Initial casting and creative team have been announced for The Last Ship - the new musical with music and lyrics by 16-time Grammy winner Sting and book by Tony winner John Logan and Puliter Prize winner Brian Yorkey - which will begin previews Sept. 30 at Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre. Directed by Tony winner Joe Mantello with choreography by Olivier Award winner and Tony nominee Steven Hoggett, the production will officially open Oct. 26. Principal roles will be played by Michael Esper, Rachel Tucker, Jimmy Nail, Aaron Lazar, Sally Ann Triplett, Collin Kelly-Sordelet and Fred Applegate. Additional casting for the ensemble will be announced at a later date...

Singer-songwriter Sting's new musical "The Last Ship" has found a nice berth on Broadway. Producer Jeffrey Seller said Wednesday that the show - inspired by Sting's memories of growing up in a shipbuilding community in northeast England - will start performances Sept. 30 at the Neil Simon Theatre. Opening night will be Oct. 26. "The words are there. The music is there. It's time to get into the room and make the play," said Seller, who has won Tony Awards for "Rent," ''Avenue Q" and "In the Heights." ''We look forward to getting to work." The story centers on a man from a seafaring town who travels the world for 14 years only to return to find the shipyard's future in grave danger and his sweetheart engaged to someone else. Sting, who was raised in northeast England, has been working on it for four years...