“The Princess Bride” becomes a Broadway musical: world premiere in Chicago next summer

One of the most anticipated projects of recent years on Broadway took official shape this week: “The Princess Bride” will be turned into a musical. Acclaimed producer Jeffrey Seller, the man behind “Hamilton,” told the Chicago Tribune that the musical version of the classic will have its world premiere in Chicago next summer.

“The Princess Bride: The Musical” will open at Chicago’s Nederlander Theatre on July 19, 2027 and stay on stage through August 22, with a five-week exclusive at the peak of the city’s summer tourist season. Officially, the Broadway date and theater have not yet been announced, but a transfer during the 2027-2028 season is considered certain.

The creative team is blue-chip level: the book is by Tony Award winners Bob Martin (“The Drowsy Chaperone”) and Rick Elice (“Jersey Boys”); the music and lyrics by Oscar winners Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez (“Frozen”); the director is Tony Award winner Alex Timbers (“Moulin Rouge!”); the choreography is by Tony winner Andy Blankenbuehler (“Hamilton,” “In the Heights”).

The official cast has not been announced yet, but a workshop of the show featured Alex Brightman as Billy, Erika Henningsen as Princess Buttercup, Joel Perez as Inigo Montoya and Jonathan Hadary as the Grandfather.

“I read ‘The Princess Bride’ in college and thought it could be a musical,” Seller said. “It’s no exaggeration to say I have loved this show for 40 years.” According to him, this will be the biggest production he has realized to date. Seller has also discussed with Illinois Governor JB Pritzker extending state incentives for pre-Broadway shows through 2027, given Chicago’s high entertainment tax.

The show is based on William Goldman’s novel and Rob Reiner’s 1987 fantasy film, a work that has built a huge fan base over the years — a factor that makes the Chicago premiere especially welcome after a relatively weak period for “Broadway in Chicago”.

Source: The Wire (wyomingnews.com)