Broadway Legend Joined: 7/20/13
Rank the likelihood of the 2024 Best Musical Tony Award nominees of transferring to the West End. 1 is most likely and 5 being the least likely
1. Hell's Kitchen
2. The Outsiders
3. Water for Elephants
4.Illinoise
5. Suffs
Sure, I'll play.
1. The Outsiders
2. Illinoise
3. Water For Elephants
4. Hell's Kitchen
5. Suffs
Swing Joined: 6/29/24
1. The Outsiders
2. Suffs
3. Illinoise
4. Hell’s Kitchen
5. Water for Elephants
Though I could see The Notebook & a revised Lempicka transferring above many of these.
A London transfer of Lempicka is seemingly in the works, but who knows if it’ll come to fruition.
Among this year’s best musical nominees, I’ll say Hell’s Kitchen is most likely, followed by The Outsiders, Suffs, Illinoise, and Water for Elephants.
There’s already a musical about the UK women’s suffrage movement called “Sylvia” that recently played the Old Vic and I believe is looking to come back.
ILLINOISE feels like kind of a no brainer for London. Whether it's done commercially, or at a nonprofit like the National or a ballet theatre.
Some of these shows might have London rights spoken for already. Sometimes people invest in or co-produce Broadway shows in exchange for getting the UK or international rights to said show. (Those plans actually coming to fruition is a different matter)
Jordan Catalano said: "There’s already a musical about the UK women’s suffrage movement called “Sylvia” that recently played the Old Vic and I believe islooking to come back."
I liked Sylvia. I think if they do more work on the book and some of the music it has the possibility of becoming something very special.
2023 it was up for Best Musical at the Olivier awards and Beverley Knight won for Best supporting actress in a musical.
Here is a clip from the Olivier Awards.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LwOcXWVysc&t=53s
Why is Illinoise a no brainer for London? I think the great Gatsby is a no brainer to cross the pond and water for elephants as well.
EDSOSLO858 said: "A London transfer ofLempickais seeminglyin the works, but who knows if it’ll come to fruition."
If they were to let someone do to Lempicka what Michael Fentiman did to Amelie I could see it being a success over in the UK.
I don't know if SUFFS would be received the same way in London as it did here. That said, Hamilton continues to play there and that's a VERY AMERICAN musical. As Jordan mentioned, they are more likely to get the UK version, Sylvia.
For the musicals that did not get nominated for Best Musical, How to Dance in Ohio is scheduled to premiere somewhere in the UK next year. Days of Wine & Roses could, but it's not likely. With the Notebook having a growing fanbase, I think that could have a chance in London. I'm still on the fence about seeing that one. Might throw in the towel and see it the weekend before I move to London.
I'm actually surprised more shows don't cross over between the two.
Understudy Joined: 6/2/24
Wasn’t nominated but The Heart of Rock and Roll has already announced plans to go to London.
Broadway Star Joined: 1/21/20
stagepotato said: "Wasn’t nominated but The Heart of Rock and Roll has already announced plans to goto London.
How to Dance in Ohio has also announced a UK production, but iirc they did not mention London specifically.
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/12/14
I don't know how popular the Great Gatsby title is over there, but fwiw it does seem like the kind of show UK audiences would enjoy. Depending on what Lempicka does with the material if they revamp it, I could see that doing well too.
1) Hell's Kitchen
2) The Outsiders
3) Illinioise (but to Sadler's Wells)
4) Water for Elephants (I doubt we see a replica production)
5) Suffs (too similar in themes to "Sylvia")
I actually think more likely than any of these, is a transfer of The Notebook.
Broadway Star Joined: 7/7/07
The Notebook is most likely; producers here like to take a gamble on slushy adaptations of romantic movies, and normally lose money on them (witness everything Colin Ingram has ever produced, for example).
Gatsby is well known but not central to the British imagination (and it wouldn't be cheap, either, and would most likely flop); Outsiders occupies almost zero place in British nostalgia to drum up marketing beyond being the next "show with hot boys in", although if the reviews were good it might pick up; the British suffragette movement is indelibly marked on our consciousness through the Pankhursts which kind-of kills Suffs.
Hell's Kitchen is most likely out of the nominees - we seem to like a jukebox musical or three, and there's, like, two Alicia Keys songs that everyone knows to sell it on.
Our market is basically jukebox musicals of various shapes and sizes, established imported hits, and small, almost DIY-esque comedy musicals. Not many things this season fit those descriptions.
I'd be more excited to see Stereophonic transfer than any of the big trad musicals; when Days of Wine and Roses ends up doing a limited run at the Menier (inevitably starring Jenna Russell) or one of those "under a railway bridge" venues like Southwark I'll go and see that.
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