London Revival of A Little Night Music Headed for Broadway

Trevor Nunn’s production of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s A Little Night Music is headed for Broadway, according to Variety. Nunn directed the show at the Menier Chocolate Factory in December, transferring it to the West End in early April with a cast that includes Hannah Waddingham as Desiree Armfeldt. No word on casting or a theater for the Broadway  production, which is eyeing a December 2009 opening.

According to an audition announcement, Broadway's Night Music will be produced by David Babani for Chocolate Factory Prods., Andrew Fell and the Frankel Viertel Baruch Routh Group. This marks the first Sondheim musical to be directed by Nunn, a Tony winner for Les Miserables and director of the Broadway productions of Rock ‘n’ Roll, The Woman in White, Chess, Aspects of Love, Sunset Boulevard and Starlight Express, among many others.

A Little Night Music follows three lovestruck couples as they lose, and find, each other during a long midsummer night on a country estate. The original production, which starred Len Cariou, Glynis Johns, Patricia Elliot, Hermione Gingold and Laurence Guittard, opened at the Shubert Theatre on February 25, 1973, later transfered to the Majestic Theatre and played a total of 601 performances before closing on August 3, 1974. It won five Tony Awards, including Best Musical. A benefit concert version of the show was presented by Roundabout Theatre Company in January starring Vanessa Redgrave, the late Natasha Richardson, Victor Garber, Christine Baranski, Jill Paice and Marc Kudisch.

The Menier Chocolate Factory originated the revival of Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George that moved to Broadway last season under the auspices of Roundabout Theatre Company.