Hit play 'The Book of Mormon' reaches financial milestone
12/1/2011NEW YORK -- Nine Tony Awards, critical praise, and some filthy humor have made The Book of Mormon a solid Broadway investment.
Producers said Tuesday that it has recouped its $11.4 million capitalization after just nine months.
The musical is the brainchild of Trey Parker and Matt Stone, creators of South Park, and Robert Lopez, who co-wrote Avenue Q.
It was crowned best musical for its offensive yet good-natured look at two missionaries who arrive in Uganda and get way more than they bargained for. The show is one of the hardest tickets to score and, thanks to premium pricing, took in more than $1.6 million at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre last week.
Left at the altar
NEW YORK -- A set of micro plays about gay marriage that made its debut last month off-Broadway has been jilted.
Producers said Tuesday that Standing on Ceremony: The Gay Marriage Plays at the Minetta Lane Theatre will have its final performance on Dec. 18.
The cast includes Beth Leavel from The Drowsy Chaperone, Richard Thomas from Race, Craig Bierko from The Music Man, Mark Consuelos from TV's All My Children, Polly Draper from thirtysomething, and Harriet Harris from Thoroughly Modern Millie.
Familiar roles
NEW YORK -- The Broadway-bound casting of the musical Ghost will be hauntingly familiar.
Producers said Tuesday that Richard Fleeshman and Caissie Levy will reprise their starring roles as Sam and Molly that they originated in London.
The musical is based on the 1990 movie in which Patrick Swayze played a ghost trying to communicate with his girlfriend through a fake psychic in hopes of saving her from his murderer. Demi Moore played the girlfriend.
Ghost has new songs by Grammy Award winner Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard. Stewart is half of the pop duo the Eurythmics. Ballard helped put together Alanis Morissette's "Jagged Little Pill."
Previews will begin March 15 at Broadway's Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. Opening night is set for April 23. Tickets go on sale Dec. 5.
From TV to stage
NEW YORK -- Jim Parsons seems to have gotten a big bang out of Broadway and wants to return.
The star of The Big Bang Theory on CBS is set to star this summer in a Roundabout Theatre Company revival of the Pulitzer Prize-winning comedy Harvey by Mary Chase. Performances of Harvey will begin May 18 at Studio 54 with an opening set for June 14. It runs through Aug. 5.