Tony Award-winning producer Daryl Roth — one of a number of producers of the musical comedy — said in a Jan. 11 email sent to the followers of Daryl Roth Productions that Leap of Faith "will hopefully be on Broadway this spring."
Officially, the producers are sticking to an earlier announcement of a fall 2012 Broadway launch, but production sources confirmed to Playbill.com that creative personnel and cast members are on high alert about the possibility of a spring bow (think late March previews toward a late April opening) if a Broadway theatre becomes available in the coming weeks.
"A lot of pieces are starting to fall into place," one production source told Playbill.com. A spokesperson for the show had no comment on Jan. 11.
Roth's email referred to a "thrilling" workshop in late 2011, adding that the show starring the "inimitable" Raul Esparza "will hopefully be on Broadway this Spring. Stay tuned for upcoming news..."
On Dec. 13, 2011, the producers of Leap of Faith announced that director Christopher Ashley (Memphis), librettist Warren Leight (Side Man) and choreographer Trujillo (Jersey Boys) were new members of the creative team. Leight shares book credit with screenwriter Janus Cercone, whose story is about a religious conman who tries to fool a community — but gets tripped up by a single mother. The music is by Academy and Grammy Award winner Menken; the lyrics are by Slater.
Leap of Faith had its world premiere in Los Angeles in summer 2010 starring four-time Tony Award nominee Esparza as conman Jonas Nightingale. Revised since L.A., the show was seen in Manhattan backers' presentations Nov. 10-11, 2011. New songs were added to the rewrite, which had a fresh book crafted by Leight.
The $10-15 million musical is based on the 1992 film starring Steve Martin.
Leap of Faith will be produced on Broadway by Michael Manheim, James D. Stern, Douglas L. Meyer, Tom Viertel / Marc Routh / Richard Frankel / Steven Baruch, Jujamcyn Theaters, Annette Niemtzow / S. Silva, Daryl Roth/Robert G. Bartner, Debi Coleman, Dancap Productions Inc. and Center Theatre Group in association with Steve Kaplan, Vera Guerin, Independent Presenters Network, Relativity Media, LLC, Richard J. Stern and Pamela Cooper, Diana Buckhantz.
