Avett Brothers musical ‘Swept Away’ sets opening date, ticket sales for Broadway
Tickets go on sale this week for the Broadway-bound Avett Brothers musical “Swept Away,” the show’s producers said Tuesday.
The powerful show about sacrifice and redemption features music from The Avett Brothers catalog and centers on four survivors of a whaling boat shipwreck in 19th century New England. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. this Friday, June 21, on the show’s website sweptawaymusical.com, producers Matthew Masten, Sean Hudock and Madison Wells Live announced.
They also announced performance dates and which Shubert-owned theater will house the production. Preview performances start Oct. 29 at the Longacre Theatre, and opening night is Nov. 19.
Masten, who grew up in Charlotte, teamed with Hudock to shepherd the project over the last decade. It had its world premiere at Berekely Rep in California in 2022, followed by another well-received run at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C., last November.
Here are five other things to know about “Swept Away”:
What’s ‘Swept Away’ about?
The show revolves around four men who survive a shipwreck, the lengths they go to live and how they face the consequences of their actions. Those characters are a veteran sea captain, his worldly mate, a protective older brother and his younger brother who is seeking adventure.
An early Avett Brothers album, “Mignonette,” had initially given Masten the idea it could work as a musical. That 2004 album was inspired by real life, where a 19th-century yacht called the Mignonette sank during a storm off the South African coast, and survivors managed to live without food or water.
Can I get pre-sale tickets for ‘Swept Away’?
Yes. You can sign up for pre-sale tickets and news about the production at the show’s website. Those tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Thursday, June 20.
Has the Broadway cast been announced yet?
No casting has been announced. In mid-May during a concert in New York City, The Avett Brothers revealed that the show was going to Broadway in the fall. They were joined on stage by the four leads from the show in its California and Washington productions: Wayne Duvall (Captain); Adrian Blake Enscoe (Little Brother); John Gallagher Jr. (Mate); and Stark Sands (Big Brother).
Well, what can you tell me about who is working on the show?
Swept Away features a book by Tony Award winner John Logan (“Red”, “Moulin Rouge! The Musical”), direction by Tony Award winner Michael Mayer (“Spring Awakening”, “American Idiot”) and choreography by Tony Award nominee David Neumann (“Hadestown”). The Avetts have been involved with the production every step of the way too.
What’s the history of the Longacre Theatre?
The 111-year-old theater on 48th Street in New York City was named for Longacre Square, which later was renamed as Times Square. The Longacre opened in 1913, and was built by Boston Red Sox owner Harry Frazee, who sold it to the Shuberts in 1919. The theater has 1,091 seats.
It’s first show was “Are You A Crook?” according to the Internet Broadway Database. Other memorable shows over the years at the theater have included “Purlie Victorious” by Ossie Davis, “Jesus Christ Superstar” with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” music by Thomas “Fats” Waller and “Leopoldstadt” by Tom Stoppard. Its most recent tenant was “Lempicka,” which recently closed.
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