Ramin Karimloo to Lead Long-Awaited Musical PRINCE OF BROADWAY in Japan

Umeda Arts Theater has announced that Prince of Broadway, a new musical celebrating the extraordinary six decade Broadway career of producer-director Harold Prince, will have its world premiere this fall in Japan. Tickets are now on sale for performances from October 23-November 22, 2015 at Tokyu Theatre Orb in Tokyo, Japan, and November 28-December 10, 2015 at Umeda Arts Theatre, Main Hall, in Osaka, Japan.

The production, which features words and music from many of the shows that have earned Hal Prince a record 21 Tony Awards, has a book by two-time Tony-nominee David Thompson (The Scottsboro Boys, Steel Pier), co-direction and choreography by five-time Tony Award-winner Susan Stroman (The Producers, Contact, Crazy for You) and direction by Mr. Prince.

Shuler Hensley (Oklahoma!), Ramin Karimloo (Les Misérables), Nancy Opel (Urinetown) and Reon Yuzuki (Takarazuka Revue) will appear in the production. Additional casting will be announced at a later date.

Rehearsals for Prince of Broadway will take place in New York this September.

Celebrating one of the most influential and successful careers in the American theatre of the past 60 years, Prince of Broadway will look at the circumstances and fortune, both good and bad, that led to Hal Prince creating some of the most enduring and beloved theatre of all time, including The Pajama Game, West Side Story, Fiorello!, Fiddler on the Roof, Cabaret, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Evita, and The Phantom of the Opera, the longest-running show in Broadway history.

Prince of Broadway features set design by Beowulf Boritt, costume design by William Ivey Long, and wig design is by Paul Huntley. Musical supervisor and arrangements are by Jason Robert Brown. Musical director is Fred Lassen. Casting is by Tara Rubin.

PRINCE OF BROADWAY was originally scheduled to open in Toronto, as a part of the Dancap Productions 2012 season, prior to a Broadway production in November 2012. In January 2012, the Toronto enagement was cancelled and later that spring it was revealed in a statement from representatives that it would 'continue without Dancap's involvement.'

In March 2012 it was announced that the Broadway production woud star Linda Lavin, Sebastian Arcelus, Sierra Boggess, Daniel Breaker, Josh Grisetti, Shuler Hensley, Richard Kind, Amanda Kloots-Larsen, LaChanze, Caroline O'Connor, David Pittu and Emily Skinner.

Following that announcement, in May 2012 it was confirmed that the show had been delayed from the Fall of 2012 to the Fall of 2013 as the production hunted for new producers. The production was to be directed by 21-time Tony Award winner Harold Prince, co-directed and choreographed by 5-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman, and features a book by Tony Award nominee David Thompson.

Photo by Walter McBride