Neil Diamond Musical Heading to Broadway

By Brent Lang

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Broadway audiences will soon be singing along with “Cracklin’ Rosie” and “Sweet Caroline,” at least if the producers of a new musical about Neil Diamond get their way.

Producers Ken Davenport and Bob Gaudio announced that they are eyeing a run on the Great White Way for the stage show. It features a book by three-time Academy Award-nominee Anthony McCarten (“Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Darkest Hour”) and will be directed by Tony Award winner Michael Mayer (“Spring Awakening”). It also will boast quite the soundtrack. Diamond’s catalog includes “If You Know What I Mean”, “Longfellow Serenade”, “America”, and “Yesterday’s Songs.”

The Diamond show would be the latest in a long line of musicals centered around pop greats. Cher (“The Cher Show”), The Temptations (“Ain’t Too Proud”), The Four Seasons (“Jersey Boys”), and Carole King (“Beautiful”) are just a few of the singers and singing groups who have gotten the stage show treatment. The Diamond show sounds like it will be in a similar vein, following the singer’s first break into songwriting in the 1960’s and his chart-topping rise in the 1970’s. Last year, Diamond announced he was retiring from touring after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

In a statement, Diamond said, “I’ve always loved Broadway. The inspiration for many of my early songs came from shows like ‘West Side Story,’ ‘My Fair Lady,’ and ‘Fiddler on the Roof,’ so it seems only fitting to bring my songs to The Great White Way. I’m honored and excited to be working with this great team.”

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