In the latest snag to the Seussical story, the new musical has delayed its first preview from Oct. 29 to Oct. 30.
Several days ago, producers, citing continuing development, announced Broadway previews would begin 3 PM Oct. 29, 11 days later than previously planned. Official opening for the Lynn Ahrens-Stephen Flaherty tuner was set for Nov. 30 rather than the announced Nov. 9.
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In recent weeks, the director-choreographer Rob Marshall was engaged to "lend an additional pair of eyes" to the aborning new musical that borrows stories and characters from the many books written and illustrated by Theodor Geisel.
Nervous producers Barry and Fran Weissler, SFX Theatrical Group and Universal Studios brought Marshall in for his advice after the production, directed by Frank Galati and choreographed by Marshall's sister, Kathleen Marshall, got mixed-to-negative reviews in its September Boston tryout. *
Marshall helmed Broadway's Little Me, co-staged Cabaret and directed and choreographed the recent "Annie" TV movie.
Seussical choreographer Kathleen Marshall, who remains with the show, as does director Frank Galati.
In the time-honored tradition of "show doctors" who quietly offer advice about still-forming work, it is thought that Marshall is assessing all aspects of the show.
Lyricist Ahrens and composer Flaherty, the Tony Award winning songwriting team of Ragtime, share book credit on the musical, the concept of which was cooked up in collaboration with Eric Idle, of "Monty Python" fame.
The show got mixed-to-unfriendly reviews in Boston (particularly from critic Ed Siegel of The Boston Globe) after its opening there Sept. 6. Previews began Aug. 27 and performances were originally to go to Sept. 17, but the two-week extension was announced. The show pulled out of Boston Sept. 24, a week earlier than the extension promised.
Coinciding with the first preview in Beantown, costume designer Catherine Zuber (Lincoln Center's Twelfth Night) taken off the project. William Ivey Long (The Music Man) will be Zuber's successor. His task was daunting: Creating costumes for a cartoon world — amounting to some 200 costume changes — in time for the Oct. 18 first preview. Zuber's work was seen in Boston.
