Based on the 1958 novel by Russian author Boris Pasternak, Doctor Zhivago began previews March 27 and opened to cool reviews from critics April 21. .
The show received no Tony nominations; its star Tam Mutu was nominated for a Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance, and Paul Nolan received an Outer Critics Circle nod for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical. On average, the production was playing to a house that was 75 percent filled with an average ticket price of $59.48鈥攏ot enough to cover its weekly operating costs.
"We are all incredibly proud of this emotional and important work our amazing creative team has put together. There has been extraordinary dedication and inspiring work from the cast and entire Doctor Zhivago team, both onstage and off," producer Anita Waxman said in a statement. "We look forward to this soaring and beautiful new musical having a long future with productions playing not only North America, but also around the world."
At the time of closing, Zhivago will have played 26 previews and 23 regular performances.
The musical premiered at the in May 2006 and was later revised for an Australian production produced by John Frost in 2010. Tony Award winner , who helmed the American and Australian productions, again directed for Broadway.
The stage production of Doctor Zhivago features the work of bookwriter (, Loose Ends), composer () and lyricists () and (Lizzie Borden).
Mutu, the West End leading man known for his roles in Les Mis茅rables, Love Never Dies and the production of City of Angels, makes his Broadway debut as Yurii Zhivago in a cast that also features Barrett (, ) as Lara Guishar, Tony Award nominee Hewitt (Rocky Horror Show, Dracula) as Viktor Komarovsky, Nolan (Once, Jesus Christ Superstar) as Pasha Antipov and as Liberius.
The cast also features as Tonia Gromeko, as well as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Jacob L. Smith and .
(Rocky, Rock of Ages) choreographs the production.
Doctor Zhivago has scenic design by Michael Scott-Mitchell, costume design by , lighting design by , sound design by Steve Canyon Kennedy, projection design by Sean Nieuwenhuis, with music arrangements by and musical supervision by . Orchestrations are by .
Anita Waxman, Tom Dokton, Latitude Link, Ted Hartley/RKO Stage and Chunsoo Shin, with Margo and Roger Coleman, Joe Corcoran, J. Todd Harris, Stage Entertainment USA, Inc., Broadway Across America, Grove Entertainment, , The Pelican Group, Ahmos Hassan and John Frost produced the Broadway run. Junkyard Dog Productions is the executive producer.
According to producers, "Dr. Zhivago is an epic romance set during the final days of Czarist Russia, the First World War and the chaos of the Russian revolution. Raised as an aristocrat, Zhivago is a political idealist, physician and poet whose life is tossed by the tides of history as he is torn between a life with his devoted wife, Tonia Gromeko and the passionate and mysterious Lara Guishar. Zhivago is not alone in his yearnings for Lara, competing for her affections with the young revolutionary Pasha Antipov, and the aristocrat Viktor Komarovsky. Dr. Zhivago celebrates the strength of love and art, in the face of political oppression, war and revolution."
Tickets are on sale via , or by phoning (212) 239-6200. Visit .
