Video Roundup: GROUNDHOG DAY - A Look Back From Screen to Stage
By: Alan Henry May. 26, 2017
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BroadwayWorld is taking a look back on GROUNDHOG DAY - from screen to stage!
Groundhog Day tells the story of Phil Connors (Andy Karl), a disgruntled big-city weatherman mysteriously stuck in small-town America reliving the same day over and over and over again. The musical made its world premiere try-out at The Old Vic in London in summer 2016 and opened at the August Wilson Theatre on Broadway on 17 April 2017.
But when he gets to know associate TV producer Rita (Barrett Doss), he discovers that a day of second, third and fourth chances just might bring him the promise of a lifetime. It's a classic boy meets girl... boy meets girl... boy meets girl story.
1993 - Motion PictureThe film starred Bill Murray as Phil Connors and Andie MacDowell as Rita Hanson and was produced on a budget of $14.6 million, and ended up earning over $70 million at the box office. In 2006 it was added to the United States National Film Registry as being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
At the time of its release, Groundhog Day was a modest success but garnered generally positive reviews. It gained a cult-like following over time and is now often listed among the best comedy films ever. It further entered into the public consciousness, where the term "Groundhog Day" can represent a situation that seems to repeat over and over.
Stephen Sondheim had reportedly considered turning Groundhog Day into a musical but at one point ultimately concluded that "to make a musical of Groundhog Day would be to gild the lily. It cannot be improved."
It had been confirmed that film writer Danny Rubin had been working on a concept of a Groundhog Day musical for some time, and already had about 12 song ideas (whittled down from 30) along with dialog, scenes, and other production aspects.
Around 2012, Rubin had become stuck and felt it impossible he could make the musical happen as he believed he could not progress without the collaboration of a composer. Shortly after reaching this conclusion, Rubin was called by director Matthew Warchus to introduce him to Tim Minchin, who had just finished writing the songs for Matilda the Musical.
It was announced in 2014 that Tim Minchin would write the score for the musical and reunite much of his Matilda creative team.
2016 London Production
The production was nominated for 8 Laurence Olivier Awards. It won the Olivier Awards for Best New Musical and Best Actor in a Musical for Andy Karl (accepted by Georgina Hagen as Karl could not attend due to appearing in the Broadway production). At the ceremony, Minchin performed a song from the show "Hope" with some of the London cast and the BBC Concert Orchestra and revealed that the musical would return to London in early 2018.
2017 - Broadway Production
Check out highlights from the hit new musical! The musical premiered on Broadway at the August Wilson Theatre officially on 17 April 2017. The show is nominated for 7 Tony Awards: Best Musical, Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Direction of a Musical, Best Original Score, Best Choreography, and Best Scenic Design of a Musical.
Andy Karl took opening night by storm following an injury during previews which resulted in him having to forgo several preview performances. It was later revealed he had torn his ACL.
Check out the reviews of Groundhog Day!
Based on the iconic film, Groundhog Day is re-imagined by the award-winning creators of the international hit Matilda The Musical-including director Matthew Warchus and songwriter Tim Minchin-with a book by original screenwriter Danny Rubin. Starring Olivier Award winner and two-time Tony Award nominee Andy Karl, Groundhog Day is the new musical comedy about living life to the fullest, one day at a time.
Don't forget to vote for Groundhog Day and Andy Karl in the 2017 Theater Fans' Awards! Vote here!
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