Be More Chill will begin its Broadway run at the Lyceum Theater this February.
A year ago, we wrote about the unprecedented success book-based fandom-driven shows were seeing in the world of theatre: open-ended off-Broadway runs, chart-topping cast albums, and surprise resurrections for the world of licensing. All of those things are still true, as shows like Puffs and The Lightning Thief mount productions and tours in far-flung places.
But until now, the only success story that has actually made it on Broadway has been “the eighth story” of Harry Potter – which, to be honest, kind of feels like cheating. In 2019, that changes, because Be More Chill will actually open on Broadway on March 10 (after starting previews February 13).
Be More Chill is a musical adaptation of a YA novel by Ned Vizzini, about a boy who takes a pill to become popular. The show’s book is written by Joe Tracz (The Lightning Thief Musical, Netflix’s Series of Unfortunate Events), with music by Joe Iconis (Smash), and it’s directed by Stephen Brackett (The Lightning Thief Musical, Buyer & Cellar).
The show has been playing off-Broadway this summer, and tickets have been completely impossible to obtain. When the run was extended by a week, that extension sold out in a hot minute. This writer has not managed to see it, nor does he know anyone who has – fingers crossed for the Broadway run!
Be More Chill’s new home, the Lyceum Theater, has 922 seats – over triple the number of its current residence at the Signature Theater – so lots more fans will have a chance to see it when it opens on Broadway. A few tickets at the back of the balcony will be priced at $49, with prices going up to $165 for seats in the orchestra.
There has been no announcement yet about who in the cast will transfer to the Broadway production, but we’d bet on George Salazar (of “Michael in the Bathroom” fame) staying with the show.
And in a Broadway season as dull as this one (any more ‘80s singers we can make jukebox musicals out of? Surely there’s one or two we haven’t done yet?), it’s not out of the question that Be More Chill could see some Tony Award nominations coming its way – at the very least, we think Joe Iconis’s incredible score should be honored.
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