Practice Makes Perfect! Rehearsals Start Next Week for GROUNDHOG DAY on Broadway

Rehearsals begin on Monday, January 9, for the Broadway premiere of Groundhog Day, the new musical featuring music and lyrics by Tim Minchin and a book by Danny Rubin, and directed by Matthew Warchus.

Groundhog Day is produced by Whistle Pig, Columbia Live Stage, and The Dodgers, with Michael Watt.

The cast of Groundhog Day features Andy Karl, who will star as Phil Connors in the Broadway production, following his celebrated performance in the show's well-received London's production at The Old Vic this summer, and newcomer Barrett Doss (You Can't Take It With You, Burning at The New Group) as Rita Hanson.

The Groundhog Day ensemble cast features Rebecca Faulkenberry (Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark, Rock of Ages), John Sanders (Matilda, Peter and the Starcatcher), Andrew Call(Found, American Idiot), Raymond J. Lee (Honeymoon in Vegas, Anything Goes), Heather Ayers (Young Frankenstein, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever), Kevin Bernard (Billy Elliot, Curtains), Gerard Canonico (Spring Awakening, American Idiot), Rheaume Crenshaw (Amazing Grace, Alternating Currents), Michael Fatica (She Loves Me, Newsies), Katy Geraghty (Shrek, A Christmas Carol regionally), Camden Gonzales (Matilda The Musical Toronto / National Tour), Jordan Grubb (Mary Poppins National Tour), Taylor Iman Jones (American Idiot National Tour), Tari Kelly (Something Rotten!, Anything Goes), Josh Lamon (Finding Neverland, Hair), Joseph Medeiros (Matilda, Doctor Zhivago, Wicked), Sean Montgomery (Matilda The Musical, White Christmas National Tour), William Parry (Sunday in the Park with George, Passion), Jenna Rubaii (National Tours of American Idiot and Saturday Night Fever), Vishal Vaidya (1776 at Encores!, The Secret Garden at Shakespeare Theatre Company), Travis Waldschmidt (Matilda The Musical, Wicked), and Natalie Wisdom (Billy Elliot, Matilda The Musical National Tour).

Groundhog Day begins previews Thursday, March 16 and opens Monday, April 17 at the August Wilson Theatre (245 West 52nd Street).

Director Matthew Warchus, composer and lyricist Tim Minchin, choreographer Peter Darling, co-choreographer Ellen Kane, set and costume designer Rob Howell, orchestrator and musical supervisor Christopher Nightingale, lighting designer Hugh Vanstone and Sound Designer Simon Baker, many of the creators of the international sensation Matilda The Musical, have joined forces with writer Danny Rubin to collaborate on this new stage musical of the hit 1993 film based on Rubin's story.

The production's creative team is completed by Paul Kieve (illusions), Finn Caldwell (additional movement), Andrzej Goulding (video designer), Campbell Young Associates (hair and wig design) and Jim Carnahan (casting).

Groundhog Day is the story of Phil Connors, a cynical Pittsburgh TV weatherman who is sent to cover the annual Groundhog Day event in Punxsutawney, PA, when he finds himself caught in a time loop, forced to repeat the same day again and again...and again. As each day plays out exactly the same as before Phil becomes increasingly despondent, but is there a lesson to be learned through his experiences?

The 1993 Columbia Pictures film, with a screenplay by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis, based on a story by Rubin, and directed by Ramis, starred Bill Murray. Now widely regarded as a contemporary classic, Groundhog Day was cited by the Writers Guild of America as one of the 101 Greatest Screenplays ever written and in 2000 was voted by readers of Total Film as one of the ten best comedies of all time.

Groundhog Day was first performed at The Old Vic in London on Wednesday, July 20, 2016.

Photo Credit: Manuel Harlan