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!
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Trend Alert: Sports on Stage? Really?
Two trends on my world radar this week— sports and streaming. (I know?!)
As for the first part: Can’t get enough of Joseph Fiennes’ “Dear England” at The National (filmed as part of National Theatre Live)? Are you in luck.
“14 de musical” depicts famous Dutch football (soccer) player and manager Johan Cruyff. Produced by Out of Office Productions, the work has been running since September 2021 and has just released a documentary series showcasing the creators, performances, and behind the scenes footage of the theatrical production.
Korean musical “Baseball King, Marines!” is gearing up for a second season return. The 2023 musical about the Marines Little League team is produced by Busan Cultural Center and Live Co. Ltd. running in June.
In celebration of its 47th anniversary, the Indonesian Cancer Foundation has partnered with ADnan PROductions to present an April performance of the musical “MASIH ADA” (“Still There”), a story based on the true story of a young national athlete who struggled with cancer throughout his life.
Blurred Borders
Tickets now on sale for “Come From Away”’s return third season in Buenos Aires by The Stage Company MAIPO. The same production will premiere in Madrid at the Marquina Theater in September 2024.
Cast of Japan-US "RENT" co-production announced — The English-language show produced by Kyodo Tokyo (fun fact, an IPN member in the US which I discuss in my upcoming publication with the International Theatre Institute in Slovakia, but I digress) will be performed in Tokyo and Osaka in August. Since the Japanese premiere in 1998, RENT has been performed in Japan many times, but now performed with a joint Japanese and American cast for the first time. Koji Yamamoto, who played Mark Cohen in the original Japanese production, will reprise his role.
Best-selling Japanese YA romance novel and movie “Even if This Love Disappears From the World Tonight” being made into a musical— Korean musical production group Library Company (recent Broadway co-producer on “& Juliet” and “Some Like It Hot”) has optioned the performance rights from Japan’s KADOKAWA with the goal of a 2025 premiere.
“The Wedding Banquet” Musical US-Taipei Collaboration— The musical version of Ang Lee's Academy Award-nominated 1993 film features a concept and book by Welly Yang, a book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey and Matt Eddy, and music by Woody Pak, with Broadway’s Gordon Greenberg directing a majority local creative team. It was originally conceived and developed for the stage by Yang in 2003 and is being produced in Taiwan by HUA Musical International Inc. and Taiwan Creative Content Agency.
Filmed Musicals in Japan
Toho and Shueisha have announced the Blu-ray release of musical “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Phantom Blood” (wrote about a few weeks ago). They also live streamed the final performances on April 13 and April 14, 2024, currently available until April 22 and April 23, 2024 for 5,500 Japanese yen (around $35 USD).
Two new works from Toho Musical Lab, “Praise Me” and “DESK,” will be broadcast for the first time on TV on April 27th.
The April 29 performance of girl group Nogizaka46 (5th generation)’s musical “Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon” will be live-streamed for the first time on Japan’s Hulu. (Previous generations’ performances are also available from 2018 and 2019.) (The 2.5D Japanese manga musical previously played NYC in 2019, and currently has US touring aspirations.)
Find Your Niche
Think your play about Idaho Hobby Lobby employees and The Rapture will never be licensed? Think again— A reading of “A Bright New Boise” by playwright Samuel D. Hunter (best known for the 2023 movie The Whale) will make its Japanese premiere at the KAAT Kanagawa Arts Theater Large Studio in Kanagawa in May, translated and directed by Keisuke Shimohira.
“HERO The Musical,” about an aspiring comic book writer written by Aaron Thielen and Michael Mahler, was produced at the Marriott in Chicago (2012) and Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota (2014), and now finds new life with a Japanese premiere from Toho in 2025.
Korea’s Library Company is also working to develop “Endless: A New Musical” with Julia Riew (youngest Fred Ebb Award winner) after her Korean folktale musical went TikTok viral (now called “Dive” to premiere at Boston’s A.R.T.). Since signing a new work development contract with Ryu last December, Library Company held a reading of “Endless” this month in NYC, with a scheduled premiere in Korea in 2025, with Broadway aspirations thereafter. Demos here.
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