Scott Landis: Last News

Margaret Styne, the widow of Broadway composer Jule Styne who oversaw an estate and legacy that includes the much anticipated upcoming revival of Funny Girl, has died.

A.D. Amorosi Seventy years since his first Capitol Records sessions for the single “Lean Baby” and the “Songs for Young Lovers” 10″ album… 62 years since his first Reprise LP, “Ring-a-Ding-Ding!”… and 25 years since his passing, the legend of Frank Sinatra still looms large.

Sinatra, The Musical has cast Tony Award-winning actor-singer Matt Doyle as Frank Sinatra in the world premiere production of the musical bearing Ol’ Blue Eyes’ name, to be staged at Birmingham Rep in Birmingham, England, from September 23 through October 28.

Beetlejuice‘s Alex Brightman and Chicago Med‘s Colin Donnell will portray Richard Dreyfuss and Roy Scheider, respectively, in the upcoming Broadway making-of-Jaws comedy The Shark Is Broken, joining the previously announced Ian Shaw (who will play his own father, Robert Shaw).

The Shark Is Broken, the Olivier Award-nominated stage comedy that goes behind-the-scenes of Jaws, will arrive on Broadway this summer with co-writer Ian Shaw playing his father Robert Shaw, who starred as shark-hunter Quint in the 1975 classic.

UPDATE: Sinatra The Musical will receive its world premiere production at the Birmingham Rep theater in Birmingham, England. Joe DiPietro’s musical will be directed by Kathleen Marshall and run from Saturday, September 23 to Saturday, October 28.

Naman Ramachandran Birmingham Rep will co-produce “Sinatra The Musical,” the first official musical based on the life and career of Frank Sinatra, with Michele Anthony, Bruce Resnikoff and Scott Landis for Universal Music Group Theatrical, and Tina Sinatra and Charles Pignone on behalf of Frank Sinatra Enterprises.  The team behind the musical includes two-time Tony-winning writer Joe DiPietro (“What’s New Pussycat?”) and Olivier-winning and three-time Tony-winning director and choreographer, Kathleen Marshall (“Anything Goes”). The musical begins on New Year’s Eve, 1942, where a skinny 27-year-old Italian American singer is about to step onto the stage of New York’s Paramount Theatre and give a performance that will change music history. As Frank Sinatra’s career suddenly skyrockets, he struggles with balancing the love of his wife, Nancy, against the demands and temptations of being the most popular singer in America. But when he begins an affair with movie goddess Ava Gardner, his records stop selling and the press turns against him, sending his career into a tailspin. Driven by his devotion to his family, Sinatra stages the greatest comeback in showbiz history.

Funny Girl, Broadway’s riches-to-rags-to-riches smash hit, will close on Sunday, Sept. 3, with stars Lea Michele, Ramin Marmloo, Jared Grimes and Tovah Feldshuh extending their planned runs to see the show through to its final date.

EXCLUSIVE: A new stage musical based on the life and career of Ol’ Blue Eyes himself, the legendary Frank Sinatra, is in the works, with a book by Memphis and Diana writer Joe DiPietro and direction and choreography by three-time Tony winner Kathleen Marshall. Producing will be Universal Music Group Theatrical in association with Tina Sinatra and Frank Sinatra Enterprises.

A newly recorded cast album for Broadway’s Funny Girl starring Lea Michele as Fanny Brice will be released digitally tomorrow – Friday, Nov. 18 at 12:01 a.m. ET. The surprise announcement was made by Michele herself during last night’s curtain call at the Broadway hit.

Broadway’s upcoming revival of Funny Girl, starring Beanie Feldstein, Jane Lynch, Ramin Karimloo and Jared Grimes has completed casting, with Peter Francis James, Ephie Aardema, Debra Cardon and Toni DiBuono among those joining the cast.