Good morning (or afternoon) world!
Welcome to the latest edition of the Broadway DNA newsletter! In pulling the latest international musical theatre IP headlines, I focus on illuminating post-premiere lifecycles for what commercial theatre creators value: what titles are successful, where, by who, and why? Some of the how, the nuts and bolts of licensing and producing, I dip into in asides mixed in with the news. Natalie-isms, if you will. Whether you're a producer, artist, or simply a musical theatre enthusiast interested in how IP grows global, this bulletin is your ticket to staying informed and getting globally inspired!
Interested in supporting new works go global?
New Frank Wildhorn musical “Mac x Beth” (Mac and Beth) to premiere as part of Korea’s RG Company’s inaugural season
Musical actor Ryu Jeong-han announced the official launch of the globally-aimed performance company RG Company, featuring the 5-year return of Wildhorn’s “Cyrano” (in partnership with license holder CJ ENM), original mystery thriller musical “Nessie,” and “Mac x Beth.” The latter is described as a work based on the classic “Macbeth” and set in London in the 1980s, a turbulent period for fashion and music. Characters pay homage to designers who dominated the fashion scene, such as Christian Dior, Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, and Yves Saint Laurent, and musicians David Bowie, Queen, and Duran Duran. At least… that’s what my intermediate Korean translating says. Has anyone checked on War Paint recently?
EUROPE
“Moulin Rouge” Dutch production to premiere in September by Stage Entertainment— Ahead of tickets on sale, a press release just went out about this news we first reported last October. The musical will run at the Beatrix Theater Utrecht. Other Broadway replica productions include the West End, Australia, South Korea, Germany and Japan, with notable non-replicas across Scandinavia.
Irish musical “Where Eagles Fly” to make American debut in Philadelphia in September 2024— The original premiere took place in Belfast and performed to sold-out crowds in Ireland and the Netherlands. The performance was also recorded for the BBC and screened on 200 television stations throughout Ireland and Australia. More on this globally-ambitious piece here and here.
“Jesus Christ Superstar” is not a rarity, but it is always popular, especially in the month of Easter. There are upcoming performances in Nuremberg, St. Wendel and, as is traditional almost every year, Vienna.
ASIA-PACIFIC
Musical of “Kiki’s Delivery Service” based on book, 1989 Miyazaki film gets Japanese remount now playing in Tokyo then Osaka— A brief history: the world-beloved IP was first made into a musical that ran in Japan from 1993-1996. In 2016 it was adapted into a stage play on the West End. Then in 2017, a new musical version premiered by Kouki Kishimoto, with successful remounts in the 2018, 2021, and now 2024 seasons. In 2020, a Chinese license also premiered in Shanghai. The show is among the recent Miyazaki stage spotlight alongside Toho Japan’s “Spirited Away” and Royal Shakespeare Company’s “My Neighbor Totoro.”
New immersive musical “Lady M” by British musical theater partners James Beeny and Gina Georgio will premiere at the MIFA 1862 Theater in Shanghai on May 9— The production is the first English language musical to be produced and premiered in Shanghai. Directed by Xu Jun, the show stars Dutch singer Maya Hakvoort in the title role.
Kreative musical “Marie Curie” to make English language premiere on London’s West End— Will run at the Charing Cross Theatre June 1 through July 28. This is the first time that an original musical produced by a Korean production company (Live) will participate in a long-term performance in English by British staff and local actors on the West End. Watch this space!!!
A participant in the government-backed Korean Arts Management Service (KAMS)’s Musical Roadshow aimed at connecting Korean culture to overseas expansion opportunities, the show has had readings in Korea, Japan, Poland, and most recently London.
"Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812" concludes fifty performances in Shanghai— The new, English language international production jointly produced by Shanghai Grand Theatre, West Bund Theatre and Changyang Culture Co featured an international cast and design team from New York, Seoul, and Shanghai and marks the first time SGT adopted the international business model for a theater production. Photos and video here.
Promotions: The production collaborated with the MGM Shanghai West Bund Hotel offering themed rooms, tea breaks and music classes. The musical also, most interestingly, partnered with Tencent's mobile game "Light and Night”— In my brand licensing experience, leveraging seasonality (or in this case the exclusivity of a short run event) represents a great opportunity for licensors and developers or retailers to come together and create something magical that drives engagement, excitement, and a boost in revenue and new audiences. For a quick intro into injecting IP into the particularly challenging digital space, check out this overview and this quick read on licensing digital goods.
New Chinese production of “Les Miserables” set for national tour— Produced by Magnificent Culture Co Ltd, starring renowned Chinese film actor Liu Ye, and directed by French artist Jean Bellorini, the production is part of the celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and France.
BRAZIL
Video First Look At “BEETLEJUICE” in Brazil— Runs February 22 through April 28th at Sao Paulo’s Teatro Liberdade. The Brazilian premiere had the highest theatrical box office of 2023 in Rio de Janeiro. Directed by Tadeu Aguiar, produced by Renata Borges Pimenta via Touché Entretenimento.
What I’m Reading:
“It is not the responsibility of the large private producers to develop the (musical) genre in Denmark… It must be the state's task to take responsibility for the development, just as it does with other forms of performing arts (like the newly announced institute for games).” —Op-Ed by Mikal Korsgaard Larsen
The Western musical is in, and not in the way you think
“Western Story,” a Kreative musical reuniting writers Jong-wan Sung and Eun-young Kim (“Gloomy Day” 2013) returns for a first Korean remount from production company Neo (seen recently in New York with the KAMS Roadshow presentation of “The Last Man”) at Seoul Daehangno (off-Broadway adjacent)’s Uniplex Hall from March 13 to June 9, after premiering successfully two years ago. Like its venue neighbor and long-running international hit “Bballae,” the cowboy comedy is also setting sights on overseas licensing, with a first Chinese license that premiered last fall.
Want to join a network of forward-thinking producers in global cultural exchange? Consider working with Natalie to license new shows around the world with Broadway DNA, just reply to this email and let’s chat!