Official: ROCKY to Open at Winter Garden Theatre on 3/13; Previews Begin 2/11

BroadwayWorld has confirmed that ROCKY, will open on Broadway on March 13, 2014, beginning preview performances on February 11 at the historic Winter Garden Theatre (1634 Broadway, New York, NY). ROCKY received its world premiere in fall 2012 in Hamburg, Germany, where it earned unanimous critical raves and continues to play to packed houses.

ROCKY brings to life the iconic and inspiring story of struggling small time Philly boxer, Rocky Balboa, who gets a once-in-a-lifetime shot to go the distance against heavyweight champ Apollo Creed. Both an adrenalin-infused spectacle and a surprising story of blossoming romance between two lonely outsiders, ROCKY is a heart-stopping and viscerally theatrical new musical for everyone brave enough to follow their dream.

Produced on a shoestring budget, the original 1975 film, Rocky, was shot in 28 days, and starred its young and then-unknown screenwriter, Sylvester Stallone. Like the character of boxer Rocky Balboa, Stallone had to fight the studio, which wanted more bankable stars like Ryan O'Neal or Burt Reynolds, to be cast in the role. Stallone's performance would earn him an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and launch his career as one of Hollywood's biggest stars. The small underdog film went on to become an American film classic, winning the 1976 Academy Award for Best Picture, and launching one of the most successful and iconic characters in Hollywood history.

ROCKY features an original score by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, the celebrated Tony Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated songwriters behind Ragtime, Once on This Island, and Anastasia, and a book by multiple Tony Award-winner Thomas Meehan (The Producers, Hairspray, Annie) and Sylvester Stallone, who was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for the 1976 Oscar-winning Best Picture, Rocky.

The production is directed by Alex Timbers, whose critically-acclaimed work on Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson and Peter and the Starcatcher propelled both of those shows from downtown to Broadway, garnering Mr. Timbers Tony Award nominations for both. The musical features choreography by Kelly Devine, best known for the long-running Broadway hit Rock of Ages, and fight choreography by Steven Hoggett, who received a Tony Award nomination for his work on Once.

ROCKY on-sale dates, performance schedule, and ticket information will be announced shortly. For more information, please visit www.ROCKYBROADWAY.com.