Don't Be Alarmed, Ladies & Gentlemen! King Kong Musical to Beat Its Chest on Broadway This December

“Why, in a few months, it'll be up in lights on Broadway: Kong, the Eighth Wonder of the World!” The new stage musical King Kong, which made its world premiere at the Regent Theatre in Melbourne, Australia, last summer, will open in December, Gerry Ryan, one of the show's producers, told The New York Times.

“We’re having to tweak it a little bit, a little bit more music, and polish up the script,” Ryan, an executive with Global Creatures, told the Times. “We did get a script doctor, try and tighten the show up, for the audience to follow the story a little bit easier. [Broadway] is the theater capital of the world and, you know, Kong is a natural fit in New York.”

Featuring a score by Grammy nominee Marius de Vries and book by Tony nominee Craig Lucas, King Kong is set against the backdrop of bustling New York City in the 1930s and tells the story of the infamous ape and his encounter with aspiring actress Ann Darrow, megalomaniac filmmaker Carl Denham, stubborn first mate Jack Driscoll and the people of NYC. The Australian production of King Kong is directed by Daniel Kramer.

The show’s score consists of revamped 1930s Broadway songs like “Get Happy,” “I Wanna Be Loved By You” and “Brother Can You Spare a Dime,” as well as new and existing numbers from artists like Sarah McLachlan, Robert Del Naja, Justice, Guy Garvey and The Avalanches. Michael Mitnick and Stephen Pavlovic have contributed to the musical score.

Watch the epic musical's Australian TV spot below for a sneak peek!