Wake Up With BWW 7/18: Behind the Scenes of CATS Film, BEAUTIFUL Closing, MOULIN ROUGE! Photos, and More!

Good morning, BroadwayWorld!

We've got your first look behind the scenes of the new Cats movie! The first trailer will be released tomorrow, but check out the behind the scenes video!

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical has announced that it is closing on October 27th, 2019. The show began performances at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre on Nov. 21, 2013, and officially opened on Jan. 12, 2014. So, by the time the beloved musical ends its run, it will have run on Broadway for nearly six years. It will have played 60 preview and 2,418 regular performances.

Step into the world of Moulin Rouge! We've got all new production photos featuring Aaron Tveit, Karen Olivo, Danny Burstein, and the rest of the cast!

Paul McCartney is developing a musical adaptation of It's A Wonderful Life! Lee Hall (Billy Elliot) is writing the book and co-writing the lyrics with McCartney.

Read more about these and other top stories below!

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1) VIDEO: Go Behind the Scenes of the CATS Movie with Judi Dench, Taylor Swift, Jennifer Hudson & More!
by Stage Tube

Universal Pictures shares a look inside the upcoming Cats movie and announces that the first trailer will be released on Friday! Watch the video!. (more...)

2) Martha Plimpton Withdraws from Steppenwolf Ensemble

Steppenwolf's Ensemble is one of the most prestigious gatherings of names in theatre including stars such as Annette Bening, Laurie Metcalf and Tracy Letts. One among them also includes star of stage and screen Martha Plimpton, up until recently. According to the Chicago Tribune, Plimpton has withdrawn from the Ensemble.. (more...)

3) Everything You Need to Know About the Upcoming Broadway Season!

The 2019-2020 Broadway season is in full gear! Twenty-one productions have been announced so far to hit the Great White Way this season, and with seven theatres without confirmed productions, we have plenty more to look forward to! With all such a variety of musicals and plays, new works and revivals, we're getting you prepared by giving you a peek at each of the productions announced to arrived on the Great White Way this season! Take a peek at all the excitement!. (more...)

4) Photo Flash: First Look at Annie Golden and the Cast of BROADWAY BOUNTY HUNTER

Get a first look inside the new musical comedy Broadway Bounty Hunter, now playing its New York Premiere engagement Off-Broadway at Greenwich House Theater (27 Barrow Street).. (more...)

5) Photo Flash: Step Inside The World of MOULIN ROUGE! With These All New Production Photos

Moulin Rouge! The Musical is now in previews ahead of a July 25 opening night at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 W 45th St.). Step inside the world of this brand new musical spectacular with the all new production photos below!. (more...)

Today's Call Sheet:

Shoshana Bean, Alex Brightman, and more perform at Broadway in Bryant Park today!

Broadway in Bryant Park returns this summer for its 20th year! 106.7 LITE FM's popular series will bring the best of Broadway and Off-Broadway together for FREE performances, for six consecutive weeks, continuing this Thursday, July 18 to Thursday, August 15.

This week's performances will feature the casts of WAITRESS (Shoshana Bean, Brandon Kalm, Charity Angel Dawson, Dayna Dantzler, Jessie Hooker-Bailey, Max Kumangai, Tyrone Davis Jr.); CHICAGO (Lana Gordon, Desi Oakley, Eddie Bennett, Gary Cooper, Jessica Ernest, Dan Gutierrez, Mary Claire King, Barrett Martin, Pilar Millhollen, Drew Nellessen, Beth Nicely, Rachel Schur, Colt Weiss); BEETLEJUICE (Alex Brightman, Sophia Anne Caruso, Natalie Charle Ellis, Sean Montgomery); COME FROM AWAY (Josh Breckenridge, Petrina Bromley, Holly Ann Butler, De'lon Grant, John Jellison, Tony LePage, Julie Reiber, Pearl Sun, Astrid Van Wieren, Jim Walton); JERSEY BOYS (Austin Colby, Aaron De Jesus, Mark Edwards, John Gardiner, Dianna Barger, Amanda Dela Cruz, Olivia Valli).

MCC's MOSCOW MOSCOW MOSCOW MOSCOW MOSCOW MOSCOW opens tonight!

Currently in previews at MCC Theater is the New York premiere of Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow by Halley Feiffer. The cast features Lucille Lortel Award nominee Ako (God Said This), Tony Award nominee Steven Boyer(MCC's Hand to God), Tavi Gevinson (This Is Our Youth), Sas Goldberg (Significant Other), Drama Desk Award winner Rebecca Henderson ("Russian Doll"), Lucille Lortel Award nominee Greg Hildreth(Frozen), Matthew Jeffers (Light Shining in Buckinghamshire), Gene Jones, Alfredo Narciso ("Manifest"), Theatre World Award winner Chris Perfetti (Sons of the Prophet), Ryan Spahn (Summer and Smoke), and Ray Anthony Thomas (Jitney).

The struggle is real for Olga, Masha, and Irina: siblings who are NOT super thrilled to be stuck in rural Russia circa 1900 (laaame). In Halley Feiffer's contemporary reimagining of Chekhov's Three Sisters, we follow the joys and heartbreaks of one lovably dysfunctional family over the course of several pivotal years in a world that proves to be eerily similar to the one we live in today. Directed by Trip Cullman, this new comedy tackles the absurdity of the privileged class and the power of love in a fresh twist on a classic tale that reveals itself to be far more relevant, than like, ever before.

Closing: BEAUTIFUL: THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL Announces Broadway Closing Date

BroadwayWorld has learned that Beautiful: The Carole King Musical will end its Broadway run on October 27th, 2019.

BEAUTIFUL began performances at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre on Nov. 21, 2013, and officially opened on Jan. 12, 2014. So, by the time the beloved musical ends its run, it will have run on Broadway for nearly six years. It will have played 60 preview and 2,418 regular performances, surpassing the original production of Annie and the landmark 1998 revival of Cabaret to become the 27th longest-running musical (and the 2nd longest running "bio-musical") in Broadway history.

What we're geeking out over: Paul McCartney At Work On Musical Adaptation of IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE

According to a new report, music legend Paul McCartney is currently at work on a musical adaptation of the classic holiday film, It's A Wonderful Life.

The adaptation, produced by Bill Kenwright, is the first move into the theatre realm for for the former Beatle.

Lee Hall (Billy Elliot) is writing the book and co-writing the lyrics with McCartney.

According to the Post, an early demo of the score has been making the rounds and is rooted in "musical theater style, while still giving his diehard fans that soulful McCartney sound."

The score's sound is also described as having "a bona fide lost Beatles album, with one spectacular number's rousing ending bringing to mind the "Na Na Na Na Na"s of 'Hey Jude.'"

What we're watching: Beyonce Releases Music Video for 'Spirit' from THE LION KING

Beyonce will release a new album titled, "The Lion King: The Gift" which will feature an array of songs inspired by The Lion King, performed by global artists. Beyonce has released the music video for the first single, 'Spirit,' off of the album.

In the new video, clips from the movie are mixed with shots by waterfalls, bodies of water, and mountains and in night and daytime settings. It features Beyoncé, a cast of dancers, and even her daughter Blue Ivy, who makes a cameo.

See you bright and early tomorrow, BroadwayWorld!