“Gotta Dance,” the Broadway-bound new musical about a senior-citizen dance team, has lined up a cast that includes Stefanie Powers, Georgia Engel, Lillias White and Andre DeShields.
The show has a Chicago run starting in December.
Haven Burton, Lori Tan Chinn and Nancy Tictotin also will star in “Gotta Dance,” produced by former Dreamworks Animation executive Bill Damaschke and Dori Bertinstein, a filmmaker who directed the documentary on which the show is based. The production is already set for a pre-Broadway run in Chicago that begins performances in December.
The musical’s plot follows the 60-and-over dance team as it prepares to perform a hip-hop routine during halftime at a professional basketball team.
Chad Beguelin (“Aladdin,” “Elf”) and Bob Martin (“The Drowsy Chaperone”) wrote the book, with a score by composer Matthew Sklar (“Elf”) and lyricist Nell Benjamin (“The Explorer’s Club,” “Legally Blonde”). The show also incorporates additional music by Marvin Hamlisch (“A Chorus Line”), who began work on the musical before he died in 2012. Jerry Mitchell (“Kinky Boots”) directs and choreographs.
Powers (“Hart to Hart”) will make her Broadway debut in “Gotta Dance.” Engel (“The Mary Tyler Moore Show”) was last on Broadway in “The Drowsy Chaperone” in 2006; this summer she’s appearing Off Broadway in Annie Baker’s new play “John.” Tony winner White most recently appeared on Broadway in “Fela!” in 2009, while DeShields was last there in “Impressionism” (also in 2009).
“Gotta Dance” has assembled a creative team that also includes David Rockwell (sets), Gregg Barnes (costumes), Kenneth Posner (lights) and Peter Hylenski (sound).
“Gotta Dance” runs Dec. 13-Jan. 10 as part of the Broadway in Chicago season. Exact Broadway dates and theater have yet to be set.
-Variety
