Broadway 'Pal Joey' Revival, with Hoff, is Postponed

According to The New York Times, a Broadway revival of Pal Joey is not in the stars for this season.

"This spring the timing is just not right, but hopefully it will happen as soon as it can," said producer Marc Platt, who mentioned that the postponement is due to personal and professional reasons rather than financial ones.  Tony Award-winning Jersey Boys star Christian Hoff, who was previously mentioned as a possible star for the revival, and Tony Award-winning director Joe Mantello (Blackbird, Wicked), who was reported to be interested in staging it, are still attached to the project however.

According to the article, Stockard Channing had been looking into playing the role of Vera, but no deal had been solidified.  Pal Joey, when next produced on Broadway, will feature a revised book by Tony Award-winner Richard Greenberg (Take Me Out).

With music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Lorenz Hart and a book by John O'Hara (adapted from the authors' short stories), Pal Joey was last year the subject of rumors of a revival starring Hugh Jackman.  The musical - which has not been seen on Broadway since its last 1976 revival - features a score that includes "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered," "I Could Write a Book," You Mustn't Kick It Around," and "Zip."  Originally staged by George Abbott, Pal Joey originally starred Gene Kelly in the title role of the self-advancing heel.  It was also revived at Encores! - with Patti LuPone as amorous older woman Vera Simpson and Peter Gallagher as Joey - in 1995.  Frank Sinatra, Kim Novak and Rita Hayworth headlined the 1957 film version.

Photo of Christian Hoff by Ben Strothmann