Producer Tommy Mottola and director Des McAnuff will bring "Johnny & June" musical to Broadway

[David10086]

Posted: 5/7/22 at 12:24pm

Tommy Mottola and Tony winning director Des McAnuff have announced they are teaming up once again to bring their juke-box musical 'Johnny & June' to the Broadway stage. The two of them have previously worked on 'A Bronx Tale: The Musical', 'Summer: The Donna Summer Musical', and the current 'Girl from the North Country', with music from Bob Dylan's songbook. McAnuff also worked on the long-running 'Jersey Boys'. 

 

The musical is based on the life story of legendary country singer Johnny Cash and his wife, June Carter Cash. The musical has been in the works since late 2019, and workshopped with Dodgers Theatricals, a co-producer on the project. No actors have been announced. 

 

https://pagesix.com/2022/04/28/tommy-mottola-bringing-johnny-cash-musical-to-broadway/

 

 

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/7/22 at 12:53pm

oh.

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 5/7/22 at 1:02pm

I just wish it wasn't Des McAnuff attached... his work on SUMMER and AIN'T TOO PROUD were poor rehashings of his work on JERSEY BOYS. He's such a one trick pony director.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/7/22 at 1:57pm

What "work" did the one trick pony do on Girl from the North Country? Thankfully, he did not direct it, and his name appears in no credit. 

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/7/22 at 2:03pm

So no Tommy revival then?

[darquegk]

Posted: 5/7/22 at 3:02pm

At least it's certain to be a vast improvement on the slightly bizarre Johnny Cash revue "Ring of Fire," in which the entire cast perform in first person as aspects of Johnny's own memory, speaking his experiences as if they were their own.

The Pittsburgh CLO production revised the script so it became a group of singers and musicians just swapping stories about the life of Cash, and it worked MUCH better.

[David10086]

Posted: 5/7/22 at 10:52pm

HogansHero said: "What "work" did the one trick pony do on Girl from the North Country? Thankfully, he did not direct it, and his name appears in no credit."

According to BWW, which is now carrying the story, he does have director credit for the musical. 

[HogansHero]

Posted: 5/7/22 at 11:00pm

David10086 said: "HogansHero said: "What "work" did the one trick pony do on Girl from the North Country? Thankfully, he did not direct it, and his name appears in no credit."

According to BWW, which is now carrying the story, he does have director credit for the musical."

To the contrary, BWW corrected its mistake (based on relying on Page Six), and excised that error. (Besides, BWW cannot overcome the playbill and the League's records, which (as I said) make no mention of him in the credits for Girl. Here, FYI, is what now appears in the BWW piece: "On Broadway, he has helmed Jesus Christ Superstar, Guys and Dolls, Aaron Sorkin's The Farnsworth Invention, Jersey Boys (Tony and Olivier Awards for Best Musical), Billy Crystal's 700 Sundays (Tony Award for Best Special Theatrical Event), The Who's Tommy (Tony and Olivier Awards for Best Director), Big River (Tony Awards for Best Director, Best Musical). Most recently, he has directed Ain't Too Proud, and Summer: The Donna Summer Musical. McAnuff and Mottola have collaborated frequently in the past."

[DrMonicaDeMoneco]

Posted: 5/8/22 at 11:09am

I’m excited for this show! I’m not excited about Des directing it and agree with many of the other comments. There’s many talented directors out there that wouldn’t make this show look like every other Des directed production. 

[David10086]

Posted: 5/8/22 at 8:53pm

DrMonicaDeMoneco said: "I’m excited for this show! I’m not excited about Des directing it and agree with many of the other comments. There’s many talented directors out there that wouldn’t make this show look like every other Des directed production."

As a huge Donna Summer fan, I don't think I can bring myself to see another Mottola / McAnuff production after sitting through that trainwreck in 2018. She deserved so much better than what they gave her. I'm not a Johnny Cash fan, but I appreciate his legacy - and can't imagine what they will do to his life story on stage.

[DrMonicaDeMoneco]

Posted: 5/8/22 at 9:27pm

David10086 said: "DrMonicaDeMoneco said: "I’m excited for this show! I’m not excited about Des directing it and agree with many of the other comments. There’s many talented directors out there that wouldn’t make this show look like every other Des directed production."

As a huge Donna Summer fan, I don't think I can bring myself to see another Mottola / McAnuff production after sitting through that trainwreck in 2018. She deserved so much better than what they gave her. I'm not a Johnny Cash fan, but I appreciate his legacy - and can't imagine what they will do to his life story on stage."

I can’t imagine either. I’m scared!

[RippedMan]

Posted: 5/8/22 at 9:44pm

Honestly his style doesn't seem to lend itself to Johnny Cash. He tends to stage very slick shows.