Confirmed! DOCTOR ZHIVAGO Planned for Broadway in April of 2015

Earlier this month, BroadwayWorld.com exclusively broke the news that Doctor Zhivago is headed to Broadway in early 2015. The show will likely replace RODGERS + HAMMERSTEIN'S CINDERELLA at the Broadway Theatre after that production closes on January 3, 2015.

Now, it's been confirmed via an Equity Casting Notice that the production is due in April of 2015, with Latitude Link and Alexis Productions as producers. A new description of the show notes that "Boris Pasternak's epic novel of love and passion, set against the turmoil of the Russian Revolution, is a celebrated modern classic, and David Lean's film transformation was one of the great Hollywood epics. Now, the sweeping story of surgeon-poet Yurii Zhivago and Lara, the love of his life will continue its journey to the stage as a musical. The lush and soaring musical score captures the essence of forbidden romance in the time of revolution."

The show, which premiered at La Jolla Playhouse in 2006, features music by Lucy Simon, lyrics by Michael Korie and Amy Powers and a book by Michael Weller.

Following the La Jolla run, Doctor Zhivago played limited runs last year in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney with Anthony Warlow in the title role under the direction of Des McAnuff with choreography by Kelly Devine.

A third production opened late last year in Korea, though producers previously said that it would (continue) to undergo significant changes before opening on Broadway.

The show is based on the 1957 novel; in 1965 the story hit the big screen as a drama romance by David Lean and created a star of Omar Sharif in the title role. The film remained popular for decades, and as of 2010 was the eighth highest grossing film of all time.

"After the famous film version what remains exciting about this iconic novel is its personal story of love, loss and dreams," Frost said last year. "The stage intensifies the personality of this story with the musical focusing on the people at its centre."

Photo: Anthony Warlow and Lucy Maunder