It's a tale as old as time: author writes book, book becomes movie, movie becomes stage musical. In the case of A Bronx Tale, it took some liberties. The work was first a 1989 off-Broadway one-man show written and performed by Chazz Palminteri. It later became Robert De Niro’s directorial debut in 1993 for which Palminteri adapted the screenplay and co-starred. Considering its trajectory, it almost makes perfect sense for it to come back to the stage, this time coming to Broadway as a musical.
According to Broadway World, A Bronx Tale: The Musical will open in New York City this December 1st. De Niro will co-direct the production with Jerry Zaks, a four-time Tony winner. Alan Menken is also on board to compose the music, adding this to his long resume of Disney movie tunes such as Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, and Aladdin.
The musical is described as taking audiences “to the stoops of the Bronx in the 1960s, where a young man is caught between the father he loves and the mob boss he’d love to be.” De Niro remarked in a statement that he “always thought it had great potential to be a musical.” Palminteri followed up with his own reaction to the announcement:
It’s a Bronx boy’s dream come true for A Bronx Tale, The Musical to move to Broadway! It’s a great story and a great story can morph into many different forms – a one-man show, a movie and a now, a musical. We get the best of both worlds with De Niro having directed the film and Zaks having directed the one-man show. There are only three things you can do to an audience – make them laugh, make them cry or you can scare them. In A Bronx Tale:,The Musical we do all three.
Casting is expected to be announced soon, while tickets will go on sale from Telecharge beginning June 24.
