“Rocky” the Musical Debuts…in Germany

The item surfaced last week, but “Rocky” the Musical isn’t coming stateside anytime soon, so we all have plenty of time to absorb the news. Despite the personal advocacy of Sylvester Stallone, and a spate of Tony Award nominees on board, nobody on Broadway wanted to produce the show. So for now, it lives in Hambug, Germany, where the audience loves clapping along, and wishes there was more fighting. Rocky himself is glad the show exists in some form, though he can’t make out what anyone is saying. “‘All I understand is when Rocky says ‘Yo,’ ” Mr. Stallone said.” Pretty much everyone in the industry is skeptical of “Rocky’s” chances on Broadway. Then why not debut it here in Rocky’s backyard, at the Walnut Street Theatre, where questions of “adaptability” and “good taste” aren’t really going to deter anybody. [New York Times]