'An American in Paris' to close on Broadway in January

NEW YORK, June 23 (UPI) -- Broadway's Tony Award-winning musical An American in Paris is to close Jan. 1 after playing 719 regular performances and 29 previews.

"An American in Paris has been a dream come true for all of us, and we are beyond thrilled with the show's success," producers Stuart Oken, Van Kaplan and Roy Furman said in a joint statement Thursday.

"We are announcing our closing six months ahead, so that as many people as possible can plan to experience the uniqueness and beauty of the show before it leaves Broadway. The production is expected to recoup its entire investment before the end of its Broadway run."

The musical earned 12 Tony nominations and won the awards for Best Choreography, Best Orchestrations, Best Set Design and Best Lighting Design.

"With Christopher Wheeldon's vision and leadership, a new book by Craig Lucas, the classic score by George and Ira Gershwin and extraordinary work from our entire creative team, we were able to breathe new life into the beloved film. We will always be proud to say we were the show that gave Christopher Wheeldon his first opportunity to direct and choreograph a Broadway musical. We know it won't be his last," the producers added.

"An American in Paris' journey does not end on Broadway in January. We open our national tour in Boston in October, starring Garen Scribner and Sara Esty, followed by London in March 2017 led by our original stars Robert Fairchild and Leanne Cope. We are also in discussions with producers in Japan, China and Australia about productions there. It's been a remarkable journey, from the very first readings, workshops and rehearsals in New York, to our unprecedented run in Paris and back to New York for a long and healthy run on Broadway. And we are tremendously thankful to every person associated with our show."