The Heart of Robin Hood, the new play that was set to hit Broadway in the spring, has postponed its opening after unexpected successful ticket sales in Toronto, where the show opened last week.
David Mirvish, producer for the show, released a statement:
"In light of the great reception we are getting from audiences and the media in Toronto, we have decided not to rush in to New York this season. The Nederlander Organization had kindly offered us an interim booking at the Marquis Theatre this summer and we now feel that The Heart of Robin Hood would be better served by a venue where we had the potential to play longer than our limited run. We are delighted to be able to add more weeks of performances for our audiences here in Toronto.”
The show, which focuses on a re-imagining of popular hero Robin Hood, was set to open on March 11, just in time for the Tony Award eligibility deadline on March 29. It was to continue its run through the end of August. The show began in Winnipeg with sold out performances and then continued on to Toronto, opening on Jan. 14.
The Heart of Robin Hood was first staged at the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2011 and at American Repertory Theatre (A.R.T.) in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 2013 by acclaimed director Gísli Örn Gardarsson, who has been cheered by critics and audiences. The show, which includes acrobatics and aerial work, focuses on what happens if Robin Hood steals from the rich with no intent on giving back to the poor.
The play was written by David Farr and features original music by the Connecticut-based band, Parsonsfield. It stars Tony Award winner Gabriel Ebert (Matilda the Musical) and Tony nominee Euan Morton (Taboo). Farr and Gardarsson previously collaborated on the acclaimed staging of Kafka's Metamorphosis at BAM in 2010 and at the Royal Alexandra Theatre February 2014.
Tickets for the additional four week run in Toronto will go on sale on Jan. 26.
