"The Last Ship" is sailing to Scandinavia.
The show, with music and lyrics by Sting, will be produced in Norway, Sweden and Finland over the next two years, according to a spokesman. Sting is in talks about possible productions in his native United Kingdom, as well as in Germany and Eastern Europe, the spokesman said.
The musical had a brief, and financially unsuccessful, run on Broadway last season, but Sting has been a relentless champion of the show. He joined the cast for a time to help bolster ticket sales, and since its closing he has been promoting the music and seeking new productions.
"Working on 'The Last Ship' has been pure joy for me, and of course it is in the nature of ships that they move around the world, so I'm looking forward to our proud ship finding many a new berth sailing in international waters," Sting, who wrote the show in part to reflect the struggles of the British shipbuilding community he grew up in, said in an email statement.
Rick Miramontez, a spokesman for Sting, said "The Last Ship" would play in Oslo in 2016 and in Stockholm and Helsinki in 2017, with the productions presided over by the performing rights agency Nordiska. He said that in each country the musical would be performed in the local language.
The show opened on Broadway last October and closed in January. It grossed $11,156,284 in 29 previews and 105 post-opening performances. It has been nominated for two Tony Awards, for score and orchestrations.
(c) New York Times by Michael Paulson