Another Broadway Opening for Andy Blankenbuehler
In 2008, Andy Blankenbuehler won the Tony for Best Choreography for his work on
In the Heights. In 2012, when his show Bring It On was on Broadway, he appeared on the October cover of Dance Magazine. In 2016, he will inevitably win another Tony for Hamilton, and—as was announced earlier today—he will have another show opening on Broadway, this time as both a director and a choreographer.
Blankenbuehler is one of my favorite choreographers working on Broadway. He makes dance central to every show he works on, yet uses it in unexpected ways. I’m sure his newest project will be no different (and possibly will be even more dance-heavy since he’ll be directing it!). We don’t know much about The Bandstand yet, except that it is set in the 1940s and features swing music. Blankenbuehler talks about how these days, most period pieces are jukebox musicals (meaning the songs are pre-existing and not necessarily tied directly to the story), but he wanted to create a show that uses swing music as an essential part of the plot.
Dates and full casting will be announced later, but so far Blankenbuehler has lined up the talents of Laura Osnes and Corey Cott to lead the cast.
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