New Musical HOUDINI, by Danny Elfman and David Yazbek Due 2010 on Broadway

Harry Houdini (1874-1926), one of the world's most famous and stupefying escape artists, was known to constantly up the ante. Throughout his career, the magician seemed capable of outwitting any restraint or obstacle - from handcuffs to jail cells to underwater traps and underground caves to thick walls. The only exception was his inability to satisfy his driving, obsessive quest to challenge the limitations of being human. HOUDINI, An Original Musical ultimately deals with the human yearning for astonishment and miracles-both manmade and supernatural-and the quest to defy death.

"When David Rockwell asked me to join him as a co-lead producer, I didn't hesitate for a moment. Houdini is an amazing, iconic figure who continues to captivate our imagination more than 80 years after his death. His colorful world defines the theatrical and, combined with this remarkable creative team, will make for a fascinating and entertaining musical," says Scott Sanders.

"The musical theater has always been a passion of mine, and I can't imagine a more thrilling opportunity than the creation of a new musical, especially with this team" adds David Rockwell.

Broadway theatre, casting and full design team will be announced at a later date.

BIOGRAPHIES

Danny Elfman (Music) is one of today's most successful creators of movie music and is has managed to make the transition from rock musician with his band Oingo Boingo ("Dead Man's Party") to three-time Oscar-nominated orchestral score composer. The Grammy-winning composer has been working in motion pictures since 1985, when director Tim Burton and star Paul Reubens called him to write the music for Pee-Wee's Big Adventure. Since then, Elfman has scored nearly all of Burton's movies including Beetlejuice, Batman, Edward Scissorhands, Batman Returns, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Mars Attacks!, Sleepy Hollow, Planet of the Apes, The Corpse Bride, and Charlie And The Chocolate Factory . Elfman has earned Oscar nominations for his inventive scores to Good Will Hunting , Men in Black and Big Fish.. He has also composed the scores for such diverse films as Midnight Run, Spider-Man 1 & 2, Dick Tracy, Sommersby, Mission: Impossible, Black Beauty, Dolores Claiborne, Chicago, Dead Presidents, A Simple Plan, The Family Man, Proof of Life, To Die For, Charlotte's Web and Meet The Robinsons. Upcoming scores include Wanted staring Angelina Jolie for acclaimed Russian director Timur Bekmambetov, Errol Morris' documentary Standard Operating Procedure, Hellboy II directed by Pan's Labyrinth's Guillermo Del Toro and Milk, a biographical film about Harvey Milk directed by Gus Van Sant starring Sean Penn. Elfman is also well-known for his classic television themes to "The Simpsons," "Tales from the Crypt," and "Desperate Housewives." Elfman's first full-length orchestral commission, Serenada Schizophrana, premiered at Carnegie Hall and was recorded for Sony Classics. Elfman will be making his ballet debut this summer with the American Ballet Theatre's at the Metropolitan Opera House with the World Premiere of a new work choreographed by Twyla Tharp.

David Yazbek (Lyrics) A varied career as a recording artist, Emmy-winning TV and film writer, music producer, and pianist has somehow led Yazbek to become one of Broadway's preeminent composer/lyricists. His two shows, The Full Monty and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels received a combined 21 Tony Award nominations with Yazbek being twice nominated for Best Score. The Full Monty won him the Drama Desk award for Best Music. As a recording artist, Yazbek is responsible for 5 albums-The Laughing Man (winner N.A.I.R.D. award Best Pop Album of the Year), Tock, Damascus, Tape Recorder and the brand-new Evil Monkey Man. He has written and/or produced for such acts as XTC, Ruben Blades, The Persuasions, Joe Jackson, Tito Puente and many others. He also produced the original cast albums of his two Broadway shows, The Full Monty and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, both nominated for Grammy awards. In past lives, he has written dozens of scripts for TV and film, co-created the PBS children's series "The Puzzle Place," won an Emmy for his comedy-writing stint on "Late Night with David Letterman" and wrote the unrelenting theme song for "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?"