Sher, Yazbeck, Lane and Almodovar Team on 'WOMEN ON THE VERGE' Workshop for LCT

The New York Times is reporting that Tony winner Bartlett Sher's next project will be a musical version of the film "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown," written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar. 

The Times reveals that a Lincoln Center Theater spokesman statted that Sher will oversee a week of work at Lincoln Center with Mr. Almodóvar; David Yazbeck is developing the music and lyrics, and Jeffrey Lane is writing the book. (Mr. Yazbeck and Mr. Lane teamed up before for the musical "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.") Actors are being cast for at least one reading of the material.

While the musical is not a part of the 2009-2010 season at Lincoln Center Theater, Almodóvar told reporters in Cannes on Tuesday that the musical was moving ahead. "The dialogues are done, the songs are almost finished" for the stage version, Mr. Almodovar told reporters, according to The Associated Press reports the Times.

Sher's credits include South Pacific (Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards), Awake and Sing! (Tony nomination), The Light in the Piazza (Tony nomination). Artistic Director of Seattle's Intiman Theatre, credits there include the world premieres of Prayer For My Enemy and Singing Forest by Craig Lucas (both also Long Wharf Theatre) and Nickel and Dimed; plays by Chekhov, Wilder, Shakespeare, Goldoni and Tony Kushner. Opera: The Barber of Seville (Metropolitan Opera), Roméo et Juliette (Salzburg Festival), Mourning Becomes Electra (Seattle Opera and New York City Opera). New York: Prayer For My Enemy (Playwrights); Cymbeline (2001 Callaway Award for Best Director; first American Shakespeare at the Royal Shakespeare Company), Waste (2000 Best Play Obie), Don Juan (all TFANA). He is a member of the TCG Board. Upcoming productions: Tales of Hoffmann at the Met and Bruce Lee: Journey to the West, a new musical by David Yazbek and David Henry Hwang.

Bartlett Sher is 2009 Tony Award Nominee for 'Best Direction of a Play' for his work on Joe Turner's Come and Gone.