Nick Nora

"Nick & Nora" -- the musical that was on-again-off-again for the current Mechanic Theatre season -- will open the theater's fall season with an exclusive pre-Broadway engagement from Sept. 24 to Oct. 20.The funding problems that caused two delays this season have been resolved by a new team of producers -- Terry Allen Kramer, James M. Nederlander and Charlene Nederlander, in association with Daryl Roth.The $6 million budget is in place, and rehearsals are set to begin in New York July 29. After its Baltimore run, the show will open Nov. 17 at the Marriott Marquis Theatre in New York.

One of the producers of ''Nick and Nora,'' the musical that recently opened and closed on Broadway, was quoted as saying the reason he and the other producers didn't bring the show to Baltimore first (they had announced they would, then canceled) was because they didn't think Baltimore audiences were ''sophisticated enough'' to appreciate the musical comedy.Maybe yes, maybe no, but the producers of the show, which was based on the ''Thin Man'' characters of Dashiell Hammett's book, might have benefited from a tryout here.

For the second time in less than a year, "Nick & Nora" has stood up Baltimore.The pre-Broadway musical -- booked at the Mechanic Theatre this past season and then re-scheduled to open the 1991-92 season -- will open directly in New York instead, executive producer Elizabeth I. McCann announced yesterday.She said the decision was based on the combined factors of the time and expense -- about $525,000 -- required to set up the production in Baltimore, take it down and set it up again in New York.

NEW YORK - The opening of "Nick and Nora," the only original musical announced for Broadway this year, has been postponed to Dec. 2.The show, based on the martini-loving sleuths created by Dashiell Hammett in "The Thin Man," is in previews at the Marquis Theater. It was to have opened Nov. 10, with Barry Bostwick as Nick and Joanna Gleason as Nora."It doesn't mean the show is in trouble because it's being postponed," Elizabeth I. McCann, a producer of the show, said Wednesday. "Any musical can run into problems, and we're working on them."

Charles Strouse and Richard Maltby Jr., composer and lyricist of "Nick & Nora," admit their collaboration didn't go too smoothly at first.But the songwriters appeared to be thoroughly enjoying themselves yesterday, when they performed seven of the show's songs in the area's first glimpse of the musical that will play an exclusive pre-Broadway engagement at the Mechanic Theatre this fall.Speaking to an audience of almost 300 group sales leaders, Mr. Maltby described the $6 million show as "a comedy, romance, murder mystery musical."

"Nick & Nora," the new American musical based on the popular "Thin Man" movies, will open the 1991-92 season at the Morris A. Mechanic Theatre. Postponed twice during the theater's current season, the show will run from Sept. 24 through Oct. 20, 1991.Producers Terry Allen Kramer, James M. Nederlander and Charlene Nederlander, in association with Daryl Roth, have supplied the funding for the musical comedy, which is now fully backed and scheduled to go into rehearsals this summer.Joanna Gleason and Barry Bostwick will head the cast as the famous movie sleuths Nick and Nora Charles.

The producers of ''Nick & Nora,'' the musical production that was to have played the Mechanic Theatre in March, were within $750,000 of the $5.5-million budget when they decided to postpone the project until next year.''It was very disappointing,'' said Hope Quackenbush, managing director of the Mechanic. ''It was a good project.''Quackenbush suspects that the trouble lies in the economy. ''There just isn't that much risk money out there,'' she said.''Nick & Nora'' is based on Dashiell Hammett's ''The Thin Man'' and was to have starred Barry Bostwick and Joanna Gleason.

"Nick & Nora," the pre-Broadway musical based on Dashiell Hammett's "The Thin Man," has postponed its Baltimore tryout until late February or March because funding for the production -- projected at $6 million -- is not yet complete.According to Hope Quackenbush, managing director of the Mechanic Theatre, the show's producers are close to raising the needed funds, "but because they didn't get into the shop to build the set last week, there's no time to get it completed in time for the originally announced December opening."

THE ON-AGAIN, off-again "Nick & Nora" is off again. The $6-million musical, which was to have played the Mechanic during the season that just ended, then was re-scheduled to open the 1991-92 season, won't be playing here next season, either.According to co-producer Elizabeth McCann, who was speaking for the four other producers, all five decided to open the show in New York rather than do so in Baltimore ''after reviewing the economics and the consistency of the performance schedule.''We had a very strong advance in Baltimore, and the Mechanic Theatre has been a great supporter of the production,'' said McCann, ''but the take-in and take-out costs alone would be approximately $525,000.

