Producing giants Waxman Williams Entertainment (Flower Drum Song) and Stewart F. Lane (Thoroughly Modern Millie) announced Oct. 17 they will be joining forces for future projects.
The producers — Anita Waxman, Elizabeth Williams and Lane — plan to collaborate specifically on London-to-New York transfers of productions originating at Donmar Warehouse.
The first joint venture for the producing team will be The Public Theater's upcoming New York City premiere of playwright David Mamet's Boston Marriage, playing The Public Theater beginning Nov. 5. The new Public production, set to star last season's double Tony nominee Kate Burton (The Elephant Man, Hedda Gabler) and Martha Plimpton (Hobson's Choice and Steppenwolf Theatre Company's Hedda Gabler), continues at the Public's Off Broadway Martinson Theater to Dec. 8 under the direction of Karen Kohlhaas.
Waxman Williams Entertainment produced Boston Marriage in the West End, following a run at the Donmar. Stewart F. Lane will join Waxman Williams Entertainment as producers of any subsequent run of the show in Manhattan. Given the show's authorship, subject matter (about the prickly relationship between two Victorian women who live together) and stars, a commercial run is expected within the season if all the pieces fit together.
Future New York projects for the newly-formed partnership include the Donmar production of Christopher Hampton's Tales from Hollywood. Waxman Williams, which is headed up by Anita Waxman and Elizabeth Williams, have produced the Broadway productions The Elephant Man, Topdog/Underdog, Noises Off and the current Flower Drum Song. Other upcoming productions the producers are involved with include Manhattan Theatre Club's Humble Boy, a new production of On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, Off-Broadway's Debbie Does Dallas and the new musicalMarty at the Huntington Theatre Company — the latter two productions are currently in previews.
Lane, who also owns and operates Broadway's Palace Theatre, has produced numerous Broadway shows, among them are Minnelli on Minnelli, Wait Until Dark, 1776, The Goodbye Girl, La Cage aux Folles, The Will Rogers Follies and the current Thoroughly Modern Millie. He takes on directing duties for the upcoming Boston production of the musical, The Gig, at the Lyric Stage Company.
— by Ernio Hernandez
and Kenneth Jones
