42nd Street Revival 2017 - Articles Page 1.8

It has been announced that a brand new production of classic musical 42nd Street will be heading to London's West End, beginning previews at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on 20th March and officially opening on 4th April 2017.

The musical features a score by Harry Warren and Al Dubin and book by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble and is based on the novel by Bradford Ropes and the subsequent 1933 Hollywood film adaptation of the same name. This brand new production is directed by Mark Bramble, choreographed by Randy Skinner and will feature scenic design by Douglas W Schmidt and costume design by Roger Kirk.

Billed as a "Broadway fable", 42nd Street is a classic backstage musical that show follows famed director Julian Marsh as he attempts to put on a brand new musical production during the height of the Great Depression. Peggy Sawyer, an unknown chorus girl, gets her big break and goes out on the stage a "youngster" and comes back a "star". With a classic score of musical theatre standards including "We're in the Money", "Lullaby of Broadway", "42nd Street" and "About a Quarter to Nine", this heart-warming musical provides exceptional tap routines and classic comedy.

The original Broadway production opened at the Winter Garden Theater in 1980 produced by David Merrick and directed by Gower Champion and went on to win the Tony Award for Best Musical, running for 3,486 performances to January 1989. A West End production opened at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on 8 August 1984 starring Catherine Zeta Jones and went on to win the Olivier Award for Best Musical. It was last seen in the West End at the Dominion Theatre in 1990.