Rodgers & Hammerstein's ALLEGRO to Make European Premiere with New Orchestrations

Rodgers & Hammerstein's 1947 musical ALLEGRO is finally set to make a proper European premiere at London's Southwark Playhouse this autumn, complete with new orchestrations.

The Daily Mail writes that Thom Southerland will direct the production, which is running August 5 to September 10, 2016.

"The original orchestration was for an orchestra of 40 or 50, and we can't fit that many into Southwark," Southerland told the Mail. He and producer Danielle Tarento are on the hunt for someone to write the new orchestrations.

ALLEGRO is often considered a flop; it ran on Broadway for less than a year after Rodgers & Hammerstein's hugely successful shows OKLAHOMA! and CAROUSEL.

The musical centers on the life of Joseph Taylor, Jr., who follows in the footsteps of his father as a doctor, but is tempted by fortune and fame at a big-city hospital.

Southerland called the show "outside of the box" for the legendary writing team. "...it was naturalism to focus on one man's 35-year journey. It's a very simple message, and story, but the themes explored are incredibly powerful and potent," he said.

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