It was bound to happen sooner or later: A new musical based on the classic novel Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier will open on Broadway Sunday, April 22, 2012 at a Shubert theater to be announced. Previews will begin Tuesday, March 27. Sierra Boggess (currently starring in Master Class, and late of both The Little Mermaid and Love Never Dies) is in negotiations to play the role of “I.” (The heroine of du Maurier's novel is famously never named.)
The story follows the second wife of mysterious Maxim de Winter (played famously by Laurence Olivier in the Oscar-winning Hitchcock film version), and her struggle to overcome the memory of Maxim's first wife, the glamorous and mysterious Rebecca. No word yet on who will play Maxim in the musical, or who will take on the role of the terrifying Mrs. Danvers (Rebecca's maid and confidante), but they sound like prime roles for some major stars. (We're already picturing Raul Esparza as a swoonworthy Maxim and Bebe Neuwirth as a chilling and thrilling Mrs. Danvers.)
The musical had its world premiere in 2006 at Vereinigte Buhnen Wien in Vienna, where it played to sold-out houses for more than three years. Other productions of the show have also played Budapest, Hungary; Helsinki, Finland; Stuttgart, Germany; St. Gallen, Switzerland and at the Imperial Theatre in Tokyo.
Rebecca has an original book and lyrics by Michael Kunze, music by Sylvester Levay, English book adaptation by two-time Tony Award winner Christopher Hampton (Sunset Boulevard), English lyrics by Hampton and Kunze, and will be directed by Michael Blakemore (Kiss Me, Kate; City of Angeles; Noises Off) and Francesca Zambello (Little Mermaid). Multiple Tony-nominated director/choregrapher Gracelia Daniele (Ragtime) is in advance negotiations to do the musical staging for the show.
Stay tuned for more casting news and the theater announcement! Tickets will most likely be available at www.telecharge.com.