Sunday in the Park withdraws from Tonys contention

Producers of the Broadway revival of Sunday in the Park with George have officially announced that they are withdrawing the production from this year's Tony Awards race.

They released this official statement:

The producers of Sunday in the Park with George will not be submitting Hudson Theatre's engagement of this New York City Center production for awards eligibility. With a season so full of tremendous, soon-to-be long-running new musicals and revivals, the producers feel this extremely limited, special run of Sunday stands most appropriately outside of any awards competition. The production is nevertheless proud to be part of such a landmark Broadway season."

The production would have faced stiff competition in the category of "Best Revival of a Musical" from the likes of Cats, Falsettos, Sunset Boulevard, Miss Saigon and Hello, Dolly! The Broadway transfer, which previously ran off-Broadway at the New York City Center, will re-open the Hudson Theatre from February 11 to April 23, 2017, with an official opening on February 23.

Sunday in the Park with George features music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by James Lapine. The musical originally opened on Broadway in 1984 and went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Synopsis: "The musical follows painter Georges Seurat (Jake Gyllenhaal) in the months leading up to the completion of his most famous painting, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. Consumed by his need to 'finish the hat,' Seurat alienates the French bourgeoisie, spurns his fellow artists, and neglects his lover Dot (Annaleigh Ashford), not realizing that his actions will reverberate over the next 100 years."

The cast of Sunday in the Park with George includes Oscar nominee Jake Gyllenhaal (Georges/George), Tony winner Annaleigh Ashford (Dot/Marie), Tony nominee Brooks Ashmanskas (Mr./Charles), Tony nominee Phillip Boykin (Boatman/Lee), Claybourne Elder (Soldier/Alex), Liz McCartney (Mrs./Harriet), Tony winner Ruthie Ann Miles (Frieda/Betty), and Jordan Gelber (Louis/Billy), who are all reprising their respective roles from the New York City Center production. They are joined by new additions to the cast Jenni Barber (Celeste #2/Elaine), Mattea Marie Conforti (Louise), Erin Davie (Yvonne/Naomi), Tony nominee Penny Fuller (Old Lady/Blair), Tony winner Robert Sean Leonard (Jules/Bob), Ashley Park (Celeste #1/Waitress), Jennifer Sanchez (Nurse), and David Turner (Franz/Dennis).

Directed by Sarna Lapine, the creative team behind Sunday in the Park with George features music direction by Chris Fenwick, musical staging by Ann Yee, music coordination by Seymour Red Press, orchestrations by Tony winner Michael Starobin, scenic design by Tony winner Beowulf Boritt, costume design by Tony winner Clint Ramos, lighting design by Tony winner Ken Billington, sound design by Tony nominee Kai Harada, projection design by Tal Yarden (with co-projection design by Christopher Ash), hair and wig design by Cookie Jordan, and make-up design by Joe Dulude II.

Sunday in the Park with George is produced on Broadway by Ambassador Theatre Group, Carole Shorenstein Hays, Caiola Productions, Jeffrey Finn, Jere Harris and Darren Deverna, J/K/R/S, Clair-Bridget Kenwright, LD Entertainment, Benjamin Lowy & Adrian Salpeter, Tulchin Bartner Productions, Jeanine Tesori, Riva Marker, in association with New York City Center, and Adam Speers - Executive Producer for ATG.

The Hudson Theatre played its last Broadway performance on April 20, 1968. It has been undergoing a multi-million dollar project to restore the landmark venue to its former glory as a Broadway playhouse. The restoration has included backstage and technical upgrades and new fly systems, which will transform the Hudson into a leading legitimate Broadway theatre.