2003-05-12
Playbill.com
Ernio Hernandez
Following one wild Broadway ride, the musical Urban Cowboy announced officially that it is closing at the Broadhurst Theatre, May 18 following its matinee performance. The musical will have played 60 performances and 26 previews by the end of its run.
The closing announcement came just hours after Urban Cowboy garnered two Tony Award nominations for Best Choreography (Melinda Roy) and Best Original Score (for its numerous composers and lyricists.)
The Broadway production, which began previews Feb. 28 and opened March 27, caused quite a stir in the news. After opening to many negative reviews, producers Chase Mishkin and Leonard Soloway announced they would close the show, only to change their minds and keep the show open after "receiving many encouraging calls in support of the show and seeing audience reaction," a statement explained.
Furthermore, the Tony Award Administration Committee ruled April 24 that the Urban Cowboy score would be ineligible for a Best Score nomination. Following some debate from the producers that many of the songs were written specifically for the show, the issue was revisited and reversed, May 8.
The new Broadway musical also recently made an official announcement of a national tour in the fall of 2004. The Urban Cowboy tour will be presented by Ken Gentry and exclusively booked through The Booking Group. Mishkin first told Playbill On-Line about the coming tour on March 28, just after her initial decision to close the show. Casting and dates for the tour are yet to be set.
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