All About Musicals

Broadway’s The Pirate Queen sailed away yesterday, Sunday June 17, closing after playing 85 performances and 32 previews. The show began previews March 6, and officially opened on April 5.

The musical, created by musical legends Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg (Les Miserables, Miss Saigon) and producer by Moya Doherty and John McColgan (Riverdance), sadly is at a loss of $16 million that was laid out for the show. However, it bears a promising future with touring performances and overseas productions.

It has seemed only a matter of time for The Pirate Queen, since Mel Brooks announced his intention to premiere his latest, Young Frankenstein, at the Hilton Theatre, where The Pirate Queen has been performing. The show was also snubbed by the Tonys.

The Pirate Queen boasted Stephanie J. Block (formerly Elphaba in several productions of Wicked) in the lead as Grace O’Malley, the Pirate Queen herself.

You can still hear the cast, as the original Broadway cast recording will be released on July 3.

According to the musical’s official website:

This spectacular new musical adventure tells of a compelling, inspiring woman: a heroine who led an extraordinary life as a pirate, chieftain, lover and mother in 16th Century Ireland. Her quest to protect her people - and save her one true love - embarks her on a thrilling voyage that climaxes in a heated confrontation with the one woman more powerful than her… her fierce rival Queen Elizabeth I of England.

Celebrating the real-life story of legendary Irish Chieftain Grace O’Malley, The Pirate Queen combines classic storytelling and a sweeping score with the powerful, vibrant traditions of Irish dance and song, to create a new musical event and an epic romance.

The Pirate Queen features an original score from the world renowned Tony Award®-winning team of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg, direction by Tony Award-winner Frank Galati and a spectacular cast of 40 led by Stephanie J. Block, Hadley Fraser, Linda Balgord, Marcus Chait, Jeff McCarthy and William Youmans.

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