The new original swing musical Bandstand, which plays its final Broadway performance September 17, has announced three future rights partnerships that will lead to a life for the show beyond New York, including a national tour.
The producers have partnered with Work Light Productions and The Road Company for a future U.S. tour, as well as with Samuel French, who will represent the performance rights for the musical.
“On behalf of my producing partners, Gabrielle Palitz, Terry Schnuck, and Roger Horchow, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to bring a completely original musical to stages across America,” said producer Tom Smedes in a statement. “Guided by [director-choreographer] Andy Blankenbuehler’s vision, we believe that this unique musical has great heart and a message that needs to be told. Most importantly, Bandstand pays tribute to our veterans and heroes, which will resonate with audiences across the country. We look forward to being able to continue telling this important story on the first class U.S. tour and with future productions.”
Read: BROADWAY'S BANDSTAND MARKS AN HISTORIC THEATRICAL FIRST
The show’s creators Richard Oberacker and Robert Taylor added, “Bandstand was conceived as a work that would be a bridge between the classic musicals of the 1940s and the contemporary theatrical techniques created to push the art form forward. This mirrors perfectly the legacy and dynamism of the Samuel French team, and we eagerly look forward to collaborating with them to bring the message of Bandstand to the world in as many unique and creative productions as can possibly be imagined.”
The Broadway production, currently playing the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, stars Laura Osnes and Corey Cott. The musical tells the story Donny Novitski, who returns home with the emotional trauma of a scarred past. In an effort to work through this, he—alongside fellow veteran musicians and a young war widow—assemble a swing band and enter a national contest.
