Happy Thoughts! FINDING NEVERLAND Takes Over $1 Million in First Week of Previews

Producers of the new Broadway musical Finding Neverland are delighted to announce the gross for its first full week of previews -- only 7 performances -- is $1,004,171.00. The show, starring Matthew Morrison, Kelsey Grammer and Laura Michelle Kelly, began previews on Sunday, March 15 and has been playing at or near sold-out capacity since.

Speaking on behalf of the production, Executive Producer Victoria Parker said today, "It's exciting to see firsthand how word-of-mouth and social media buzz directly translates to box office sales. We are delighted that audiences are embracing Finding Neverland."

Based on the Academy Award winning motion picture by the same name, Finding Neverland follows playwright J.M. Barrie as he summons the courage to become the writer -- and the man -- he yearns to be. Barrie finds the inspiration he's been missing when he meets the beautiful widow Sylvia and her four young sons: Jack, George, Michael and Peter. Delighted by the boys' hilarious escapades, Barrie conjures the magical world of Neverland and writes a play unlike any the high-society London theatergoers have ever seen. It's a tremendous risk, but as Barrie himself has discovered -- when you believe, you can fly.

Directed by Tony Award winner Diane Paulus (Pippin, Hair),with music and lyrics by Gary Barlow (Take That) and Grammy winner Eliot Kennedy, book by Olivier Award nominee James Graham, and choreography by Emmy Award-winner Mia Michaels ("So You Think You Can Dance," Cirque du Soleil's Delirium), this new musical, packed with mesmerizing visuals, irresistible songs and plenty of laughs, is a timeless story about the power of imagination... and spectacular proof that you never really have to grow up.

Finding Neverland features a superb cast led by Matthew Morrison ("Glee," South Pacific), Kelsey Grammer ("Frasier," La Cage aux Folles), Laura Michelle Kelly (Mary Poppins) and Carolee Carmello (Parade), with Teal Wicks, Alex Dreier, Aidan Gemme, Jackson Demott Hill, Noah Hinsdale, Sawyer Nunes, Christopher Paul Richards, Hayden Signoretti with Courtney Balan, Dana Costello, Colin Cunliffe, Rory Donovan, Chris Dwan, Kevin Kern, Josh Lamon, Melanie Moore, Mary Page Nance, Fred Odgaard, Emma Pfaeffle, Jonathan Ritter, Tyley Ross, Julius Anthony Rubio, Paul Slade Smith, Ron Todorowski, Jaime Verazin and Jessica Vosk.

The production features scenic design by Tony Award-winner Scott Pask (Pippin, Book of Mormon), lighting design by Tony Award-winner Kenneth Posner (The Coast of Utopia, Pippin), costume design by Suttirat Larlarb (Of Mice and Men), sound design by Tony Award-nominee Jonathan Deans (Pippin, La Cage aux Folles) and the casting is by Telsey + Company.

Finding Neverland is produced by Weinstein Live Entertainment, The Madison Square Garden Company, Len Blavatnik, Ron Burkle, Radenko Milakovic and Bryan Cranston in association with Jason Blum, Broadway Across America, Stephen Bronfman, Rodgin Cohen, Michael Cohl, Jean Doumanian, Chad Dubea, Rick Gerson, Jeremiah J. Harris, Sh. Mohammed Y. El Khereiji, Terry Allen Kramer, Howard Milstein, Dalip Pathak, Steve Rattner, Jimmy Sommers, Peter Stavola, Marvin Peart, and The American Repertory Theater. The production is Executive Produced by Alecia Parker, Barry Weissler and Victoria Parker.

Finding Neverland is currently in previews at Broadway's Lunt-Fontanne Theatre (205 West 46th Street). The official opening is set for Wednesday, April 15. The schedule is as follows: Tuesday at 7:30pm, Wednesday at 2pm & 7:30pm, Thursday at 7:30pm, Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 2pm & 8pm, Sunday at 3pm.