What's Next? Broadway Shows on the Horizon in the 2017–2018 Season | Playbill

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Broadway News What's Next? Broadway Shows on the Horizon in the 2017–2018 Season The new season is already shaping up following the 2017 Tony Awards.

As the curtain comes down on the 2017 Tony Awards, Broadway is already gearing up for the new lineup of shows set to light up marquees.

The season officially kicks off June 22 with the opening of 1984; the Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan adaptation is currently in previews, as is the Broadway premiere of Scott McPherson's Marvin's Room.

An additional 15 shows already have a confirmed theatre and/or start dates, with several more titles also in the mix in the coming year.

Take a look at the list—which is, of course, subject to change as new shows are announced—below.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR
The following productions already have set theatres and/or dates—a couple are even already in previews.
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1984 at the Hudson Theatre Marc J. Franklin

1984
The Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan adaptation premiered at Nottingham Playhouse in 2013 before transferring the following year to London’s Almeida Theatre, where it went on to play four engagements. Leading the New York cast are Tony winner Reed Birney, Olivia Wilde in her Broadway debut, and Tony nominee Tom Sturridge. Like the George Orwell novel, the play is set in a dystopian version of what was once Great Britain, where critical thought is threatened by a totalitarian regime.

1984 will open at the Hudson Theatre June 22 following previews that began May 18.

MARVIN'S ROOM
The Broadway premiere of Scott McPherson’s play, directed by Obie winner Anne Kauffman, features Janeane Garofalo, Lili Taylor, and Celia Weston. In McPherson’s comedic drama, two sisters are reunited when one is diagnosed with leukemia. After learning of her illness, Bessie (Taylor) attempts to end a 20-year feud with her sister Lee (Garofalo). Watson plays their mother. The late playwright also wrote the screenplay for the film adaptation, which starred Diane Keaton and Meryl Streep.

Marvin's Room began performances June 8 at Roundabout Theatre Company's American Airlines Theatre, where it will officially open June 29; it is scheduled to run through August 27.

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Janeane Garofalo, Lili Taylor, and Celia Weston Chris Buck

THE TERMS OF MY SURRENDER
Academy Award-winning filmmaker and author Michael Moore will make his theatrical debut with The Terms of My Surrender, a subversive new solo play and cross-examination of America’s political climate. The show, directed by Tony winner Michael Mayer, will take aim at the current administration and pose the question: “Can a Broadway show take down a sitting President?”

The show will officially open August 10 for a 12-week engagement beginning July 28 at the Belasco Theatre.

PRINCE OF BROADWAY
The musical celebration of the legendary, six-decade career of director-producer Harold Prince will feature Karen Ziemba, Michael Xavier, Chuck Cooper, Emily Skinner, Tony Yazbeck, Brandon Uranowitz, Janet Dacal, Bryonha Marie Parham, and Kaley Ann Voorhees. The musical features both biographical material and songs from many of the shows that earned Prince a record 21 Tony Awards, including West Side Story, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Fiddler on the Roof, Cabaret, Evita, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, and The Phantom of the Opera. The show had its world premiere in Tokyo, Japan in 2015.

The Manhattan Theatre Club and Gorgeous Entertainment production will start August 3 prior to an August 24 opening night at MTC’s Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.

TIME AND THE CONWAYS
Roundabout Theatre Company will present a revival of the J. B. Priestley play, directed by Indecent Tony nominee Rebecca Taichman and starring Oscar, Emmy, and Golden Globe nominee Elizabeth McGovern. The production will mark the first time that the play has been seen on Broadway since its premiere in 1938. In Time and the Conways, McGovern will play Mrs. Conway, who in 1919 Britain, is full of hope at her daughter’s lavish 21st birthday celebration. Jump 19 years ahead, and the Conways’ lives have transformed unimaginably.

Time and the Conways will begin previews September 14 ahead of an official opening October 10, for a run through November 26 at the American Airlines Theatre.

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Clive Owen

M. BUTTERFLY
Oscar nominee Clive Owen will play the central character of Rene Gallimard in the upcoming Broadway revival of David Henry Hwang’s Tony Award-winning drama, directed by Julie Taymor. Owen will play a married French diplomat in China who carries on a 20-year affair with a mysterious Chinese opera singer—all without realizing that the singer is a man. Producers said the author will introduce “new material inspired by the real-life love affair between French diplomat Bernard Boursicot and Chinese opera singer Shi Pei Pu that has come to light since the play’s 1988 premiere.”

