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Operation Mincemeat Takes Broadway by Storm Despite Dim Marquee
February 17, 2025, 12:29.46 am ET

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Photo: Julieta Cerventes

Saturday night’s first preview of Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical was inarguably a bright spot of the theatrical season, as a roaring a crowd of fans from around the world came out to witness London’s 2024 Best New Musical Oliver Award Winner take its first bows on Broadway. Decidedly less bright was the show’s retro, 1940s-style marquee,. The specialty lightbulbs (Satco Decorative 11W LED Ceramic Yellow Indicator bulbs) required are primarily sourced in bulk from a China-based vendor, and the shipment of which was reportedly held up by customs due to a delay related to the recently enacted tariffs.


Photo: Julieta Cerventes

The darkened marquee didn’t dim the excitement for the performance, which received a 5-minute standing ovation. Immediately following the curtain call, the cast was rapturously greeted outside The John Golden Theatre, where a band of loyal fans sang “Sail On, Boys”, the musical’s signature theme. See Video:

In Operation Mincemeat, it’s 1943, and the Allied Forces are on the ropes. Luckily, they’ve got a trick up their sleeve. Well, not up their sleeve, per se, but rather inside the pocket of a stolen corpse. Equal parts farce, thriller, and Ian Fleming-style spy caper (with an assist from Mr. Fleming himself), Operation Mincemeat tells the wildly improbable and hilarious true story of the covert operation that turned the tide of WWII.

Photo: Julieta Cerventes

Directed by Robert Hastie, Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical’s official opening night is set for Thursday, March 20 at the Golden Theatre (252 West 45th Street), after entering the third sold out year in the West End.
Starring in Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical is David Cumming, Claire-Marie Hall, Natasha Hodgson, Olivier Award-winner Jak Malone and Zoë Roberts, who will reprise their original acclaimed performances for the musical’s Broadway (American) premiere. Brandon Contreras, Sam Hartley, Jessi Kirtley, Gerianne Pérez and Amanda Jill Robinson round out the cast as understudies.
Tickets are on sale now at Telecharge.com or by phone at 212-239-6200. For more information, please visit operationbroadway.com.

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