UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP THEATRICAL AND FRANK SINATRA ENTERPRISES ANNOUNCE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MUSICAL BASED ON THE LIFE AND CAREER OF FRANK SINATRA

BOOK BY TWO-TIME TONY AWARD WINNER JOE DIPIETRO

DIRECTED AND CHOREOGRAPHED BY OLIVIER AWARD WINNER AND THREE-TIME TONY AWARD WINNER KATHLEEN MARSHALL

NEW YORK, NOV. 30, 2022 — Universal Music Group Theatrical, the musical theatre production arm of Universal Music Group, the world leader in music-based entertainment, in association with Tina Sinatra and Frank Sinatra Enterprises (FSE), today announced SINATRA THE MUSICAL, a new musical based on the life and career of the legendary artist Frank Sinatra.

Currently in development, the script is being written by two-time Tony Award winner Joe DiPietro and will be directed and choreographed by Olivier Award winner and three-time Tony Award winner Kathleen Marshall. Michele Anthony, Bruce Resnikoff and Scott Landis will serve as producers for Universal Music Group Theatrical, with Tina Sinatra and Charles Pignone serving as producers on behalf of Frank Sinatra Enterprises.

Tina Sinatra said, “I’m excited to work with Universal Music Theatrical on this stage production that we believe will bring audiences new perspectives and insights into my father’s renowned music and his enduring legacy.”

Michele Anthony, Executive Vice President of Universal Music Group, said, “Frank Sinatra is one of the greatest icons of the 20th century. We’re thrilled to work with Tina to produce this show that will be a continued evolution of Frank Sinatra’s boundless cultural influence.”

Bruce Resnikoff, President & CEO of Universal Music Enterprises, said, “After working with Tina and FSE for many years on Frank Sinatra’s treasured catalog of music, I’m thrilled to help bring this new production to the stage that will add another dimension to his artistry and music.”

It is New Year’s Eve, 1942, and a skinny 27-year-old Italian-American singer is about to step onto the stage of New York’s Paramount Theatre and give a performance that will change music history. As Frank Sinatra’s career suddenly skyrockets, he struggles with balancing the love of his wife, Nancy, against the demands and temptations of being the most popular singer in America. But when he begins a torrid affair with movie goddess Ava Gardner, his records stop selling and the press turns against him, sending his career into a tailspin. Driven by his devotion to his family, Sinatra employs his peerless artistry and dogged determination to stage the greatest comeback in show business history.

JOE DIPIETRO (Book) has won two Tony Awards, a Drama Desk Award and three Outer Critics Circle Awards. His musicals and plays have received thousands of productions across the country and around the world. His acclaimed new musical, “What’s New Pussycat?” will open on The West End next season. His other shows include Memphis (2010 Tony Award for Best Musical); Diana (which can be seen on Netflix) Nice Work If You Can Get It (10 Tony nominations); The Toxic Avenger (Outer Critics Circle Award – Best off-Broadway Musical); I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (longest-running musical revue in off-Broadway history); as well as the much-produced comedies Clever Little Lies and Over the River and Through the Woods, among others.

KATHLEEN MARSHALL (Director/Choreographer). A nine-time Tony Award nominee, Kathleen Marshall has won the award three times for Best Choreography for the Broadway revivals of Wonderful Town, The Pajama Game andAnything Goes. She has worked on more than twenty Broadway shows and she is the first woman who has directed a play, directed a musical and choreographed a musical on Broadway. Off-Broadway and regional credits include the New York Shakespeare Festival, Second Stage, Transport Group, Williamstown Theatre Festival, The Old Globe, Long Wharf, Paper Mill, Hollywood Bowl, Boston Pops, Signature Theatre and St. Louis MUNY. Kathleen served as the Artistic Director for City Center Encores! for four seasons, during which time Encores! received a special Tony Award for Excellence in Theatre. Her film and television credits include My Week with Marilyn (choreographer), “Once Upon a Mattress”, “The Music Man” (choreographer) and “2 Broke Girls”. She has received three Drama Desk Awards, three Outer Critics Circle Awards, an Olivier Award, an Emmy nomination, the Astaire Award, the George Abbott Award, the Smith College Medal (her alma mater), the Pennsylvania Governor’s Award for the Arts and she has been named a Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania.

FRANK SINATRA ENTERPRISES (FSE) is a joint venture between the Sinatra family and Warner Music Group. FSE owns Frank Sinatra’s recordings from the Reprise era as well as a treasure trove of films, television specials and unreleased footage, photos and audio recordings, which collectively represent one of the foremost bodies of artistic work of the modern era. FSE also owns and manages Frank Sinatra’s name and likeness rights and represents the artist’s rights to Columbia and Capitol catalogues. (www.sinatra.com).

UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP

At Universal Music Group, we exist to shape culture through the power of artistry. UMG is the world leader in music-based entertainment, with a broad array of businesses engaged in recorded music, music publishing, merchandising and audiovisual content. Featuring the most comprehensive catalogue of recordings and songs across every musical genre, UMG identifies and develops artists and produces and distributes the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful music in the world. Committed to artistry, innovation and entrepreneurship, UMG fosters the development of services, platforms, and business models in order to broaden artistic and commercial opportunities for our artists and create new experiences for fans. For more information, visit www.universalmusic.com.

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