This season has seen its share of revivals of tried-and-true musical gems. Now it appears that “Brigadoon,” the Scottish village that appears out of the mist every hundred years, will appear once again to theatergoers on Broadway.
Ostar Productions and producer Liza Lerner announced this week that the revival will open on Broadway in spring, 2009, with cast yet to be determined. It will open in Boston this fall before heading to New York. John Guare, author of “Six Degrees of Separation” and “The House of Blue Leaves” will revise Loewe’s book. Tony award-winner Rob Ashford (“Thoroughly Modern Millie”) will direct and choreograph this new production. This season, he is noted for his choreography for Cry Baby.
The popular musical tells the story of two jaded Americans who stumble on the charmed village, and was first performed on the Broadway stage in 1947 at the Ziegfield Theatre, running for almost 600 performances., The show’s original music was by Frederick Loewe and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner. Gene Kelly, Cyd Charisse and Van Johnson played lead roles in the 1954 film version.
The last time “Brigadoon” was seen on Broadway was in 1980. Some of the songs have become classics such as “Almost Like Being in Love,” “Waiting for my Dearie,” “Come to Me, Bend to Me,” “I’ll Go Home With Bonnie Jean” and “The Heather on the Hill”.
Lerner and Loewe’s book for “Brigadoon” launched a spectacular career. They went on to collaborate on the scores for “My Fair Lady,” “Gigi,” “Paint Your Wagon,” and “Camelot.”
