Sprecher, the embattled producer who has continued to guide Rebecca toward a Broadway life, previously stated that funding for the $15-$16 million musical had to be completed by the end of June — at which point rights to the project were to revert back to VBW, the Austrian company that holds live stage rights to the property — in order for Rebecca to officially open on Broadway by December.
In April Sprecher said that he had $8 million in place and was optimistic about identifying parties capable of providing the remaining capital. The late-June deadline passed without an announcement of Rebecca's capitalization or dates of a Broadway run.
Austria's Radio Wien reports that Thomas Drozda of VBW has now extended Sprecher's window to January 2014 (possibly as far as December 2014) to raise the capital necessary to produce Rebecca on Broadway. Australian producers, capable of providing seven-figure investments, are currently being courted to help fund the Broadway production.
Playbill.com reached out to Sprecher, who replied, "We are moving forward and looking forward to welcoming Rebecca the Musical to Broadway in 2014."
* In 2008 Sprecher, along with fellow producer Louise Forlenza, announced a 2010 targeted Broadway premiere for the dark pop musical.
Rebecca found itself in peril last fall when Sprecher, who believed capitalization was complete, pulled the trigger on the start of set and costume construction. It was later discovered that Long Island businessman Mark C. Hotton had fabricated the name of an investor who pledged the final $4.5 million for the production.
The musical features book and lyrics by Michael Kunze, music by Sylvester Levay. Rebecca had its world premiere in 2006 at Vereinigte Buhnen Wien in Vienna.
Read Playbill.com's previous report on the fate of Rebecca.
