"A Bronx Tale," the 1993 gangster flick that marked Robert De Niro's directorial debut, will jump from the big screen to the big stage, in a new Broadway musical set to open at the Longacre Theatre on December 1. Previews begin November 3.
Coincidentally, the musical will also mark De Niro's Broadway debut as a director. He'll co-direct the show alongside four-time Tony winner Jerry Zaks ("Guys and Dolls") -- who staged a non-musical version of the show on Broadway in 2007.
Chazz Palminteri will pen the book. He first performed the piece as a one-man play in 1989, and continues to tour with it today. He also starred in the film alongside De Niro.
Music and lyrics for the 1960s-set score will come from Alan Menken and Glenn Slater. This will be the duo's fourth musical on Broadway, after collaborating together on the stage adaptations of the popular films "The Little Mermaid," "Sister Act" and "Leap of Faith."
Slater is currently represented with another film-to-stage show, "School of Rock - The Musical." He collaborated on that show's score with composer Andrew Lloyd Webber.
In addition to its big-named creative team, the show will also have big-named producers. Music mogul Tommy Mottola is helping fund the show, alongside De Niro's Tribeca Productions and theatrical superstars the Dodgers ("Matilda").
The "Bronx Tale" musical comes to New York after a successful tryout in New Jersey's Paper Mill Playhouse this winter, where it starred Tony nominee Nick Cordero ("Bullets Over Broadway") as reigning gangster Sonny, who takes a young boy named Calogero under his wing. (Jason Gotay, of "Bring It On" fame, narrated the piece as the boy, now grown).
Broadway
No word on whether Cordero, Gotay or any of the other Paper Mill cast will transfer with the production. Casting is expected to be announced soon.
For more information, visit abronxtalethemusical.com.
