Broadway Revival of ‘Can-Can’ to Hit NYC in Spring 2014

A new Broadway revival of Cole Porter’s classic “Can-Can” is aiming for a spring 2014 opening.

The new production premiered at the Pasadena Playhouse in Pasadena, Calif. in 2007, and will be presented by Jonathan Burrows, who is the nephew of the musical’s original book writer, Abe Burrows. Casting will be announced at a later date, as will a theater and opening date.

Veteran writers David Lee and Joel Fields wrote a new book for the production, and Lee directs. Choreography is by Patti Colombo, known for her work on Peter Pan. Steve Orich handles musical direction.

Lee commented on the new musical when it premiered in California back in 2007.

“My mentor and good friend James Burrows is the son of Abe,” Lee said, according to Playbill. “When I mentioned gingerly to him that I was intrigued with trying to work on his dad’s show, he was encouraging. Happily, the Cole Porter estate also gave us permission to try out a new approach. The new book is about 80 percent new – but almost all of Abe’s original characters remain. For historical flavor we added a few characters of our own that were actual performers at the Moulin Rouge. Rather than a ‘rewriting’ of the show, Joel and I like to think of this version as a ‘re-setting’ – as you might a piece of jewelry – polishing up the gems Porter and Burrows left us.”

Here’s how producers describe the new musical:

Pistache [is] the only cafe owner in Paris who dares to feature the scandalous and illicit Can-Can dance. Will her defiance of the law be the end of both her cafe and her chance for love?

Porter songs featured in the musical include “C’est Magnifique,” “I Love Paris” and “It’s All Right With Me.”

The original production opened on Broadway in 1953 and was adapted into a 1960 film starring Shirley MacLaine and Frank Sinatra.