Frank Wildhorn's Musical Wonderland to Open on Broadway

Wonderland, a musical with the tagline “A New Alice. A New Musical Adventure,” is headed to Broadway in the spring. The show will begin performances on March 21, 2011, at a Nederlander theater to be announced, with opening night set for April 27, directed by co-librettist Gregory Boyd. No casting has been announced.

The show features music by Frank Wildhorn (Jekyll & Hyde, The Scarlet Pimpernel, The Civil War, Dracula), a book by Boyd and Jack Murphy (The Civil War), lyrics by Murphy and choreography by Marguerite Derricks (Fame). No other creative team members have been announced.

Wonderland is described as a story about a new Alice who has lost her joy in life. Estranged from her husband, alienated from her daughter and in danger of losing her career, Alice finds herself in Wonderland, where she encounters strange though familiar characters that help her rediscover the wonder in her life while searching for her daughter.

Wonderland received its world premiere at the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa, Florida, in December 2009 and will return to the theater for a pre-Broadway engagement running January 4-16, 2011. The show then played the Alley Theatre in Houston (where Boyd is the artistic director) in January 2010. The premiere cast included In the Heights star Janet Dacal as Alice, Eugene Fleming as the Caterpillar, Jose Llana as El Gato, Karen Mason as the Queen of Hearts, Darren Ritchie as Jack/White Knight, Nikki Snelson as the Mad Hatter and Ed Staudenmayer as the Rabbit.

Wonderland will be produced on Broadway by the David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts (Judy Lisi, President and CEO), William Franzblau and Nederlander Presentations, Inc.A concept CD of the show is available through iTunes from Sony Masterworks.