The staging planned for the company's 2007 summer season will not be performed "due to the theatre being unable to come to an agreement with the rights holders," according to a release. The plan is for Doyle to still helm a to-be-announced project.

"We look forward to collaborating with director John Doyle on a new project," said Globe executive director Louis Spisto in a statement. "John is one of the most innovative directors working in the theatre today and we are excited about exploring new opportunities with him and expect to announce a project for the summer season in the coming weeks."

Doyle — who staged the 2006 Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd (to Tony Award-winning success) and the current Broadway staging of Company — was to take on the musical tale of the legendary showman behind "the greatest show on earth." The re-imagining of the musical was to feature, as with Sweeney and Company, some of the actors playing musical instruments.

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As previously announced, the Tony Award-winning musical Avenue Q will run in the Old Globe summer season June 30-Aug. 5 at the historic Spreckels Theatre. John Van Druten's play Bell, Book and Candle also plays Aug. 4-Sept. 9 in the Cassius Carter Centre Stage. These productions join the Old Globe's announced Shakespeare Festival lineup which will include The Two Gentlemen of Verona, directed by Matt August, Measure for Measure, directed by Paul Mullins and Hamlet, staged by Shakespeare Festival artistic director Darko Tresnjak. The three works will play in repertory at the Lowell Davies Festival Theatre at the outdoor Lowell Davies Festival Theatre (June 16-Sept. 30).

For subscriptions and more information on the shows at The Old Globe, call Globe Ticket Services at (619) 23-GLOBE or visit www.theoldglobe.org.