“Roman Holiday – The Musical” is still aiming for Broadway despite a delay in its expected debut.
The musical was reported to have been coming to Broadway this fall, after a run in San Francisco. While the musical has yet to appear on Broadway, Paul Blake, who wrote the show’s original book and co-produced the last run, says all that stands in its way is a theater.
“We’re awaiting a theater,” Blake said.
The show did not have a theater lined up for fall, but there were “very strong possibilities” leading into the season, Blake said.
The musical is based on the 1953 film and follows the 24-hour adventure of a runaway European princess and an American reporter in Rome. The score is made up of Cole Porter hits, such as “Night and Day” and “Begin the Beguine.”
“Roman Holiday” played a limited engagement at San Francisco’s Golden Gate Theatre in June. Versions of the musical played the Muny in St. Louis in 2001 and at the Guthrie Theater in 2012.
The San Francisco run had a new book written by Blake as well as two new co-authors, Kathy Speer and Terry Grossman
However, the West Coast show failed to attract rave reviews, with The Mercury News calling it an “over-eager suitor who leaves you cold” and Variety deeming it “a sonically pleasant bit of fluff.”
Blake, who is the lead producer of “Beautiful” on Broadway, co-produced the San Francisco run alongside Mike Bosner, who is also a producer of “Beautiful.”
The musical may be vying for a spot alongside “The Minutes” and “An Enemy of the People,” which have both announced that they are coming to Broadway this season but have not yet announced a theater.
