Concord Theatricals has acquired worldwide stage licensing rights to Broadway's Some Like It Hot. The musical, a 2023 Best Musical Tony Award nominee, features songs by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman and a book by Matthew López and Amber Ruffin.
The acquisition splits the Shaiman-Wittman catalogue; their earlier musicals Hairspray, Catch Me If You Can, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory are all handled by Music Theatre International. Concord served as a co-producer of Some Like It Hot's Broadway run and also released its Grammy-winning Broadway cast album via the Concord Theatricals Recordings label. Concord is also notably the licensing home of Sugar, the 1972 Broadway musical that shares source material with Some Like It Hot.
"We are absolutely thrilled that Some Like It Hot has joined forces with Concord Theatricals," say Shaiman and Wittman in a statement. “We believe the joy and the discovery that come to the characters in our musical should and will be shared by people all over the world performing and experiencing our show, and Sean [Patrick Flahaven, Concord’s chief theatricals executive] and the good folks at Concord will make sure that is a reality. However you like it: hot, cold, or everything that lies between, it’s to be celebrated, and we can’t wait to start the party!"
With a national tour set to launch in the fall, the title is currently restricted. Those interested in mounting productions can sign up to receive an alert when the show becomes available at ConcordTheatricals.com.
Inspired by the French film Fanfare of Love, Some Like It Hot is based on the 1959 film of the same name, written and directed by Billy Wilder. The story follows two Prohibition-era jazz musicians in Chicago (played on screen by Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon), who witness a mob hit and go into hiding by disguising themselves as members of an all-female band. Through their escape plot, the two become enamored with the band's singer and ukulele player, Sugar, played on screen by Marilyn Monroe. The film's earlier Broadway adaptation featured a score by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill and a book by Peter Stone.
Some Like It Hot opened on Broadway December 11, 2022, going on to earn 13 2023 Tony nominations, winning for its orchestrations (Charlie Rosen and Bryan Carter), choreography (Casey Nicholaw), and costume design (Gregg Barnes). The production also earned a historic win as J. Harrison Ghee, winning Best Actor in a Musical, became (alongside fellow 2023 Tony winner Alex Newell) the first non-binary performer to win a Tony Award in an acting category.
Christian Borle and J. Harrison Ghee in Some Like It Hot
Adrianna Hicks in Some Like It Hot
Kevin Del Aguila and cast of Some Like It Hot
NaTasha Yvette Williams and cast of Some Like It Hot
