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Is Kristin Chenoweth PROMISES, PROMISES Revival Bound for Broadway in the Spring?
By: Robert Diamond Oct. 14, 2009
The New York Post's Michael Riedel is reporting this morning that Kristin Chenoweth has been nabbed by producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (who are heading up the show, along with Broadway Across America) for their upcoming Broadway revival of PROMISES, PROMISES. The Post reports that while not yet signed, a deal appears to have been reached for the always-in-demand star to take on the role of Fran Kubelik opposite Sean Hayes as Chuck Baxter.
City Center Encores! held a staged concert in March 1997, starring Christine Baranski and Martin Short, and a reading of the show was held in October 2008 with Sean Hayes and Anne Hathaway. Sean Hayes is reportedly attached to the male lead for the Broadway run. Neil Simon and his wife Elaine Joyce revealed to Variety's Army Archerd a few months later, that, "it looks like Sean Hayes ("Will and Grace") will star as Chuck Baxter. Rob Ashford is set to direct and choreograph the reviva.
Many remember Kristin Chenoweth's show-stealing, Tony®-winning performance in You're a Good Man, Charlie Brownand her triumphant star turn when she originated the role of Glinda the Good Witch in Wicked, which earned her a Tony Award® nomination. Kristin Chenoweth most recently starred in the ABC series Pushing Daisies, for which she just won the Emmy® Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series and won acclaim for her recent Christmas Album. She has written an uplifting, candid chronicle of her life which was released by Simon & Schuster. Kristin also can be heard as the voice of the fairy, Rosetta, in Walt Disney Picture's Tinkerbell this fall. She wrapped filming the independent film, Into Temptation, directed by Sundance filmmaker Patrick Coyle, opposite Jeremy Sisto.
Promises, Promises is a Broadway musical comedy based on the film The Apartment by Billy Wilder. The music is by Burt Bacharach, lyrics by Hal David, and book by Neil Simon. Musical numbers were staged and choreographed by Michael Bennett.
To read an exclusive BWW report on the Hathway and Hayes led reading of Promises, Promises, click here. Craig Zadan and Neil Meron opened that reading by introducing their producing partners John Gore and Beth Williams (Broadway Across America) and Harvey and Bob Weinstein. Assuming the show moves forward, this will be Zadan and Meron's Broadway producing debut after making the hit movies of Chicago and Hairspray. The production will also be a re-teaming with the infamous Weinsteins after they all worked together on Chicago during the Miramax days.
The show was originally produced on Broadway in 1968, with a cast including Jerry Orbach, Jill O'Hara and Edward Winter. It played at the Shubert Theatre, where it ran until 1972, for a total of 1,281 performances. The show had a London production at the Prince of Wales Theatre in 1969, featuring Tony Roberts and Betty Buckley.
Together, Zadan and Meron produced the blockbuster "Hairspray" and the critically acclaimed "Chicago," which was the first musical in 34 years to win the top honor of Best Picture Oscar at the 2002 Academy Awards. They also produced the made for television "A Raisin in the Sun", and had a recent collaboration with Lifetime on the film "Living Proof" featuring Rene Zellweger, Harry Connick, Jr. andBernadette Peters. Last winter they released "The Bucket List" with Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. In 2007 they were honored with the Hollywood Film Festival's producers of the year award. Last year the talented producing duo were honored by the The casting Society of America with career achievement awards at the 24th Annual Artios Awards. They are currently guiding the upcoming big screen remake of the 80's hit "Footloose" back to the silver screen with Gossip Girl star Chace Crawford in the lead. Craig Zadan was a producer of the original "Footloose" in 1984.
Lifetime's hit comedic drama "Drop Dead Diva" has been renewed for a second season. Lifetime has ordered 13 new episodes of the freshman series, from Sony TV, creator Josh Berman and exec producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, to air in 2010.
Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.
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