Cromer to Direct Broadway's YANK!

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 5/10/10 at 1:02pm

"David Cromer, who is currently represented in New York by his Obie and Lortel Award-winning production of Thornton Wilder's Our Town at The Barrow Street Theatre, will helm the upcoming Broadway production of the new musical Yank! A WWII Love Story.

Igor Goldin directed the acclaimed Off-Broadway production, which ended its extended run at the York Theatre Company April 4.

Cromer will make his Broadway musical debut with Yank!, which will arrive during the 2010-11 season. Cromer also received Obie and Lucille Lortel awards for his direction of the musical Adding Machine and a third Lucille Lortel Award for his direction of When the Rain Stops Falling at Lincoln Center Theater. He also directed last season's Broadway revival of Neil Simon's Brighton Beach Memoirs, and is currently at work on his production of A Streetcar Named Desire at The Writers' Theatre in Chicago. His productions in Chicago have won a total of 16 Joseph Jefferson Awards, including Best Production and Best Director for The Cider House Rules, The Price and Angels in America..."

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/139393

[newintown]

Posted: 5/10/10 at 1:04pm

Is this a slap in the face to Goldin, or am I missing something?

[TalkinLoud]

Posted: 5/10/10 at 1:06pm

Well my interest in seeing this just went way up.

[Brick]

Posted: 5/10/10 at 1:07pm

Yes and no.

You are never gauranteed a job when something transfers, yet he was essentially fired. That said, Cromer is a hot director right now. And if the producers are looking to pickup more heat on their show, this is one way to do it.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 5/10/10 at 1:08pm

Well...this is a random pairing. But it'll get me to see it again. Not a fan of this show but a huge fan of Cromer.

[otis33]

Posted: 5/10/10 at 1:23pm

That's a shame. I saw it in San Diego. I liked the work Igor did on the show, and was excited for him to move forward with it.

[Blockhead24]

Posted: 5/10/10 at 1:24pm

Goldin is directing LIBERTY if it finds an off-Broadway house this fall.

[mybigsplash]

Posted: 5/10/10 at 1:30pm

Well when I saw Yank at the York, I swore to God I would never see it again. I was ill when they announced it would transfer to Broadway, but I love Cromer, and now I'm actually excited to see it again. Funny isn't it? I hope they SCRAP the York production, and build an entirely new large production, and also scrap the whole cast, including Bobby whats-his-ragtime-guy. Who was my least favorite part of the York production. They should keep the older guy though, he was good. Everyone else can go.

*please note, I understand that this show will never open on Broadway without Bobby-whats-his-ragtime-guy.

[Brick]

Posted: 5/10/10 at 1:31pm

Healy of the Times elaborates:

"But as theater directors go Mr. Cromer comes with real star cachet, which will probably help the producers raise the $5 million they estimate as the cost of mounting the musical on Broadway. Theater critics also pointed to some problems with the musical during this winter’s run, at least some of which Mr. Cromer will undoubtedly address for Broadway."

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 5/10/10 at 1:33pm

I loved Yank! at the York, but I think this is going to make it even better.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 5/10/10 at 1:41pm

I absolutely hated it at the York. If anyone can fix the problems, though, it's Cromer. This production might be decent now.

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 5/10/10 at 1:47pm

Seems like they needed someone else to help address the show's problems. Good for them for trying to make the show the best possible. I don't think it will run on Broadway (can we start the meltdown closing threads now?) but I'll see it and wish them much luck.

[Brick]

Posted: 5/10/10 at 5:08pm

^ Yeah. I wish them the best, but I don't think it will make it either. Cromer certainly looks like a good choice, though, to get it there. Before that announcement, I doubted the $5 million appearing.

[Kad]

Posted: 5/10/10 at 5:25pm

I adored it at the York, and am excited to see what Cromer will do with it. The production as it was Off-Broadway was not suitable for a Broadway at all.

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 5/10/10 at 7:51pm

I didn't see the production Off-Broadway. Can anyone tell me what was wrong with it?

[IfYouCan]

Posted: 5/10/10 at 9:33pm

It was VERY small. There were little to no set pieces in some scenes and relied heavily on four (five? six?) grey panels on wheels along with benches and bunk beds to distinguish between different places.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 5/10/10 at 10:13pm

Can anyone tell me what was wrong with it?

The book was inane. Actually laughable.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/10/10 at 10:49pm

[Bettyboy72]

Posted: 5/10/10 at 11:39pm

You never know they might axe Bobby and try to put Justin Timberlake or Zac Efron in it. I mean, YANK! will be a tough sell on Broadway. No?