The two most recent Pulitzer Prize-winning plays, Neil Simon's "Lost in Yonkers" and August Wilson's "The Piano Lesson," have been announced as part of the 1991-1992 season at the Morris A. Mechanic Theatre.The plays join the previously announced world premiere of "Nick & Nora," the $6 million musical adaptation of "The Thin Man," which will open the Mechanic season. The lineup will also include Aaron Sorkin's court-martial drama "A Few Good Men," which recently closed after two years on Broadway.

For the second time in less than a year, "Nick & Nora" has stood up Baltimore.The pre-Broadway musical -- booked at the Mechanic Theatre this past season and then re-scheduled to open the 1991-92 season -- will open directly in New York instead, executive producer Elizabeth I. McCann announced yesterday.She said the decision was based on the combined factors of the time and expense -- about $525,000 -- required to set up the production in Baltimore, take it down and set it up again in New York.

THE ON-AGAIN, off-again "Nick & Nora" is off again. The $6-million musical, which was to have played the Mechanic during the season that just ended, then was re-scheduled to open the 1991-92 season, won't be playing here next season, either.According to co-producer Elizabeth McCann, who was speaking for the four other producers, all five decided to open the show in New York rather than do so in Baltimore ''after reviewing the economics and the consistency of the performance schedule.''We had a very strong advance in Baltimore, and the Mechanic Theatre has been a great supporter of the production,'' said McCann, ''but the take-in and take-out costs alone would be approximately $525,000.

Charles Strouse and Richard Maltby Jr., composer and lyricist of "Nick & Nora," admit their collaboration didn't go too smoothly at first.But the songwriters appeared to be thoroughly enjoying themselves yesterday, when they performed seven of the show's songs in the area's first glimpse of the musical that will play an exclusive pre-Broadway engagement at the Mechanic Theatre this fall.Speaking to an audience of almost 300 group sales leaders, Mr. Maltby described the $6 million show as "a comedy, romance, murder mystery musical."

The two most recent Pulitzer Prize-winning plays, Neil Simon's "Lost in Yonkers" and August Wilson's "The Piano Lesson," have been announced as part of the 1991-1992 season at the Morris A. Mechanic Theatre.The plays join the previously announced world premiere of "Nick & Nora," the $6 million musical adaptation of "The Thin Man," which will open the Mechanic season. The lineup will also include Aaron Sorkin's court-martial drama "A Few Good Men," which recently closed after two years on Broadway.

THE LONG awaited premiere of the American musical "Nick & Nora" will launch the 1991-1992 season at the Morris A. Mechanic Theatre.The Baltimore Center for the Performing Arts will also present three of Broadway's biggest hits: "The Piano Lesson," "A Few Good Men," and "Lost in Yonkers." "The Piano Lesson," August Wilson's play about family loyalty to the past, will star former Baltimorean Charles S. Dutton.Hope Quackenbush, managing director of the BCPA, has announced that "Nick & Nora" will open on Sept.

"Nick & Nora" -- the musical that was on-again-off-again for the current Mechanic Theatre season -- will open the theater's fall season with an exclusive pre-Broadway engagement from Sept. 24 to Oct. 20.The funding problems that caused two delays this season have been resolved by a new team of producers -- Terry Allen Kramer, James M. Nederlander and Charlene Nederlander, in association with Daryl Roth.The $6 million budget is in place, and rehearsals are set to begin in New York July 29. After its Baltimore run, the show will open Nov. 17 at the Marriott Marquis Theatre in New York.

The producers of ''Nick & Nora,'' the musical production that was to have played the Mechanic Theatre in March, were within $750,000 of the $5.5-million budget when they decided to postpone the project until next year.''It was very disappointing,'' said Hope Quackenbush, managing director of the Mechanic. ''It was a good project.''Quackenbush suspects that the trouble lies in the economy. ''There just isn't that much risk money out there,'' she said.''Nick & Nora'' is based on Dashiell Hammett's ''The Thin Man'' and was to have starred Barry Bostwick and Joanna Gleason.