The revival will open October 26 at a theatre to be announced.

JUNK
Produced by Lincoln Center Theater in association with The Araca Group, the new drama from Disgraced’s Ayad Akhtar will be directed by Doug Hughes, a Tony winner for Doubt. Junk premiered in August 2016 at California's La Jolla Playhouse. Set over 30 years ago, this is a play about how—while most of us weren't watching—money became the only thing of real value.

The new play will begin previews October 5 prior to an official opening November 2 at the Vivian Beaumont Theater.

THE BAND'S VISIT
Itamar Moses and David Yazbek’s acclaimed new musical, which premiered at Atlantic Theater Company last year, follows an Egyptian police band that arrives in Israel to play a concert and the unlikely relationships that form following a mixup that leaves them stranded. David Cromer will direct; he and Yazbek both won Drama Desk Awards June 4 for their work on the show.

The Band’s Visit will begin on Broadway October 7 at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, where it is set to open officially November 9.

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Tony Shalhoub and Katrina Lenk Ahron R. Foster

ONCE ON THIS ISLAND
The Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty musical, directed by Deaf West’s Spring Awakening Tony nominee Michael Arden, returns this fall. Camille A. Brown will choreograph, with original orchestrator Michael Starobin creating new arrangements with non-traditional instruments. Tony winner Nikki M. James will serve as assistant director. The production has held an international casting call for the production in numerous locations, including Detroit, Chicago, New Orleans, and even the show's setting: Haiti.

The in-the-round staging will begin performances November 9, prior to a December 3 official opening at the Circle in the Square Theatre.

SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS
The new musical based on the hit Nickelodeon cartoon series will arrive in New York following a spring 2016 world-premiere engagement in Chicago (then titled The SpongeBob Musical). Several members of the Chicago cast will transfer with the production, including newcomer Ethan Slater, who will make his Broadway debut in the title role, Lilli Cooper as Sandy Cheeks, Danny Skinner as Patrick, and Gavin Lee as Squidward. In the musical, SpongeBob and the denizens of Bikini Bottom must rally to save their undersea world from total annihilation. The score features original songs from a mix of classic and contemporary artists, including Cyndi Lauper, Sara Bareilles, John Legend, Panic! at the Disco, and the late David Bowie.

SpongeBob Squarepants will begin Broadway previews November 6 at the Palace Theatre, with an official opening night set for December 4.

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Lilli Cooper and Ethan Slater Joan Marcus

THE CHILDREN
Direct from an acclaimed run in London, the Royal Court Theatre production of Lucy Kirkwood’s new play will make its American debut with Manhattan Theatre Club. In a remote cottage on the lonely British coast, a couple of retired nuclear engineers are living a very quiet life. Outside, the world is in utter chaos following a devastating series of events. When an old friend turns up at their door, they’re shocked to discover the real reason for her visit.

Performances begin November 28 at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre with the original London cast. The production will open December 14.

FARINELLI AND THE KING
The London production of playwright and composer Claire van Kampen’s Farinelli and the King will arrive on Broadway with three-time Tony Award winner Mark Rylance. Inspired by the true story of the Italian castrato opera singer, the play includes many of the Handel arias that were first sung by Farinelli in the 1730s. Music will be played live on Baroque instruments in a gallery above the stage. John Dove directs the production that will also feature original London cast members Sam Crane, Huss Garbiya, Colin Hurley, and Edward Peel. The production also stars Grammy Award-winning countertenor Iestyn Davies as the singing voice of Farinelli.

Previews begin December 5 at the Belasco Theatre toward a December 17 opening night for a run through March 25, 2018.

THE MINUTES
The Steppenwolf Theatre Company production of The Minutes will transfer to Broadway in early 2018, under the direction of Anna D. Shapiro. The Tracy Letts play will first play a world-premiere Chicago engagement at the venue, where Shapiro serves as artistic director. Here’s how the play is billed: “A town’s proud history, the legend of a local hero, the coveted privilege of reserved parking: nothing is sacred during the town council meeting at the heart of Tracy Letts’ new play.”

Previews will begin February 6, 2018, with an opening night set for March 8 at a theatre to be announced.

ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE
Escape to Margaritaville, featuring the songs of Jimmy Buffett, currently makes its world premiere at La Jolla Playhouse and will have two additional out-of-town engagements before opening on Broadway in spring 2018. Tony-nominated director Christopher Ashley helms the new musical, which features an original story by Greg Garcia and Mike O’Malley. Paul Alexander Nolan, who last appeared on Broadway in Bright Star, headlines the musical and is joined by fellow Broadway alums Alison Luff as Rachel and Lisa Howard as Tammy.

Performances will begin at the Marquis February 16, 2018, with an official opening March 15.

MY FAIR LADY
Lincoln Center Theater will present the return of My Fair Lady to Broadway under the direction of Bartlett Sher. Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe’s Pygmalion-inspired musical will mark Sher’s third musical revival to play the Vivian Beaumont Theater, following South Pacific and The King and I. LCT will present the revival in association with Nederlander Presentations Inc. The production will feature designs by Sher’s frequent collaborators: costume designer Catherine Zuber, lighting designer Donald Holder, and set designer Michael Yeargan.

My Fair Lady will begin March 22, 2018 at the Vivian Beaumont Theater, where it will open April 19.

HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD
While an adult Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. The play, which won a record nine Olivier Awards in April for its West End premiere, is based on an original story by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany; Tiffany also helms the production.

The two-part epic will officially open at Broadway's Lyric Theatre April 22.

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CAROUSEL
Tony winner Jessie Mueller, Tony nominee Joshua Henry, and Grammy-winning opera star Renée Fleming will headline a Broadway revival of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic, helmed by Tony winner Jack O’Brien. The production, produced by Scott Rudin and Roy Furman, will also feature Amar Ramasar and Brittany Pollack—both of the New York City Ballet. NYCB’s Justin Peck, who will choreograph, promises “an even more dance-and-movement-focused production.”

Carousel is scheduled to begin performances March 23, 2018 at a theatre to be announced.

FROZEN
The musical based on Disney’s megahit film will play the Denver Center for the Performing Arts August 17–October 1 before arriving on Broadway in spring 2018 at the St. James Theatre; no word yet on official dates. Directed by Tony winner Michael Grandage, the cast will be led by Caissie Levy and Patti Murin as Arendelle’s royal sisters Elsa and Anna. The two will be joined by Greg Hildreth as Olaf, Robert Creighton as Duke of Weselton, John Riddle as Hans, and Jelani Alladin as Kristoff. Rob Ashford will choreograph, while the film’s composers Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez and screenwriter (and co-director) Jennifer Lee will reunite to adapt the film for the stage.

KEEP AN EYE OUT

No official dates or venues have been announced for these projects, but expect to see these titles (listed in alphabetical order) on marquees in the not-too-distant future.
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THE CHER SHOW
The pop legend’s life story will head to the stage in a new bio-musical featuring her well-known songs and a book by Rick Elice. Directed by Jason Moore and choreographed by Christopher Gattelli, the show is set to feature three performers in the title role, each depicting various eras of her career. Readings and workshops are in the works, and Cher herself says the musical is set for a 2018 Broadway bow.

BEETLEJUICE
Alex Timbers will direct a musical adaptation of Tim Burton’s ghoulish comedy, featuring a score by Australian writer and comic Eddie Perfect (who’s also at work on the King Kong musical). Scott Brown and Anthony King will pen the book. A previous reading featured Tony nominee Christopher Fitzgerald in the title role.

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA
Elton John and Paul Rudnick will collaborate on a musical version of the fashion-themed title, based on the 2003 novel and the 2006 film starring Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway. Kevin McCollum, Fox Stage Productions, and Rocket Entertainment will produce.

DREAMGIRLS
The London staging of the Henry Krieger-Tom Eyen musical, which incorporates material from the 2006 film version, is expected to begin Broadway rehearsals in early 2018. Directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw, the West End production is led by Glee star Amber Riley, who won an Olivier Award for her performance as Effie White. No word yet if she’ll reprise her performance on this side of the pond.

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THE FLAMINGO KID
The Flamingo Kid, based on the 1984 coming-of-age film from the late Garry Marshall, is being developed into a musical by Robert L. Freedman and Scott Frankel. At the time of its announcement, producers Bob Israel and Larry Hirschhorn said they aimed for a spring 2018 Broadway bow.

