A Broadway revival of Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart's BABES IN ARMS is in the works, according to Variety.
The production will be directed and choreographed by
Randy Skinner (recently Tony nominated Choreographer of "
Irving Berlin's White Christmas") and will utilize a new book by
Joe DiPietro ("I Love You, You're Perfect...Now Change!", "
The Toxic Avenger" and "Memphis"). The production will star
Rosie O'Donnell.
BABES IN ARMS first appeared
On the Rialto in 1937, but is most well known for the 1939 film adaptation starring
Judy Garland and
Mickey Rooney.
The quintessential 'Hey, kids, let's put on a show!' musical, BABES IN ARMS boasts one of the greatest scores ever written, featuring "My Funny Valentine" and "The Lady Is a Tramp." The newly revised version interpolates "With a Song in My Heart," an additional Rodgers and Hart tune not found in the original. This will be the first Broadway revival of the show.
The New York Times review for the 1937 production proclaimed it had "a score that is altogether superb...fresh, youthful, and utterly captivating."
The new version of "Babes" retains the storyline of the Depression-era original, in which a chorine (O'Donnell) helps a group of kids put on a show in order to keep them from being sent to a workfarm.
"Babes" will be produced by Gerald Goehring, Pat Addiss and Michael F. Mitri. The trio recently mounted private readings of the revised show, boasting a cast which included Rosie O'Donnell and Shuler Hensley.
No timeline is yet in place for the BABES IN ARMS Broadway bow, but producers hope to have the specifics in place by the end of the summer.
Goehring told Variety that the new production would have a relatively modest scale, with a cast of about 15 and what is essentially a single set.
To read the Variety article, click here.
Skinner and O'Donnell worked together in the 2008 Encores! revival of "No, No, Nanette."
Rosie O'Donnell is a 13-time Emmy Award-winning American comedienne, talk show host, television personality, celebrity blogger, gay rights activist, film, television, and stage actress. She has appeared on Broadway in Fiddler on the Roof and Seussical! She also produced Taboo.
Rosie O'Donnell is an often-advocate for New York theatre, featuring Broadway performances on her Emmy Award-winning talk-show "The
Rosie O'Donnell Show," which ran 1996 to 2001. She was last seen on her NBC variety special, ROSIE LIVE! and served as co-host on the tenth season of ABC's "The View. She recently released her second book entitled "Celebrity Detox" with Warner books.
Randy Skinner's shows include: 42nd Street (Tony®, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Astaire nominations), State Fair (Outer Critics Circle nomination), Ain't Broadway Grand (Tony®, Outer Critics Circle nominations), After the Night and the Music (MTC/Biltmore), Do Re Mi, Of Thee I Sing, Face The Music and No, No, Nanette (the last four for
City Center Encores! series productions),
Lone Star Love (
Lucille Lortel Award nomination), Puttin' On The Ritz (Kennedy Center), Stormy Weather (with
Leslie Uggams/The
Prince Music Theatre), An American in Paris (The
Alley Theatre). In Los Angeles:
Happy Days; Hello, Dolly! (with
Nell Carter); Pal Joey (with
Dixie Carter,
Elaine Stritch); Strike Up the Band (with
Tom Bosley). "The 2001 Tony Award® Telecast" (opening number). He has received the Los Angeles Drama Critics, Los Angeles Dramalogue, Bay Area Critics, Connecticut Critics and Cleveland Times Theatre Awards.
Photo of Rosie O'Donnell by RD / Dziekan / Retna Digital
