Is It Time to Move Back In? A Case for a “Movin’ Out” Revival

by Chris Peterson

With the release of HBO’s new documentary, And So It Goes, there’s been a noticeable resurgence of love for the Piano Man’s music. And as I found myself deep in a playlist spiral the other night, one thought kept playing on repeat: why haven’t we revived Movin’ Out?

For those who didn’t catch it the first time around, Movin’ Out was anything but your typical jukebox musical. No dialogue. No biopic. No Broadway glitz for glitz’s sake. Just Twyla Tharp’s bold choreography, a live rock band perched above the stage, and Billy Joel’s music driving a story that unfolded entirely through movement. It opened on Broadway on October 24, 2002 and ran for over 1,300 performances, earning ten Tony nominations and taking home two, including Best Choreography for Tharp and Best Orchestrations for Joel and Stuart Malina.

The story followed a group of working class friends: Brenda, Eddie, James, Judy, and Tony. Their lives were shaped by love, war, and the long road home in post-Vietnam America. Their names came straight from Joel’s lyrics, and their emotional arcs were told entirely through dance. Michael Cavanaugh, personally chosen by Joel, served as the vocal anchor, singing every number live with a full band while the dancers brought the story to life below.

And it worked. Against all odds, it worked.

The idea of telling a full-length story using only dance and pre-existing pop songs rarely finds its footing on Broadway. We’ve all seen ambitious jukebox musicals fall flat trying to pull it off. But Movin’ Out had something different. Joel’s music already feels theatrical. His lyrics are filled with character and conflict. His melodies carry emotional weight. These are songs built for storytelling. And Joel himself is New York through and through. A musical about working class New Yorkers, told through his music, on a Broadway stage? It just fits.

Since closing in 2005, Movin’ Out has enjoyed a strong touring life, including a three-year U.S. tour and international productions in London and Japan. But while other jukebox shows like MJ, & Juliet, and A Beautiful Noise have taken center stage in recent seasons, Movin’ Out still stands apart. It doesn’t tell the story of Billy Joel. It tells the story of us, through his music.

And maybe now is exactly the right time to bring it back.

Joel’s songs still speak to the moment. Themes of blue collar struggle, fractured relationships, quiet resilience, and hope continue to resonate. A revival could preserve Tharp’s original choreography or reinterpret the setting for more recent eras in American history. Post-9/11. Post-COVID. Or it could remain rooted in its original time period and still feel completely relevant.

Even more exciting? This may be happening with Twyla Tharp herself is stepping back in.

Tharp is directing and choreographing a brand-new reimagining of Movin’ Out that will premiere at Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota, FL. Performances begin November 13 and run through December 28. The revival is being produced in collaboration with Nederlander Presentations, which backed the original Broadway production.

"Reimagining a story, like revisiting a timeless piece of music, is an opportunity to see it anew—not just through a fresh lens, but through the evolving lens of who we are today,” said Tharp.  “It's about exploring the past with the wisdom of experience and letting the talent of the present shape the narrative for a new generation. In a space like Asolo Repertory Theatre, we can nurture that process and connect deeply with a community that shares our passion for transformation and storytelling." 

That concept—telling a story entirely through dance and existing music—still rarely works in a Broadway setting. But Movin’ Out pulled it off once. And with Tharp back at the helm, it could absolutely work again.

And if a full Broadway revival isn’t quite on the table yet, here’s another idea. What about a sequel?

A brand-new dance musical, inspired by Movin’ Out, built around Joel’s later catalog. Albums like The Bridge and Turnstiles offer rich material. Songs like “This is the Time,” “Modern Woman,” and “Miami 2017” could shape a new narrative—one centered on aging, reinvention, fatherhood, or legacy. If Movin’ Out was about youth and war, maybe the next chapter is about what comes after. The music is there. The structure exists. Someone just needs to take the leap.