HADESTOWN
Following an acclaimed Off-Broadway run in 2016 at New York Theatre Workshop, Anaïs Mitchell’s folk opera, helmed by The Great Comet director Rachel Chavkin, will play the Citadel Theatre in Edmonton, Alberta this fall. The creative team has been workshopping changes and additions since the NYTW run and is reportedly treating this upcoming production as a pre-Broadway engagement.

GYPSY
The Olivier Award-winning West End production, starring Imelda Staunton as the ultimate stage mother Rose, may arrive on Broadway in 2018, according to Staunton herself in an earlier interview. Jonathan Kent directed the revival, which was filmed by BBC and subsequently broadcast on PBS (it is currently available on Blu-ray). There had been previous speculation that Roundabout Theatre Company would present the revival, but no official announcement has been made.

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MEAN GIRLS
The new musical, based on the 2004 Tina Fey film of the same name, will make its world premiere at the National Theatre in Washington, D.C. this fall and is aiming for a March 2018 debut on Broadway. A first performance is expected sometime between March 10 and March 12. The new musical has a book by Fey, music by Fey’s husband and three-time Emmy winner Jeff Richmond, and lyrics by Tony nominee Nell Benjamin. Tony winner Casey Nicholaw will direct and choreograph.

THE PROM
The new musical about a high school lesbian couple fighting for the right to attend prom received its world premiere at the Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia in 2016. At the time, the show, starring Beth Leavel, Brooks Ashmanskas, Christopher Sieber, and Caitlin Kinnunen, was billed as “Broadway aimed.” A few months later at BroadwayCon, producer Dori Berinstein revealed, “We are designing a show that is much smarter now, so we don’t have to start over and have a big recapitalization before we eventually go on tour. It also just creates a leaner and smarter show for Broadway.”

ROMAN HOLIDAY–THE COLE PORTER MUSICAL
The musical adaptation of the 1953 film is currently playing a limited engagement at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Theatre through June 18 prior to an expected Broadway arrival this fall. Marc Bruni directs a cast led by Stephanie Styles and Drew Gehling, who take on the roles made famous by Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck. The new musical features a book by Paul Blake and Emmy winners Kathy Speer and Terry Grossman and incorporates several Porter tunes.

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THE SECRET GARDEN
The new production, which previously played Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre and Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C., heads to Theatre Under the Stars in Houston, Texas this fall. As previously reported, Patriot Productions has picked up a Broadway option for the David Armstrong-helmed revival.

SHERLOCK HOLMES
Daniel Evans, a British performer-turned-director who received a Tony nomination in 2008 for Sunday in the Park with George, has been announced to helm a new play following the famed detective. The creative team includes Tony-winning designers William Ivey Long (costumes), Christopher Oram (sets), and Hugh Vanstone (lights). At the time of its announcement, the Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel play was expected to premiere in the U.K. this summer prior to a Broadway bow.

SOUL TRAIN
Not much has come from this adaptation of the ‘70s TV series; in September 2015, producer Matthew Weaver acquired the theatrical stage rights of the show. At the time, the production was aiming for a 2017 Broadway opening. The musical is set to follow the life and career of Don Cornelius through such hits as “Proud Mary,” “I’ll Be Around,” and “Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me.”

SOUSATZKA
Tony winner Victoria Clark starred in the recent Toronto premiere of the new Broadway-aimed musical, based on Bernice Rubens’ original novel Madame Sousatzka. Clark was cast in the title role of the stern Polish piano player and teacher. The production also marked the theatrical return of Garth Drabinsky, who served 18 months in a Canadian jail for fraud connected with the collapse of his production company Livent. The musical received mixed notices, and Broadway dates have yet to be announced.

SUMMER: THE DONNA SUMMER MUSICAL
La Jolla Playhouse will debut a new musical tribute to the late queen of disco, Donna Summer, in November. Running November 7–December 10, the show will boast direction by Tony winner Des McAnuff with choreography by Sergio Trujillo. The new musical features more than 20 of Summer’s classic hits and electric dance. While a Broadway transfer is expected, no official plans have been announced.

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
In February 2016, it was announced that Oscar winner Aaron Sorkin’s stage adaptation of Harper Lee’s classic Pulitzer Prize-winning novel was headed to Broadway during the 2017–2018 season. The staging, directed by Bartlett Sher, will be produced by Scott Rudin. It should be noted this To Kill a Mockingbird is unrelated to the one done in London in 2013 and at the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis in 2015, which was adapted by Christopher Sergel.

 
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