On the stand today in the trial was Ben Smith, an Australian property developer who at just under $2 million dollars has one of the largest stakes in the failed production.
According to Deadline, it was revealed in an opening argument that, after years of postponements, producers Ben Sprecher and Louise Florenza have indeed lost the rights to the musical.
REBECCA's 2006 world premiere, directed by Francesca Zambello opened at Vereinigte Buhnen Wien in Vienna, and the musical has subsequently played in Budapest, Hungary; Bucharest, Romania; Helsinki, Finland; Stuttgart, Germany; St. Gallen, Switzerland and at the Imperial Theatre in Tokyo.
CNBC's shocking true crime series AMERICAN GREED will examine the controversial journey of the Broadway-bound musical REBECCA. The series focuses on people who will 'do anything for money.'
As of yesterday, May 12, REBECCA's publicist Marc Thibodeau has been found liable for sending emails that caused a potential investor to pull millions from the Broadway musical in its eleventh hour of need. Following this latest development, lawyer Ronald Russo, who represents REBECCA and its lead producer Ben Sprecher on all matters regarding Thibodeau, has issued a statement in response to the press agent's recent comments.
As reported last night, Broadway's ever-evolving REBECCA scandal continues, with press agent Marc Thibodeau having been found liable for sending emails that caused a potential investor to pull $2.25 million from the musical, a move that forced the project to a halt.
In the latest legal news from Broadway's ever-evolving REBECCA scandal, Deadline writes that press agent Marc Thibodeau has been found liable for sending emails that caused a potential investor to pull $2.25 million from the musical, a move that forced the project to a halt.
The New York Daily News reports that Mark Hotton, who in 2012 scammed the producers of REBECCA out of $65,000 and all-but extinguished the musical's plans for a Broadway run, was sentenced today, October 10, to almost three years (34 months) in federal prison.
Lead producers Ben Sprecher and Louise Forlenza, announced today that REBECCA, the musical based on the classic novel by Daphne du Maurier, has officially extended its rights through December 31, 2014 and is eyeing a Winter 2014 start. They are now joined by Co Producers Steven Colson, Peter Bezemes and Barbara Sellinger, along with the previously announced co-producers, who all remained committed to the project.
According to the New York Times, the Securities and Exchange Commission will not take action against the producers of REBECCA. The new musical, which was originally scheduled to open on Broadway last fall, was cancelled after it was discovered that several of the show's investors never existed. A recent letter from the SEC to the producers' lawyers indicated that their 'investigation of the producing team was complete and no enforcement actions would be pursued.'
The New York Daily News reports that Mark C. Hotton admitted today, July 29, to conning funds from Broadway's REBECCA THE MUSCIAL by fictionalizing millionaire investors. Hotton said the scam was part of a plan to keep $65,000 in finder's fees. Hotton also plead guilty to a similar scheme with a Connecticut real estate firm, and will be tried tomorrow in Long Island in a money laundering conspiracy connected to Brooklyn's Maimonides Medical Center.
Back in April, BroadwayWorld reported that lead producer of REBECCA, Ben Sprecher, still intended to bring the new msuical to Broadway by the end of the year. After the Fall 2012 production was cancelled, Sprecher revealed to BroadwayWorld that another $7 million would be needed to reach the $15 million needed to bring the show to Broadway. For the show to open by the end of the year, the musical needed to raise an additional $7 million by the end of June.
As an online companion to Vanity Fair's feature article on Rebecca the Musical's scandalous Broadway collapse, David Kamp takes readers behind the scenes at Rebecca's first and only rehearsal.
Lead producer of Rebecca, the Broadway musical that was cancelled last Fall, is still intent on bringing the show to Broadway this year. Sprecher told BroadwayWorld that the producing team has brought in an additional $2 million for the production. Another $7 million will need to be raised to reach the $15 million needed to bring the show to Broadway. If the show is to open by the end of 2013, the fundraising goal must be reached by the end of June, and if things go as planned, Sprecher intends to begin rehearsals in October 2013.
The drama surrounding Rebecca, the Broadway musical that was cancelled last Fall, continues to grow, as Bloomberg reports that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is now investigating what happened bewteen lead producer Ben Sprecher and potential investors for the show. The SEC is reortedly specifically looking into 'whether Sprecher misled a prospective investor, Larry Runsdorf.'
2013's Broadway drama continues to unfold surrounding the musical REBECCA. According to The New York Times, the publicist who formerly represented REBECCA, Marc Thibodeau, has asked the State Supreme Court to dismiss a lawsuit put forth by the show's producers that accuses Thibodeau of 'defamation and breach of contract and fiduciary duty' for allegedly 'scaring off' a last-minute investor. Thibodeau is arguing that he only warned the potential investor that REBECCA's producers had been taken in by a fraud scheme.
According to a new update from the New York Times, REBECCA's lead producer, Ben Sprecher, is hopeful that the show might make it to Broadway in the coming 2013 season. He told the Times that he believes the necessary funds to mount the show can be raised because of 'the widespread publicity and notoriety surrounding the show after the fraud scheme was revealed.'
The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Three theatrical radio plays called 'It's A Wonderful Life,' two Second City touring companies, Gilbert and Sullivan in rep, the Rockettes, Karen Mason in town, holiday films we fancy, Congo Square's 'Nativity' and a special holiday thought....
Today, the Wall Street Journal reports that the stock broker has been under investigation since 2009 by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, in 12 different cases.
It's the Broadway musical that was, then wasn't. Tonight, December 3, join the intrepid cast of the ill-fated Rebecca when they gather on the 54 Below stage for one night only in Keep the Home Fires Burning: A Very Manderley Holiday.
Today, the Wall Street Journal reports that the stock broker has been under investigation since 2009 by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, in 12 different cases.
Now according to the New York Post, producers of the show will file a $100 million lawsuit against Hotton, for taking 'tens of thousands of dollars in advances on commissions for bringing in non-existent backers.'
