Universal in your home for Broadway

Having its brewing musical version of "Animal House," Universal Pictures Stage Prods. has teamed with several legiters that are becoming frequent collaborators while using Hollywood studio's legit arm. Also round the creating team are prolific Rialto producers Jeffrey Richards and Jerry Frankel ("Hair," "August: Osage County") additionally to James L. Nederlander, prexy of Broadway landlord and creating/showing company Nederlander Org. Universal was among the producers of Richards and Frankel project "The Merchant of Venice" together with the present "Gore Vidal's The Most Effective Guy" and "Porgy and Bess" -- while using latter now playing inside the Richard Rodgers, a Nederlander house. Another Universal title, "Wicked," remains packing the Nederlander's Gershwin Theater for close to 10 years. Such bicoastal cooperating -- plus a roster of characteristics that have hit happens like the tuner version of "Go On," something special tour which Universal also produces -- has aided increase the risk for movie studio an ordinary presence round the Rialto. Recent activities offer incorporated "Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson" (another Richards-Frankel production), "Cry-Baby" as well as the Tony-sweeping "Billy Elliot." Creating for your stage is certainly an iffy business, but U professionals know from first-hands experience the hit frequently means large money. "Wicked," a normal top grosser on Broadway, grew to become one in the studio's best characteristics before a movie has been manufactured in the "Wizard of Oz" prequel tale. Happens version of Universal's 1978 screen comedy "Animal House" features a creative team including Canuck band Barenaked In addition to book author Michael Mitnick, whose play "Sex Lives within our Parents" received a Gotham run incorporated in Off Broadway's Second Stage Uptown series this season. Casey Nicholaw ("It of Mormon") will helm and choreograph. Production timeline for "Animal House: The Musical" has not been set. Richards mentioned the creatives began focus on this program a couple of several days ago and hopes by having an initial reading through through in the show later this year. Contact Gordon Cox at gordon.cox@variety.com