In an interview with AJC.com, the acclaimed singer said, "I鈥檝e always been saying yes [I'll appear on Broadway] 鈥oon. My fans assume it鈥檚 a stock answer. I鈥檝e been so honored to be friendly with the Broadway community for so many years and have had incredible offers. But truly it鈥檚 been about the time constraints, both creatively and contractually, to have the time and the head space to give it everything I鈥檇 want to give it. Truth be told, I have cleared the board and made it apparent that 2016 is the time for me to make that leap. It鈥檚 the first time in my career that I鈥檝e forced the issue and said, 鈥楾his is what I want to do.鈥� If it doesn鈥檛 happen in 2016, then I鈥檓 just a chicken."
Groban has appeared in New York and London concert versions of the pop musical . When asked whether he and lyricist are still considering a revival of the short-lived Broadway musical, Groban said, "We鈥檒l have our cup of tea when I鈥檓 in London. We have a fondness for 鈥楥hess鈥� and it鈥檚 one of those shows that we both feel deserves a kicking shot. The music is so brilliant, it鈥檚 extraordinary. You see shows that come and go over a decade and some are hits and some are not. But sometimes what makes it a hit comes down to, 鈥楧id the public wake up on the right side of the bed at that moment in time?鈥� And 鈥楥hess鈥� needs some fixing for sure, but the music is timeless. It鈥檚 a monster of a show, from a musical standpoint, and a vocal standpoint. But we look at it and it鈥檚 an exciting thing.鈥�
"Stages," which was released in April by Reprise Records, features three duets: Kelly Clarkson is featured on "All I Ask of You" ("she can, quite simply, do anything"); sings on "If I Loved You" ("in my head I heard her on this and to sing it in the room with her was a dream come true"); and trumpeter Chris Botti plays on "Old Devil Moon" ("he plays with such control and expressiveness").
The track listing follows: "Pure Imagination" (from Charlie and The Chocolate Factory)
"What I Did For Love" (from A Chorus Line)
"Bring Him Home" (from Les Mis茅rables)
"Le Temps Des Cath茅drales" (from Notre Dame de Paris)
"All I Ask Of You" (from The Phantom of the Opera) (feat. Kelly Clarkson)
"Try To Remember" (from The Fantasticks)
"Over the Rainbow" (from The Wizard of Oz)
"Children Will Listen"/"Not While I'm Around" (from Sweeney Todd/Into the Woods)
"You'll Never Walk Alone" (from Carousel)
"Old Devil Moon" (from Finian's Rainbow) (feat. Chris Botti)
"Finishing the Hat" (from Sunday in the Park with George)
"If I Loved You" (from Carousel) (feat. Audra McDonald)
"Anthem" (from Chess)
