Rialto Chatter: DIARY OF A WIMPY KID Musical Moving Closer to a Broadway Bow?

With a boost in the box office and the final days of an extension dwindling, Minneapolis' Children's Theatre Company's world premiere of DIARY OF A WIMPY KID is preparing for its next move.

According to The New York Times, speculation continues to ramp up that the production will eventually head to Broadway, despite no concrete plans for an immediate New York transfer. In addition, commercial producers have confirmed they've yet to open communication lines with Broadway theatre owners.

Fox Stage Productions' Isaac Robert Hurwitz said: "I have no doubt that this is a show that will appeal to New York audiences. It's a matter of getting the show in the shape it needs to be in, and then to determine the best way to get it in front of as many people as possible."

Fox and mega-producer Kevin McCollum currently own the rights to DIARY OF A WIMPY KID.

In addition, The Star Tribune recently reported "a steady stream of New York and Hollywood muckety-mucks [that] have been flying into the Twin Cities to check out the production, fueling speculation that WIMPY will land on Broadway."

The current creatives will return to Minneapolis before 'WIMPY' wraps its run on June 12, to make tweaks and implement new changes before the next incarnation of the musical, wherever that may be.

DIARY OF A WIMPY KID features a score by Michael Mahler and Alan Schmuckler (HOW CAN YOU RUN WITH A SHELL ON YOUR BACK?) with a book byKevin Del Aquila (ALTAR BOYZ). Direction and choreography is by Joseph Jefferson Award winner Rachel Rockwell.

DIARY OF A WIMPY KID tells the story of Greg Heffley, who is always in survival mode. From bullies to his big brother to his height-challenged stature, Children's Theatre Company describes him as the wimpy kid we can all relate to, adding, "The beloved series hits the stage in a brand-new musical with Rowley, Manny, and of course, Rodrick joining in the mayhem. A ridiculous amount of fun for anyone who has survived, is surviving, or hopes to survive middle school, inspired by the award-winning and bestselling book series."

Photo by Dan Norman