Hugh Jackman is returning to Broadway in 2020 as the star of The Music Man, producer Scott Rudin announced today.
Jackman will play the role of Professor Harold Hill in the newest version of this Meredith Wilson classic. The villain was popularized by the late Robert Preston in the show’s original Broadway run.
Jerry Zaks will direct the latest incarnation of The Music Man, with choreography from Warren Carlyle. Performances will begin in September 2020, and the official open set is slated for October 22, 2020.
Of course, Jackman is no stranger to musicals.
He starred in the 2012 big screen adaptation of Les Miserables and won a Tony Award back in 2004 for The Boy From Oz.
No other casting roles have been announced yet, with producers confirming they will be announced “soon.”
Jackman says The Music Man holds a special place in his heart as the first musical he was ever a part of, way back in 1983.
“I was at Knox Grammar School in Sydney, Australia. I was one of the traveling salesmen, and I think I can actually (almost) remember that unforgettable opening number! That was probably the moment when the magic of theater was born in me.”
“The idea of bringing ‘The Music Man’ back to Broadway has been lurking in the back of my brain for a long time, maybe even for 35 years, and when Scott Rudin called me with that very idea, I was floored. To finally be doing this is a huge thrill.”
Producer Scott Rudin says he’s thrilled to be working with Jackman in what he considers to be “the best role ever written for an actor in all of Broadway musical theater.”
The Music Man originally debuted on Broadway on December 19th, 1957. The show went on to win five Tony Awards, including Best Musical and ran for 1,375 performances.