Wake Up With BWW 8/13: DIANA and THE LIGHTNING THIEF Come to Broadway, and More!

Good morning, BroadwayWorld!

Diana, a new musical based on Princess Diana, is coming to Broadway next year! Performances will begin on Monday, March 2, 2020 at the Longacre Theatre (220 West 48th St.), with an official Opening Night set for Tuesday, March 31, 2020.

The Lightning Thief will play a limited engagement on Broadway! With a book by Joe Tracz (Be More Chill) and original music and lyrics by Rob Rokicki(Broadway debut), The Lightning Thief will begin performances Friday, September 20 ahead of a Wednesday, October 16 opening night.

The North American tour of Cats had the highest grossing week in the show's 38-year history during its run it Atlanta. The production grossed $1,964,933.50 during the show's August 6 - 11, 2019 eight performance engagement.

Read more about these and other top stories below!

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1) Breaking: DIANA Musical Will Open on Broadway in 2020

The new musical based on the incredible real life story of an icon to end all icons, Diana, will open on Broadway in the spring of 2020, producers Grove Entertainment (Beth Williams), Frank Marshall and The Araca Group announced today. Performances will begin on Monday, March 2, 2020 at the Longacre Theatre (220 West 48th St.), with an official Opening Night set for Tuesday, March 31, 2020.. (more...)

2) Breaking: THE LIGHTNING THIEF Will Play Limited Engagement on Broadway This Fall

Bring on the monsters! TheaterWorksUSA and Martian Entertainment have just announced that The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, the original musical adaption of Rick Riordan's New York Times best-selling novel, will arrive on Broadway this fall for a strictly limited 16-week holiday engagement at the Longacre Theatre (220 W. 48th Street) following the recent successful conclusion of its 32-city North American First National Tour which has been celebrated by audiences and critics alike.. (more...)

3) Growing Up Broadway: At the Stagedoor
by Kay Alexandra

Their talent is amazing, but the true gift of these Broadway stars is the time they take with young fans at the stage door.. (more...)

4) CATS Has Highest-Grossing Week In Show's 38-year History

The producers of Cats announced today that the North American tour achieved a historic milestone during its week at The Fox Theatre in Atlanta a?" the show's highest grossing week ever in the 38-year worldwide history of the show. The production grossed $1,964,933.50 and played to more than 34,740 audience members during the show's August 6 - 11, 2019 eight performance engagement, part of the Fifth Third Bank Broadway In Atlanta series.. (more...)

5) THE MUSIC MAN Will Hold Open Call to Find Tommy Djilas

Now the show is on the hunt for its Tommy Djilas. Telsey + Company will hold an open call for the role next Tuesday, August 20. . (more...)

BWW Exclusive: First Look At FIDDLER: A MIRACLE OF MIRACLES Documentary

The new documentary about the landmark Broadway musical FIDDLER ON THE ROOF comes to movie theaters next Friday, August 23. BWW has an exclusive first look at clips from the film! Get a peek at the new documentary!

FIDDLER: A MIRACLE OF MIRACLES is the origin story behind one of Broadway's most beloved musicals, and its creative roots in early 1960s New York, when "tradition" was on the wane as gender roles, sexuality, race relations and religion were evolving. The film follows Fiddler's place and relevance in our world over more than half a century.

Directed by Max Lewkowicz and written by Max Lewkowicz & Valerie Thomas, FIDDLER: A MIRACLE OF MIRACLES features interviews with Lyricist Sheldon Harnick, composer Jerry Bock, book writer Joseph Stein, producer Hal Prince, Fran Lebowitz, original Broadway cast member Austin Pendleton, Broadway figures Lin-Manuel Miranda, Joel Grey, Chaim Topol, Harvey Fierstein, Danny Burstein, Steven Skybell, Jessica Hecht, Ted Chapin, Adam Kantor, Josh Mostel (Zero Mostel's Son), Bartlett Sher, Ted Sperling, Alexandra Silber, Melanie Moore and Michael Bernardi (Herschel Bernardi's son).

Set Your DVR...

HADESTOWN will perform on GOOD MORNING AMERICA today!

Jonathan Groff will appear on THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING Jimmy Fallon tonight!

What we're watching: Watch An All New Trailer For MOULIN ROUGE!

A new block of tickets is now on sale for the new hit musical Moulin Rouge!The Musical, at Broadway's Al Hirschfeld Theatre. Tickets are now on sale through July 5, 2020. The show released an all new trailer to go with this announcement!

The cast includes Karen Olivo (Tony Award for West Side Story, In the Heights) as Satine, Aaron Tveit (Catch Me If You Can, Next to Normal) as Christian, Danny Burstein (six-time Tony Award-nominee, Fiddler On the Roof, Cabaret) as Harold Zidler, Sahr Ngaujah (Tony and Olivier award-nominee for Fela) as Toulouse-Lautrec, Tam Mutu (Doctor Zhivago, Encores!'s Hey, Look Me Over! and The New Yorkers) as The Duke of Monroth, Ricky Rojas (Burn the Floor) as Santiago and Robyn Hurder (Nice Work If You Can Get It) as Nini.

Social Butterfly: MATILDA's Laura Michelle Kelly Takes Over Instagram!

This weekend, we took a trip to Crunchem Hall as Laura Michelle Kelly took BroadwayWorld behind the scenes at The Muny's production of Matilda! So in case you missed it (or just want to relive all of the fun and excitement), we compiled clips for you to enjoy.

And a Happy Birthday shout-out to Wesley Taylor, who turns 33 today!

Wesley Taylor recently appeared in Alice By Heart off-Broadway. He starred as Plankton in the Broadway production of Spongebob Squarepants the Musical. Other Broadway credits include: original cast of The Addams Family; original cast of Rock of Ages (Theatre World Award, OCC Nomination). Second Stage: Little Miss Sunshine. Denver Center: An Act of God. Signature Theatre: Cabaret. American Conservatory Theater: Tales of the City. TV: 'Bobby' on "Smash," "The Good Wife," "The Tomorrow People," "One Life to Live," "Looking," "I'm Dying up Here," "Difficult People." Taylor is the Co-Creator/Writer/Star of "Indoor Boys," (HuffPost/Vimeo) "It Could Be Worse," (Hulu/Pivot Tv/Vimeo), "Billy Green" (YouTube). BFA: North Carolina School of the Arts.

See you bright and early tomorrow, BroadwayWorld!