Yes you read that headline correctly. It was announced today that a new musical comedy about Billy McFarland and the infamous Fyre Festival is currently in development featuring a book by Bryan Buckley, music by Paul Epworth, and scenic design by David Korins. Buckley is also set to direct. 

The new musical has an all-star producing team behind it including Academy Award winner Taika Waititi, Rita Ora, Matthew Weaver, and Hungry Man Productions. 

“I never saw myself doing a theatrical musical comedy,” said director and bookwriter Bryan Buckley. “But then again, I never saw something completely mind-bendingly ridiculous and intriguing as what went down with Fyre-festival.  A spectacular failed endeavor—that will haunt a generation forever. I cannot wait to get this show out to the world. And yeah man, this time there will actually be music or your money back.”

“Working in the theater is always fun,” said Taika Waititi. “I mean I haven't done it for 15 years because it was no longer fun, but I've been told it will be fun this time. And I believe them. When Bryan Buckley told me he wanted to make a musical about the Fyre Festival, I said "Who the hell is Bryan Buckley?" I then remembered we've been friends and work mates for 15 years so it was kinda hard to say no. Honestly, I think the idea is exciting, weird, and potentially disastrous, which seems apt and is how I like to work. I can't wait to get started and snatch me some of that sweet American theatre money.”

It’s not just a Greek-sized tragedy of one man’s con. It’s a satirical indictment of an entire generation. Fyre Fest the Musical. It’s about as wrong as a bad idea can go. 

In celebration of FYRE FEST THE MUSICAL’s announcement, Hungry Man Productions will release a 100 foot barge from Staten Island into New York Harbor, anchoring in Brooklyn for a historic launch event. Additional guerilla art installations will take place in New York City throughout the week.

Nick Blaemire's apocalyptic chamber musical Soon will premiere Off-Broadway this October at the East Village Basement, an intimate venue located at 321 East 9th Street in Manhattan. It will be the first musical produced in the downtown space, in a two-week limited run from October 29th to November 9th.

With Will Blum set to direct, the cast includes Ava Delaney in her New York debut as Charlie, Nicholas Podany (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) as Jonah, Mike Millan (Huzzah!, Buyer and Cellar) as Steven and Mylinda Hull (Gypsy, The Connector) as Adrienne. Music Direction and Orchestrations are by Wiley DeWeese (Girl from the North Country, Lightning Thief). 

Soon follows twentysomething Charlie, who has taken to the couch to face the end of the world. As her loved ones encourage her to get out and make the most of the little time left, Charlie chooses to watch TV and eat peanut butter. But she can only avoid the apocalypse for so long, before she's forced to look at her own role in her self-imposed solitude...

"I love big stories in small containers, and Soon is a prime example of that," said Nick Blaemire, who wrote the book, music and lyrics. "A musical about an East Village apartment that takes place in a real East Village apartment is the kind of unique theatergoing experience I crave as an audience member, so to have found the perfect space to pull it off is a miracle. And to tell a story that speaks to the times we're living through in an indirect but hopefully humorous and resonant way makes this opportunity all the more exciting."

The creative team will include lighting and scenic design by Chris Bowser (Ghost Quartet, Three Houses), costume design by Gina Ruiz (F*ck 7th Grade), props design by Oona F.I.B, associate music director and copyist Dylan Kaufman and production stage manager Sarah L. Adams. Key art is by Mark McGillivray (Anora). 

Soon is produced by Tricia Small. 

For tickets, visit SoonMusical.com. 

You only have two more weeks to hear the music play down at the August Wilson. Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club will end its Broadway run on Sunday, September 21. At the time of closing, the musical revival will have played 18 preview perofrmances and 592 regular performances.

Billy Porter will also withdraw from the production due to a serious case of sepsis, his doctors noting that he will make a full recovery.

Marty Lauter (Theatrely 31 alum) and David Merino will share the role of the Emcee for the final performances, stay tuned to the show's social media pages for their schedules.

“It is with a heavy heart that we have made the painful decision to end our Broadway run on September 21. On behalf of all the producers, we’re so honored to have been able to bring this version of John Kander, Fred Ebb, and Joe Masteroff’s important masterpiece, Cabaret, to New York and to have opened the doors to our own Kit Kat Club for the year and a half we have been here. Billy was an extraordinary ‘Emcee’ bringing his signature passion and remarkable talent. We wish Billy a speedy recovery and I look forward to working with him again in the very near future. I personally invite audiences to return to the Kit Kat Club one last time to see the incandescent Marisha Wallace as ‘Sally Bowles,’ alongside the remarkably talented Marty and David, two actors who have been giving soul-stirring performances as ‘Emcee’ since we first opened last April," said producer Adam Speers.

Wallace, Lauter, and Merino are joined Calvin Leon Smith as ‘Clifford Bradshaw,’ 2024 Tony Award nominee Steven Skybell as ‘Herr Schultz;’ Ellen Harvey as ‘Fraulein Schneider,’ Henry Gottfried as ‘Ernst Ludwig,’ and Michelle Aravena as ‘Fritzie/Kost.’

The second year company of Cabaret also features Gabi Campo as ‘Frenchie,’ Jada Simone Clark as ‘Helga,’ Colin Cunliffe as ‘Hans,’ Julian Ramos as ‘Bobby,’ MiMi Scardulla as ‘Texas,’ Paige Smallwood as ‘Rosie,’ and Price Waldman as ‘Herman/Max.’ Swings for the production are Maya Bowles, Pedro Garza, Christian Kidd, Corinne Munsch, Chloé Nadon-Enriquez, and Karl Skyler Urban.

The Prologue Company, the dancers and musicians that welcome audiences to the club, feature dancers Sun Kim, Deja McNair-Kyles, and swing Ida Saki. The musicians of the Prologue are Brian Russell Carey (piano & bass), Francesca Dawis (violin), Keiji Ishiguri (dedicated substitute), Déa Thatcher (accordion), and Michael Winograd (clarinet).