New Fierstein-Bucchino Musical A Catered Affair, Directed by Doyle, is Broadway Bound

A Catered Affair, a new musical with a book by Harvey Fierstein and a score by John Bucchino, will open on Broadway in Spring 2008 after a run at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego that will begin this September. The show will be directed by John Doyle, and Fierstein will also be featured in the cast. Additional production personnel will be announced shortly.

Based on the film of the same title, which was written by Gore Vidal, and the original teleplay by Paddy Chayefsky, A Catered Affair is set in the Bronx in 1953. It tells the story of a couple who must decide whether to spend their life savings on the family business or to launch their only daughter’s marriage with a lavish catered affair.

Fierstein is the author of Torch Song Trilogy, for which he received Tony Awards for Best Play and Best Actor. He also won a Tony for his book of the musical La Cage Aux Folles; his other plays include Safe Sex, Spookhouse, and Forget Him. Fierstein’s most recent Broadway credits include the role of Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof and the role of Edna Turnblad in Hairspray, for which he won his fourth Tony Award. He has also appeared frequently in films and on television.

Bucchino will make his Broadway debut with A Catered Affair. He has written scores for the musicals Urban Myths and Lavender Girl, and several of his songs (“Grateful,” “It Feels Like Home,” “Sweet Dreams,” etc.) have become contemporary pop staples. It’s Only Life, a revue of his songs directed by Daisy Prince, premiered at New York’s Summer Play Festival and was presented in a concert version at Lincoln Center. Bucchino’s songs have been recorded and performed by such notables as Judy Collins, Barbara Cook, Michael Feinstein, Art Garfunkel, Patti LuPone, Yo-Yo Ma, Audra McDonald, Liza Minnelli, and Deborah Voigt.

Doyle won a Tony Award for his direction of Sweeney Todd, as well as an Outer Critics’ Circle Award and a Drama Desk Award. He is currently represented on Broadway by Company. Doyle has been artistic director of four regional theaters in the U.K., where he has directed some 200 productions. His work with actor-musicians includes productions of Candide (U.K. tour), Carmen (Royal Opera House), Into the Woods (York Theatre Royal), and Fiddler On the Roof (Watermill Theatre, Newbury). He also has numerous West End credits. He recently directed Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny for Los Angeles Opera, and he has been signed to direct Lucia di Lammermoor for Scottish Opera and Peter Grimes for the Metropolitan Opera.