"Rebecca" and the Ponzi schemer--"Rebecca" was a $12-million musical based on the film of the same name that was supposed to go into the Broadhurst. The producer was a successful Off-Broadway producer trying to make it to the Broadway musical ranks. The show started its load-in twice and both times ran out of money. The second time, the show was short several million dollars. Somehow, the lead producer was introduced to a convicted Ponzi schemer, who claimed that he had an international businessman willing to invest $4.5 million. The businessman suddenly "died" of malaria, but probably didn't exist in the first place. The show fell apart in August 2012. Patrick Healy wrote a helpful article in the New York Times on October 2, 2012, laying out the scam. For those who don't know, a Ponzi scheme is a pyramid scheme, named after an early 20th century Italian con artist.
The sad part is 100 stagehands, actors, musicians and others lost their jobs.
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