Initial casting and creative team have been announced for The Last Ship - the new musical with music and lyrics by 16-time Grammy winner Sting and book by Tony winner John Logan and Puliter Prize winner Brian Yorkey - which will begin previews Sept. 30 at Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre.

Directed by Tony winner Joe Mantello with choreography by Olivier Award winner and Tony nominee Steven Hoggett, the production will officially open Oct. 26.

A pre-Broadway engagement is scheduled for June 10-July 13 in Chicago at Bank of America Theatre. Tickets to the Chicago run go on sale Feb. 14.

Principal roles will be played by Michael Esper, Rachel Tucker, Jimmy Nail, Aaron Lazar, Sally Ann Triplett, Collin Kelly-Sordelet and Fred Applegate. Additional casting for the ensemble will be announced at a later date.

Inspired by Sting's own childhood experiences, the musical marks the musician's Broadway debut as a composer.

The Last Ship, according to press notes, "is set in the English seafaring town of Wallsend, a close-knit community where life has always revolved around the local shipyard and the hardworking men construct magnificent vessels with tremendous pride. But Gideon Fletcher dreams of a different future. He sets out to travel the world, leaving his life and his love behind. When Gideon returns home 14 years later, he finds the shipyard's future in grave danger and his childhood sweetheart engaged to someone else. As the men of Wallsend take their future into their own hands and build a towering representation of the shared dream that defines their existence, Gideon realizes that he left behind more than he could have ever imagined… [The musical] is a portrait of a community so bound together by passion, faith and tradition, they'll stop at nothing to preserve the only life they've ever known."

The production will also feature set and costume design by Tony nominee David Zinn, lighting design by Tony winner Christopher Akerlind and sound design by Tony winner Brian Ronan.

Producers are Jeffrey Seller, Kathryn Schenker, Kevin McCollum, Sander Jacobs, James L. Nederlander, Roy Furman, Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss.

Tickets are available now for groups of 10 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710. For more information visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

Broadway tickets will be available through Ticketmaster, www.ticketmaster.com or (800) 745-3000.

(c) Playbill by Andrew Gans