MAGIC/BIRD Takes Final Bows on Broadway Tonight, 5/12

MAGIC/BIRD, about Earvin "Magic" Johnson and Larry Bird, plays its final performance tonight, Saturday, May 12th, at the Longacre Theatre.

Producers Fran Kirmser and Tony Ponturo said last week, "MAGIC/BIRD was a story that we wanted to tell and an idea that we believed in. We wanted to attract both an audience which had never set foot in a Broadway theatre, and to satisfy the traditional theater goer. We were honored to present MAGIC/BIRD as a story of hard work, dedication, respect and love as the second piece in a series of sports stories. We are so proud that we were able to do this on Broadway, and though it ran a limited time, it attracted many new audiences to the theater as well as provided a vehicle for many young people to attend their first show. We hope to inspire new audiences through future sports stories in the theater. Like Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Larry Bird, our incredible team created something special, worked tirelessly and left it all on the court."

Directed by Tony Award nominee Thomas Kail, MAGIC/BIRD told the incredible rivalry and friendship of Hall of Fame athletes Earvin Magic Johnson and Larry Bird and was written by Academy Award winning playwright Eric Simonson.

Joining producers Fran Kirmser and Tony Ponturo as a special producing partner is the National Basketball Association, marking the organization's first foray on Broadway.

Starring Kevin Daniels as Magic Johnson and Tug Coker as Larry Bird, the cast also featured Deirdre O’Connell (Georgia Bird/Shelly/Patricia Moore), Peter Scolari (Red Auerbach/Jerry Buss/Pat Riley), Rob Manning Jr. (Michael Cooper/Henry Alvarado/Frank), and Francois Battiste (Jon Lennox/Ron Baxter/Willy).

The creative team was David Korins (Set), Howell Binkley (Lighting), Paul Tazwell (Costumes), Nevin Steinberg (Sound) and Jeff Sugg (Projections).

The producers first show LOMBARDI has enjoyed performances across the country since its Broadway run including multiple venues in Wisconsin, Florida, Long Island, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Washington DC, Arizona, Arkansas and Ohio among others. Licensing inquiries for MAGIC/BIRD should be directed to Kirmser Ponturo Group at 212-554-3430.

For more information, visit magicbirdbroadway.com.