LaChiusa's GIANT to Head to Public in Fall; Broadway Next?

According to a report on nypost.com, the musical GIANT, which played last month at the Dallas Theater Center, will be heading to the Public Theater in Fall and has potential to transfer to Broadway.

"[Oskar Eustis] flew to Dallas recently and told cast members that he’s bringing the show to the Public in the fall. If the critics are kind, he’ll move it to Broadway next spring," writes Michael Riedel.

Michael John LaChiusa's GIANT chronicles the life and times of cattleman Jordan "Bick" Benedict, his naïve young society wife, and their family in the sweeping panorama of Texas, the land that brings them together and almost splits them apart. A sensational story of power, love, lust, and bigotry among the wealthy Anglo cattle barons and oil tycoons, and the downtrodden Mexican-Americans who work for them, Giant is based on the classic novel by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Edna Ferber, which also inspired the film starring James Dean, ElizaBeth Taylor, and Rock Hudson.

The Dallas Theater Center co-production with the Public Theater stars Aaron Lazar Bick. Lazar has appeared in seven Broadway productions and was recently seen in the revival of Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music. He was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for his role in the revival of Les Misérables and can now be seen in Clint Eastwood’s film J. Edgar. Tony Award nominee Kate Baldwin (Finian's Rainbow) will play Leslie. Baldwin has performed at theaters across the country and has appeared on Broadway in several productions including The Full Monty.

The role of Jett is played by P.J. Griffith who recently starred in the original Broadway production of American Idiot.

Additional members of the cast include: Enrique Acevado as Miguel; Raul Aranas as Polo; Mary Bacon as Adarene and Mrs. Lyntonn; Miguel Cervantes as Angel, Jr. and Angel, Sr.; Natalie Cortez as Juana; Rocio Del Mar Valles as Analita; John Dossett as Bawley; Matt Doyle as Jordy, Jr.; Andrea Green as Lil Luz; Michael Halling as Lord Kafrey; Jason Hite as Bobby, Jr.; Dee Hoty as Luz; Doreen Montalvo as Lupe; Allison Rogers as Heidi; Isabel Santiago as Mrs. Obregon; Martin Sola as Dimodeo; Matthew Stocke as Mike; Katie Thompson as Vashti and William Youmans as Pinkie.

Three-time Tony nominee Michael Greif (Rent, Grey Gardens, Next to Normal) is the director of the Public Theater's GIANT, which is written by Michael John LaChiusa (music and lyrics) and Sybille Pearson, based on the novel by Edna Ferber. Greif reunited with costume designer Jeff Mashie, who also worked on the Broadway and touring productions of Next to Normal for this production. The design team also includes set designer Allen Moyer (Grey Gardens, Twelve Angry Men), lighting designer Ken Posner (Catch Me if You Can), sound designer Brian Ronan (The Book of Mormon, American Idiot) and choreographer Alex Sanchez.

Read the nypost.com article.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/WM Photos