Les Misérables to Return to Broadway in October

Les Misérables, the third-longest running show in Broadway history, will return to the Great White Way this fall. It is set to begin a six-month limited engagement at the Broadhurst Theatre on October 21.

"2006 has been a very special year for me with Phantom becoming the longest running musical ever on Broadway and soon, in London, on October 9, Les Misérables becomes the longest-running musical in the world," producer Cameron Mackintosh said in a statement. "So the opportunity to bring Les Miz home to Broadway in the exquisite and intimate Broadhurst Theatre, next door to Phantom, to celebrate this historic achievement is irresistible. I am sure that the timeless power of the show will be an unforgettable experience both for new audiences and serial Les Miz-ers."

Based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo, Les Misérables features music by Claude-Michel Schönberg, lyrics by Herbert Kretzmer, with original French text by Alain Boublil & Jean-Marc Natel and additional material by James Fenton. Directed by Trevor Nunn and John Caird, the musical was designed by John Napier with lighting by David Hersey, costumes by Andreane Neofitou and sound by Andrew Bruce.

After it was already a hit in London, the original production of Les Misérables opened at New York's Broadway Theatre on March 12, 1987, winning seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical. It moved to the Imperial Theatre in October of 1990 and closed there on May 18, 2003. The tuner played a total of 6,680 Broadway performances.

Les Misérables continues to play at the Queen's Theatre in the West End. The show is also in the midst of a North American tour, which will end July 23 in St. Louis, Missouri. The upcoming Broadway production will use the physical aspects of the tour and will feature some current company members as well as performers cast especially for the New York engagement.

Before Les Misérables, the Broadhurst Theatre will house The History Boys, which begins a 20-week limited engagement at the theater on April 14.