Young Frankenstein and 13 To Close January

Yet another of the big musicals has posted its Broadway closing notice: Young Frankenstein will shutter on January 4, 2009. Like the soon-to-be-closing Hairspray and Spamalot, Young Frankenstein is one of those shows popular with tourists looking for a big, splashy Broadway musical. But unlike Wicked and Jersey Boys, these shows have long had middling ticket sales, meaning that the current economic woes are just too much for them to survive on Broadway. The much newer musical, 13, is also ending its run on January 4. With the cold, quiet winter months ahead, many Broadway producers have decided to pack it in right after the popular Christmas holiday, knowing that ticket sales will dip considerably in the New Year.

13 Opens On Broadway Today

The new musical 13, about teenagers and starring teenagers, opened this afternoon on Broadway at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. The bright, fun musical is about Evan, a New York City boy who tries to win over the popular kids when he's forced to move with his mom to Indiana. 13's book is by Dan Elish and Robert Horn, with music and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown (whose Broadway credits include Parade and Urban Cowboy).

All-Teen Dress Rehearsal For Broadway's 13

The new Broadway musical 13 is holding a free teens-only dress rehearsal for the show on Saturday, September 13 at 8pm at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. Teenagers aged 13-18 are invited to sign up at www.13fans.com to get a free ticket (if your request is granted, you'll get a confirmation e-mail by September 10). First come first served, one ticket per teen, and IDs will be checked at the door of the theater. Parents and guardians aren't permitted to attend this all-teen performance of 13, but nearby Planet Hollywood will be offering discounts and priority seating for adults that would like to wait there while the kids enjoy the show (details will be offered at the theater on the night of the dress rehearsal).

New Teen Musical Starts Broadway Previews 9/16

Move over High School Musical, there is a new teen musical on the scene, and it's coming to Broadway! Jason Robert Brown, Dan Elish, and Robert Horn's 13, which is currently in the midst of an engagement at the Goodspeed in Connecticut, is now planning to begin performances on Broadway at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre (current home of the Broadway revival of The Country Girl) on September 16. Teenagers are the stars of the junior high school-based fish-out-of-water story in 13, which also has a band made up of teens. The Broadway-bound musical is directed by Jeremy Sams, with choreography by Christopher Gattelli and music direction by Tom Kitt. Jason Robert Brown, who has penned the score, made his Broadway songwriting debut with Parade in 1998, and more recently appeared on the Broadway stage as the bandleader in Urban Cowboy.