The highly-anticipated musical version of “Rocky,” slated to open this spring on Broadway, has found the guy who will slip on the boxing gloves and silken shorts made iconic by Sylvester Stallone in his 1976 Oscar-winning film: Andy Karl. This is a shot at stardom for an exceptionally talented guy who’s been toiling in New York theater for nearly two decades, winning attention in featured roles in such musicals as “Legally Blonde,” “9 to 5,” “Jersey Boys,” and “The Mystery of Edwin Drood.” Playing opposite Karl will be Margo Seibert, making her Broadway debut as Adrian, the mousy pet store owner who awakens love in the second-rate Philly boxer. Having moved to New York in 2010, Seibert is largely known for acting in development showcases and regional theater productions.
For Karl, once relegated to such minor roles as Drunk Dave/Bad Haircut Guy in “The Wedding Singer,” this is an opportunity that has been long in coming. There had been talk that Drew Sarich, who created to role in the world premiere of the musical in Hamburg, Germany last fall, might transfer with it to the States. But director Alex Timbers and the creative team wanted a fresh slate for the American premiere of a project initiated by Stallone himself. Although the show is being performed in German in Hamburg, the accomplished creative team is largely American: Timbers (“Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,” “Here Lies Love”), librettist Thomas Meehan (“Annie,” “The Producers,” “Hairspray”), songwriters Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (“Ragtime”), and choreographer Kelly Devine (“Rock of Ages”). Staging the fights — the musical’s finale features a championship bout in an actual 20’ by 20’ regulation ring — is Steven Hoggett (“Black Watch,” “American Idiot”).
Karl, who once played high school football in his native Maryland, seems like the perfect choice to play Rocky. He has the unique combination of musical theater chops and athletic solidity necessary for the role of a small-time boxer who masks his vulnerability behind blows to his body and ego. Nearly 30 years ago, Stallone got a chance to go the distance — and now so will Karl. “Rocky, the Musical,” produced by Stage Entertainment and Stallone, will begin previews at the Winter Garden Theatre on February 11 and open on March 13.
Photo courtesy of Rocky Broadway Facebook