Chicago to Premiere Brickman-Elice Musical, with Tune?

According to the Chicago Tribune, a new musical created by Tony Award-nominated Jersey Boys bookwriters Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice may bow at Chicago's Goodman Theatre next year in a production starring Tony Award-winner Tommy Tune.

"The project in question is called Turn of the Century — a jukebox musical. But rather than focusing on a single band's hits, the new project will showcase American standards. A Goodman spokesman confirmed that the theater has indeed been in discussions with the show's creative team, but also said the theater considers a lot of projects and that no deal has been made," states the article.  If given the green light, the project would play in the first slot of the Goodman's 2008-2009 season, in fall of 2008.  Tony Award-winner Robert Falls (Talk Radio, Shining City Long Day's Journey Into Night), the Goodman's artistic director, would possibly direct.

Jersey Boys marked Brickman's Broadway debut as a book-writer. He won an Oscar for co-writing the screenplay of Annie Hall with Woody Allen, and also collaborated with the filmmaker on Sleeper, Manhattan and Manhattan Murder Mystery. Other credits include Lovesick and For the Boys. Elice also made his Broadway debut with Jersey Boys. He is a veteran advertising executive.

Tommy Tune first danced onto the Broadway stage in 1965 in the chorus of Baker Street. He has won nine Tony Awards, in four different categories, including Best Supporting Actor for Seesaw, Best Actor and Choreographer for My One and Only, Best Choreographer for A Day in Hollywood, A Night in the Ukraine, Best Director for Nine and back to back Tony Award honors for Best Choreographer and Director for Grand Hotel and The Will Rogers Follies. He also choreographed and directed The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, as well as Cloud 9 and the groundbreaking off-Broadway hit The Club. In 1991, Tune's lifelong idol, Gwen Verdon inducted him into Broadway's Theatre Hall of Fame and in 2003 Tommy Tune received the nation's highest honor for artistic achievement, The National Medal of Arts. He recently played the title role in a touring production of Dr. Dolittle.

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Photo of Tommy Tune by Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.