NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� The four stars who helped shape the new musical 鈥淪wept Away鈥� 鈥� John Gallagher Jr., Stark Sands, Adrian Blake Enscoe and Wayne Duvall 鈥� will steer the nautical tale to the commercial waves of .
The tale about four men stranded in the Atlantic Ocean after a 19th-century shipwreck features songs from The Avett Brothers 鈥� especially their 2004 album 鈥淢ignonette鈥� 鈥� and drops anchor at the Longacre Theatre in October.
鈥淭his musical, much like our relationship, revolves around the theme of brotherhood. Being able to watch John, Stark, Adrian and Wayne team up in the development of 鈥楽wept Away鈥� over these years has been the precise definition of brotherhood," The Avett Brothers said in a statement.
The show has a story by John Logan, the Tony Award-winning playwright of 2009鈥檚 鈥淩ed鈥� and screenwriter behind 鈥淕ladiator,鈥� 鈥淭he Aviator鈥� and 鈥淪kyfall.鈥� It premiered at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in early 2022 and then went to Arena Stage in Washington, D.C.
The Washington Post said the show "aligns with such boundary-pushing musicals as 鈥楴ext to Normal鈥� and 鈥楧ear Evan Hansen,鈥欌�� while MD Theatre Guide said: 鈥淲ith themes of sacrifice, absolution, and confession, 鈥楽wept Away鈥� unfolds like Christian parable, albeit one better aligned with Easter than Christmas.鈥�
Tony-winner Michael Mayer will direct the show and reunite on Broadway with Gallagher, who won a Tony in the original 2006 production of his 鈥淪pring Awakening." Mayer also directed both Gallagher and Sands in 鈥淎merican Idiot."
"Making this new show with my frequent collaborators John Gallagher Jr. and Stark Sands as well as the rest of this marvelous company continues to be deeply gratifying. I can鈥檛 wait to share the work with Broadway audiences this fall,鈥� Mayer told The Associated Press.
Sands is a two-time Tony nominee for his performances in 鈥淜inky Boots鈥� and 鈥淛ourney鈥檚 End,鈥� Duvall was last on Broadway in 鈥�1984鈥� and Enscoe starred opposite Hailee Steinfeld and Jane Krakowski, in Apple TV鈥檚 鈥淒ickinson.鈥�
Broadway musicals set at sea are not uncommon, such as 鈥淭itanic鈥� and 鈥淒ames at Sea.鈥� But some have fared less well, like 鈥淭he Pirate Queen鈥� and
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Mark Kennedy is at
Mark Kennedy, The Associated Press
