BWW Flashback: THE LAST SHIP Sets Final Sail from Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre Tonight

THE LAST SHIP will play its final performance on Broadway tonight, January 24 at 8 p.m., at the Neil Simon Theatre (where it has played 29 preview performances and 105 regular performances). Prior to its Broadway debut, The Last Ship had a five-week tryout in Chicago last summer, where it played 38 performances. On December 9, 2014, Sting, who composed The Last Ship's score, joined the cast in the role of Jackie White, the foreman of the shipyard who rallies his community to build one last ship meant to sail the world. BroadwayWorld salutes the musical with a closing night flashback below!

THE LAST SHIP has music and lyrics by Sting, the 16-time Grammy Award winning musician, with a book by John Logan and Brian Yorkey, choreography by Steven Hoggett and is directed by Joe Mantello. Musical direction, orchestrations and arrangements are by Emmy Award-winner Rob Mathes.

The musical's original Broadway cast features Michael Esper, Rachel Tucker, Jimmy Nail, Fred Applegate, Aaron Lazar, Sally Ann Triplett and Collin Kelly-Sordelet.

THE LAST SHIP is the unforgettable story of passion and hope about a shipbuilding community that rallies to preserve its way of life by building one last ship meant to sail the world, and of a woman who must choose between the two men she loves.

In June 2014, THE LAST SHIP opened in Chicago at the Bank of America Theatre:

Jeffrey Seller (Producer)

Sting

Sting (music and lyrics) and THE LAST SHIP Cast and Creative Team

Sting (music and lyrics) and THE LAST SHIP Cast and Creative Team

THE LAST SHIP Cast and Creative Team

THE LAST SHIP Cast and Creative Team

THE LAST SHIP Cast Members Michael Esper (Gideon) and Rachel Tucker (Meg)

THE LAST SHIP Cast Members Fred Applegate (Father O'Brien) and Michael Esper (Gideon)

By late summer, the musical was preparing for its big Broadway transfer:

It opened at the Neil Simon Theatre in October 2014:

Jimmy Nail and Cast of THE LAST SHIP. Photo Credit: Joan Marcus

Jimmy Nail and Sally Ann Triplett. Photo Credit: Joan Marcus

Sally Ann Triplett and Cast of THE LAST SHIP. Photo Credit: Joan Marcus

Michael Esper. Photo Credit: Joan Marcus

Shawna M. Hamic and Michael Esper. Photo Credit: Joan Marcus

Michael Esper and Fred Applegate. Photo Credit: Joan Marcus

Cast of THE LAST SHIP. Photo Credit: Joan Marcus

Fred Applegate, Jimmy Nail, Sally Ann Triplett and the Cast of THE LAST SHIP. Photo Credit: Joan Marcus

Fred Applegate, Jimmy Nail and the Cast of THE LAST SHIP. Photo Credit: Joan Marcus

Michael Esper and Collin Kelly-Sordelet. Photo Credit: Joan Marcus

Rachel Tucker and Michael Esper. Photo Credit: Joan Marcus

Rachel Tucker, Michael Esper and Aaron Lazar. Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy

Michael Esper and Rachel Tucker. Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy

Collin Kelly-Sordelet. Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy

Rachel Tucker and Aaron Lazar. Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy

Rachel Tucker, Shawna M. Hamic, Sally Ann Triplett, Leah Hawking and Dawn Cantwell. Photo Credit: Matthew Murphy

The cast continued to promote the new musical throughout the fall:

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Sting joined the company in December:

Sting and the cast

Sting with Aaron Lazar, Rachel Tucker and the cast

Sting with Aaron Lazar, Rachel Tucker, Michael Esper, Fred Applegate, Sally Ann Triplett and the cast

Sting with Aaron Lazar, Rachel Tucker, Michael Esper, Fred Applegate, Sally Ann Triplett and the cast

Sting with Aaron Lazar, Rachel Tucker and the cast

Sting with Aaron Lazar, Rachel Tucker, Michael Esper and the cast

Sting with Aaron Lazar, Rachel Tucker, Michael Esper and the cast

Sting with Aaron Lazar, Rachel Tucker, Michael Esper and the cast

Sting with Aaron Lazar, Rachel Tucker, Michael Esper, Fred Applegate and the cast

Sting

Sting

Sting

Sting

Sting

Sting

Sting

And he continued to promote the show through the winter: