‘Once’ Takes Broadway on the Road in 2013

“Once,” the Broadway play that was recently nominated for 11 Tony Awards, will hit the road next year for its first national tour.

The play is based on the 2006 film of the same name that stared musician Marketa Irglova and Glen Hansard. The latter is the lead singer of the Irish band the Frames. The two actors teamed up after the movie to form the musical duo The Swell Season.

The official website of the Broadway show describes the musical like this:

“Once” is the celebrated new musical based on the Academy Award-winning film. It tells the story of an Irish musician and a Czech immigrant drawn together by their shared love of music. Over the course of one fateful week, their unexpected friendship and collaboration evolves into a powerful but complicated romance, heightened by the raw emotion of the songs they create together… “Once” is a musical celebration of life and love: thrilling in its originality, daring in its honesty.

Of the 11 Tony Awards the musical recently received, one was for the coveted Best Musical Award, in which it will compete with “Nice Work if You Can Get It,” “Newsies” and “Leap of Faith.” Additionally, on Sunday “Once” won three Lucille Lortel awards for the Off-Broadway production that was held at the New York Theatre Workshop.

Following the stint Off-Broadway, “Once” officially opened March 18, and is currently playing at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. The Broadway production stars Steve Kazee as “Guy,” the role played by Hansard. Cristin Milioti plays “Girl,” which was played by Irglova in the film.

The production is written by Enda Walsh and directed by John Tiffany. The touring version is expected to launch sometime in summer 2013, though no official dates or cities have yet been released for the travelling production.