Weisslers and Mark Burnett Developing 'The Apprentice' for Broadway Spring 2006

Broadway producers Barry and Fran Weissler and Mark Burnett along with Donald Trump will develop the smash NBC series "The Apprentice" as a Broadway musical, it was announced by Mr. Trump on the May 19th season finale of the show last night.

The creative team for the show, scheduled for a Spring 2006 opening, is being assembled.

"As soon as Mark and I first discussed taking The Apprentice to Broadway, I knew my good friends, Barry and Fran Weissler, were the perfect fit to work with us. With Barry and Fran's amazing track record in the theatre world and the phenomenal success that Mark & I have enjoyed with The Apprentice, I know we'll have a huge hit!"
- Donald Trump

"Donald Trump is a larger than life character and the Broadway musical stage may be the only medium large enough for him. We know Broadway audiences will embrace the drama and genuine intrigue of The Apprentice just as television audiences have."
- Barry Weissler

"The Apprentice is a compelling drama that has touched a chord with television audiences all over the world. I had a vision for a dramatic story within The Apprentice that I knew would work on a Broadway stage. This is not a spoof or a satire, it is a love story set to The Apprentice as a backdrop. Once I met Barry and Fran, I knew we had the perfect partners to make this a reality."
- Mark Burnett

Donald Trump (Producer) was already world renowned as a real estate developer, business mogul and best-selling author. In New York City, the Trump signature is synonymous with the most prestigious of addresses, and the Trump Organization is one of the world's largest operators of hotels and casinos. Mr. Trump then went on to conquer the television world when he joined forces with Mark Burnett to produce and star in the NBC hit series The Apprentice, which quickly became the number one show on television and has made ratings history in markets all over the world.

BARRY AND Fran Weissler's (Producer) newest hit, Sweet Charity, starring Christina Applegate, just received three Tony nominations, including Best Revival. They have received five Tony Awards for the following productions: Othello starring James Earl Jones and Christopher Plummer, Fiddler on the Roof (Topol), Gypsy (Tyne Daly), Annie Get Your Gun (Bernadette Peters and Reba McEntire) and the current hit production of Chicago. Other Broadway productions include the 2003 revival of Wonderful Town, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof starring Kathleen Turner, Zorba (Anthony Quinn), My One & Only (Tommy Tune), Falsettos and Grease (stars included Rosie O'Donnell and Brooke Shields). The Weisslers currently have productions of Chicago in London (Olivier Award), South Africa, and touring the United States. Prior worldwide productions have included Australia, Sweden, Holland, Austria, Germany, South America, Mexico, Russia, Italy, France, Brazil, Portugal, Japan, and Korea.

MARK BURNETT (Producer) is a leader in primetime television. He has revolutionized the medium with hits such as Eco-Challenge, Survivor, The Apprentice, The Contender and the upcoming Rockstar: INXS, The Apprentice: Martha, and a daily syndicated show, Martha. Mark Burnett also successfully reintroduced product placement as an integral part of each of his shows and has garnered a total of 24 Emmy nominations since 2001. Mark Burnett was listed as the #1 Most Valuable Player by TV Guide and also in Time Magazine's Top 100 most influential people in the world today.