
Award-winning Jewish-American screenwriter, Aaron Sorkin, is writing a new Broadway musical based on famed magician Harry Houdini's sensational efforts to discredit "spiritualists," psychics and mediums who rose to prominence in the widespread spiritualist movement in the 1920s. A Jewish immigrant from Hungary, Houdini's birth name was Erik Weisz. He devoted the last years of his life towards debunking spiritualists, and with his knowledge, Houdini was very successful. So much so that renowned believers such as Arthur Conan Doyle thought that Houdini used his own psychic powers to discredit others. Aaron Sorkin won awards and praise for writing screenplays in The Social Network and Moneyball, and joining him for the musical are director Jack O'Brien, composer Stephen Schwartz, and actor Hugh Jackman. Only a few days earlier, Jackman finished a ten-week run of sold-out Broadway performances, grossing over $14 million and breaking records. As for playing Houdini, many will remember that Hugh Jackman had a very similar role in 2006 film The Prestige. The musical is on schedule to open in 2013 or 14, and it will be Sorkin's debut libretto, the script for a stage musical.
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jn1
jewish news one
screenwriter
aaron sorkin
broadway
musical
magician
harry houdini
spiritualists
erik weisz
arthur conan doyle
jack o'brien
stephen schwartz
hugh jackman
libretto