Chinglish headed for Broadway

Jennifer Lim in Chinglish at the Goodman Theatre

Photo: Eric Y. Exit

David Henry Hwang's sparkling, sharp-witted new comedy Chinglish, which officially opened last night at the Goodman Theatre, will bow on Broadway this fall. The play's New York debut was previously slated as part of the Public Theater's 2011–2012 season, but producers Jerry Frankel and Jeffrey Richards will instead take it to a Shubert house to be announced. Chinglish will be Hwang's first new straight play on Broadway since 1998's Golden Child. (He's been represented in the interim by his work on the musicals Aida, Flower Drum Song and Tarzan.)

Director Leigh Silverman and designers David Korins (set), Anita Yavich (costumes) and Brian MacDevitt (lighting) will all remain on board from the Goodman production; read my four-star review here. Casting for the Broadway production remains TBA. Also check out John Beer's conversation with Hwang from last week's issue. Chinglish is currently scheduled to run through July 24th at the Goodman, though with some performances already selling out, an extension is a strong possibility.