'High Fidelity' musical to premiere in Boston
The musical version of Nick Hornby's novel ''High Fidelity" and the Boston premiere of John Patrick Shanley's ''Doubt" are among the highlights of Broadway Across America's 2006-07 season in Boston.
''High Fidelity" makes its pre-Broadway world premiere at the Colonial Theatre in September, announced Drew Murphy, president of Broadway Across America-Boston, yesterday. The announcement, held in the balcony of the Opera House, was accompanied by a musical performance from ''High Fidelity" and an appearance by South Boston native David Lindsay-Abaire, who's writing the book for the musical.
''Boston is the only city 'High Fidelity' is trying out in," said Murphy. ''We're hoping to keep that tradition going and attract more in the future."
Cherry Jones will reprise her role in the Tony- and Pulitzer Prize-winning ''Doubt," and Doug Hughes, who helmed the Broadway production, will direct.
Kicking off the season is a touring production of ''All Shook Up," the Broadway musical that combines Elvis songs with the tale of a guitar-playing guy who comes to town and gets it, well, all shook up. It runs Sept. 26-Oct. 8 at the Opera House.
''High Fidelity," a romantic comedy about a record-store owner struggling back to life after being dumped yet again, comes to the Colonial Sept. 26-Oct. 22. The score is by Tom Kitt (music) and Amanda Green (lyrics).
''Altar Boyz," a musical comedy about a Christian boy band, is at the Colonial Oct. 31-Nov. 5. ''Twelve Angry Men," starring Richard Thomas and George Wendt, follows at the Colonial Nov. 7-19.
On the dance front, Boston Ballet's ''The Nutcracker" again graces the Opera House Nov. 24-Dec. 30.
And ''Stomp," with its wild mix of percussion and dance, returns to the Colonial Dec. 5-17.
''Doubt" is at the Colonial Feb. 6-18. Jones plays Sister Aloysious, who has to decide whether to air her concerns about one of her male colleagues at a Catholic school.
Two con artists dive into the sybaritic lives of the rich on the Riviera in the comic musical ''Dirty Rotten Scoundrels," March 6-18 at the Opera House.
In ''Chita Rivera -- The Dancer's Life," the legendary septuagenarian dancer with great gams will tell her life's story at the Colonial Theatre May 1-13. The show is written by four-time Tony winner Terrence McNally.
The season closes with a touring production of Adam Guettel and Craig Lucas's ''The Light in the Piazza" at the Colonial, May 29-June 9. Based on the Elizabeth Spencer novella, this lyrical musical about a vacation romance in 1953 Italy won six 2005 Tony awards.
