens College (where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree). He believes in the power of music to bring people together.
Rupert Holmes (Book & Lyrics) B'way: Curtains (NY Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Book for a Musical, Tony noms. Best Book, Best Lyrics); The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Tony Awards to Holmes for Book, Music and Lyrics; Tony to Edwin Drood for Best Musical; identical honors New York Drama Desk; Outer Critics Circle, Best Musical), Accomplice (Edgar Award, Mystery Writers of America), Solitary Confinement, Say Goodnight Gracie (National Broadway Theatre Award, Best Play; Tony nom., Best Play). Off-B'way: Twelfth Night (NYSF, original music). Reg'l: Marty (score by Strouse and Adams, Huntington, Boston), Solitary Confinement (Kennedy Center). TV: created and wrote Emmy award-winning series "Remember WENN." His mystery novels for Random House have been published in six languages and include Where the Truth Lies (Booklist Top Ten Debut Crime Novel; Best American Mystery Novel 2004, Nero Wolfe nom.) which was made into a film by Atom Egoyan starring
Colin Firth and
Kevin Bacon, and Swing (San Francisco Chronicle Top Ten Fiction). His latest short story was anthologized in the prestigious Best American Mystery Stories 2008. He wrote much of, and arranged and conducted all of,
Barbra Streisand's platinum album "Lazy Afternoon"; he also contributed songs to the Golden Globe-winning score of A Star is Born. As a pop songwriter, his work has been recorded by many of the leading vocalists of our time, and he's written Billboard Top Ten recordings for himself and others. .
Jerry Lewis (Director) has been called "The King Of Comedy", the "Consummate Entertainer" and according to Newsweek Magazine is tied with the Pope as the 4th most recognizable person on earth. As the writer, director, and producer of many of his feature films,
Jerry Lewis is a comic auteur firmly in the tradition of Chaplin and Keaton. He is not only one of the biggest stars in history but also one of the most powerful. Performing since he was 5 (with his parents in the Catskills), Lewis has been a successful star in every entertainment medium. By the late '40's, with stage shows and regular radio and television appearances, Lewis and his performing partner,
Dean Martin, were hailed as the most popular comedy duo in the nation. They made their film debut in 1949 and starred in 13 block buster comedies before their split in 1956. Lewis went on to star in over 25 films, 13 of which he directed including The Bellboy, The Ladies' Man, The Family Jewels, and The Nutty Professor. In the 80's, Lewis garnered some of the best reviews of his career for his work in
Martin Scorsese's The King of Comedy and also appeared in the major studio films Mr. Saturday Night and Funny Bones.
Jerry Lewis realized a lifelong dream when he starred on Broadway as Applegate in the successful 1994 revival of Damn Yankees. His 185 sold-out performances were adored by audiences and critics. He went on to tour with the show in The United States and the UK and during its 2nd year, the tour broke all attendance records of any previous touring Broadway production. Lewis recently received the
Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the 81st Academy Awards. Star and director of many hit films, Nobel Peace Prize nominee, French Legion of Honor inductee, recording artist, composer, professor, maestro, inventor of the video assist, and author of "The Total Filmmaker", and "Dean and Me",
Jerry Lewis is an American Icon and an International treasure.
