Hugh Hits The Road
Pat Cerasaro
Actors with an affinity for the theatrical milieu are relatively scarce in Hollywood, but a triple-threat stage animal such as Hugh Jackman is so much more than a mere wolverine. Having proven his considerable chops in Australia with the premiere productions of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and SUNSET BOULEVARD in the late-1990s, Jackman first made his mark on the West End with the acclaimed Royal National Theatre revival of Rodgers & Hammerstein's OKLAHOMA! Yet, he would become a global megastar via the X-MEN franchise before he would step foot on the Great White Way with his Tony Award-winning turn in the Peter Allen biomusical THE BOY FROM OZ.
Jackman has continued to hone his showstopping skills both onstage and onscreen ever since. Appearing on Broadway opposite Daniel Craig in A STEADY RAIN in 2009, Jackman most recently returned to the theatre with his one-man show BROADWAY TO OZ, which made many stops throughout Australia in 2015. Of course, audiences around the world have cheered his sensational starring performance in the film adaptation of iconic mega-musical LES MISERABLES as well as last year's surprise smash hit original tuner THE GREATEST SHOWMAN, as well Indeed, he is undeniably at his best when able to display the full spectrum of his spectacular skills and there is no greater showcase than a musical.
Re-teaming with THE GREATEST SHOWMAN director Michael Gracey and Academy Award-winning songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Jackman will be reviving his solo show in 2019 with an international tour according to an announcement this week. Although details are still under wraps, stops along the way are likely to include Australia, London and Las Vegas. Could a long-awaited return to Broadway possibly even happen? Given his immense popularity, the box office will certainly come alive wherever he sets down his top hat and spats.