Sir Elton John and David Furnish Join Producing Team for Broadway's Next Fall

In keeping with the celebs on Broadway trend, Sir Elton John and partner David Furnish have joined the producing team of Geoffrey Nauffts' Next Fall. The new Sheryl Kaller-helmed play, which enjoyed an acclaimed off-Broadway run in June 2009, begins previews at the Helen Hayes Theatre on February 16. Opening night is set for March 11.

“We are excited to join the team bringing Geoffrey Nauffts’ extraordinary play to Broadway. After fulfilling experiences bringing new musicals to the stage, it was seeing this inspiring and timely new work that attracted us to take on our first play," John and Furnish said in a statement. John's work as a composer is currently represented on Broadway by Billy Elliot and The Lion King.

Next Fall stars Patrick Breen, Maddie Corman, Sean Dugan, Patrick Heusinger, Connie Ray and Cotter Smith in a provocative look at faith, commitment and unconditional love. Focusing on the five-year relationship of gay couple Adam and Luke, the show expands beyond a typical love story to examine what it means to believe, and what it might cost us not to.

In addition to Elton John & David Furnish, Next Fall is produced on Broadway by Barbara Manocherian, Richard Willis, Tom Smedes, Carole L. Haber/Chase Mishkin Ostar, Anthony Barille, Michael Palitz, Bob Boyett, Roy Furman in association with Naked Angels. James Spry is an Associate Producer and Susan Mindell is the Executive Producer.

Celebrity producers are becoming more and more common on Broadway. Rapper/mogul Jay-Z and married Hollywood duo Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith recently helped back musical Fela!, while media queen Oprah brought The Color Purple to Broadway in 2005.