'Ghost' to haunt Broadway

"Ghost the Musical," which debuted on the West End, will head to Broadway in March.Producers are betting that "Ghost" has a chance, with the tuner version of the 1990 pic skedding a Broadway bow that begins perfs in March. Musical, which opened on the West End July 19, seemed a likely bet for a Gotham import, given the property's high profile from the Oscar-winning screen version. Some London critics had reservations about the book and the score, but most enjoyed the slick staging (complete with phantasmal illusions) and many deemed the show a crowd-pleaser. "Ghost the Musical" has a book by Bruce Joel Rubin, who also penned the screenplay for the film, and music by former Eurythmic Dave Stewart and contempo music producer Glen Ballard (Alanis Morisette's "Jagged Little Pill"). All three creatives collaborated on the lyrics. Matthew Warchus ("God of Carnage") helms. Brit production stars Richard Fleeshman as the murdered man who returns as a ghost to warn his lover, played by Caissie Levy, of impending danger. Sharon D. Clarke garnered notably strong reviews in the wacky-psychic role that earned Whoopi Goldberg an Oscar. Comprised mostly of original tunes, the legit version of "Ghost" also incorporates Righteous Brothers song "Unchained Melody," featured in the movie's famous pottery scene between the pic's topliners, Patrick Swayze and Demi Moore. The Main Stem incarnation of "Ghost" is produced by Colin Ingram Prods. Ltd. and David Garfinkle with Adam Silberman, Land Line Prods., Donovan Mannato, Michael Edwards and Carole Winter in association with Paramount Pictures and ATG/Robert G. Bartner. "Ghost" begins preview in March ahead of an April opening at a Nederlander theater, with exact dates and venue still to be nailed down. Contact Gordon Cox at gordon.cox@variety.com