Additional casting announced for Bushnell-produced The Music Man - A 50th Anniversary Tribute
HARTFORD, CT – March 25, 2008 – Additional casting has been announced for the Bushnell-produced The Music Man – A 50th Anniversary Tribute, which runs for 8 performances April 22-27, 2008 and stars Patrick Cassidy as Harold Hill and Shirley Jones as Mrs. Paroo. This production, which is directed by Philip Wm. McKinley (The Boy From Oz) and music directed by Hartford Symphony Orchestra maestro Edward Cumming, is part of The Hartford Financial Services Group Broadway Series.
The cast for this stylized production of the 1957 Meredith Willson classic includes Broadway and regional theater notables Lisa Vroman as Marian Paroo, Jason Graae as Marcellus Washburn, Mary Stout as Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn, David Coffee as Mayor Shinn, Tim Hausmann as Tommy Djilas and Bradley Benjamin as Zanetta Shinn.
Local featured actors include Andrew Shipman of Glastonbury, Abigail McMillan of Granby, and Florence Sturgeon of Simsbury. Local ensemble members include Thomas Scott Beebe of Andover, Christopher Campochiaro of Southington, Grace Gentile of East Hartford, Alisha Kapur of South Glastonbury and Laura Spineti of Higganum.
The cast is rounded out by Shell Bauman, Adam Cates, Kym Chambers, Ben Franklin, Eric Sean Fogel, Bob Freschi, Tracy Funke, Grace Gentile, Katie Warner Johnson, Mary Jo McConnell, Hallie Metcalf, Candy Olsen, Joseph Dellger, Kilty Reidy, Ric Ryder, Joseph Torello and Yvette Tucker. Students from the Hartt School Musical Theatre Division and area high school marching bands complete this talented and diverse cast.
Scott Galbraith, Vice President of Programming for The Bushnell is Executive Producer. The production is directed by Philip Wm. McKinley (Broadway: The Boy from Oz; Tour: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels; Off-Broadway: Zombie Prom); musical direction by Edward Cumming, maestro of the Hartford Symphony Orchestra; choreography by Peggy Hickey (MTV: Beck’s “The New Pollution”; Film: The Brady Bunch Movie; Regional Stage: Brigadoon; A Little Night Music; The King and I); set design by Ray Klausen (Broadway: On Golden Pond; Brooklyn), and lighting by Kirk Bookman (Broadway: Band in Berlin; The Sunshine Boys; Gentlemen Prefer Blondes); casting by Stephen DeAngelis.
Meredith Willson’s The Music Man won the 1958 Tony Award for Best Musical. The Music Man – A 50th Anniversary Tribute is a Bushnell-produced stylized production featuring the full text and songs from the musical, a professional 33-person cast, a 25-person orchestra led by Hartford Symphony Orchestra maestro Edward Cumming, dancers, light costume and scenic support - and a big surprise finale!
Biographies
Lisa Vroman (Marian Paroo) Previous credits starred as Christine Daae (The Phantom of the Opera) Broadway, San Francisco, Los Angeles; Cosette and Fantine (Les Miserables), Rosabella (The Most Happy Fella) New York City Opera w/Paul Sorvino; Johanna (Sweeney Todd) w/Patti Lupone/ PBS/ Emmy award 2001;Mary Poppins w/ Dick Van Dyke in concert at Hollywood Bowl; Laurie (Oklahoma) BBC PROMS Festival; Mary Turner (Of Thee I Sing/Let 'Em Eat Cake) San Francisco Symphony, Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor; Frequent guest w/ Keith Lockhart (Boston Pops), Peter Nero (Philly Pops), Philadelphia, Dallas, Cleveland, Atlanta, Chicago etc, Symphonies. Summer '08 Lili/Kate (Kiss Me Kate) at Glimmerglass Opera, Jan '09 Birdie (Regina) Utah Opera. Full bio/calendar/reviews/ images www.lisavroman.com
Jason Graae (Marcellus Washburn) last played Marcellus at The Hollywood Bowl, having the distinction of singing "Shipoopee" in The Bowl. Broadway and Off-Broadway: Falsettos, A Grand Night for Singing, Stardust, Snoopy; Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh (Drama Desk Nomination); Forever Plaid, etc. He hung upside down as Houdini in Ragtime (L.A) and was featured in Forbidden Hollywood and Forbidden Broadway (Ovation Award). TV: Recurring and guest star on dozens of shows including "Six Feet Under", "Rude Awakening," "Friends," and "Frasier." Five years as the voice of Lucky the Leprechaun for Lucky Charms Cereal, a balanced part of your complete breakfast. His one man show, "Graae's Anatomy" won his 4th N.Y. Bistro Award, and he received a special 2008 L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Achievement in Musical Theatre.
Mary Stout (Eulalie Mackecknie Shinn) Mary is thrilled to be part of The Music Man. On Broadway, Mary was the "Wardrobe" in Beauty and the Beast, "Mrs. Fairfax" in Jane Eyre, Me and My Girl, My Favorite Year, Copperfield, and A Change in the Heir. For three years, she was "Mrs. Santa Claus" at Radio City and was "Eugenia Bremer" on AMC's award-winning original series “Remember Wenn.” She has been a featured voice in several classic Disney movies and recently Mary completed work on the feature film Made For Each Other and can be seen with Alicia Keyes in a webisode for Dove.
David Coffee (Mayor Shinn) David’s career spans 40 years and encompasses all spheres of performance (save Grand Opera and the Circus)! In addition to 10 years of touring, he has been welcomed by audiences at Casa Manana, Granbury Opera House, Goodspeed Musicals, Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma, Stages St. Louis, American Musical Theatre of San Jose, Portland Center Stage and the Dallas Theater Center. Recent honors include an IRNE Award for his Pellinore in Camelot at Boston’s Shubert Theatre and a tribute evening given by the North Shore Music Theatre honoring his 15 seasons (and more than 40 productions) for its New England audiences. www.DavidCoffee.org.
Tim Hausmann (Tommy Djilas) Tim is very excited to be a part of this exciting production! Recent credits include My Fair Lady with the New York Philharmonic, Beauty and the Beast (Carpet) Alabama Shakespeare Festival, A Funny Thing. . . (Protean) Denver Center, A Chorus Line (Mike) West Virginia Public Theatre, and Seven Brides. . . (Frank) Music Theatre of Wichita. Tim is a graduate of Oklahoma City University. Love to Mark, Nicole, Benjamin, and family!
Bradley Benjamin (Zanetta Shinn) is excited to be in this special production of The Music Man! Bradley was featured on Broadway in the revival of Oklahoma! and on tour in Thoroughly Modern Millie. She performed the roles of Tammy, Penny and Amber in Hairspray Las Vegas and danced in the 75th Radio City Christmas Spectacular at RCMH. Other favorites include the workshop of Brigadoon (Jean), West Side Story (Velma), Hello Dolly! (Ermengarde), Grease (Patty Simcox), The Merry Widow (DoDo). Proud Equity member since ’02.
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting The Bushnell Box Office at 166 Capitol Avenue in Hartford or by calling (860) 987-5900. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.bushnell.org. Groups of 10 or more should call (860) 987-5959. Curtain times for Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday evening performances are at 7:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m.
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About The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
The Bushnell is Connecticut’s premier performing arts center, hosting more than 350 events yearly, including major Broadway tours, symphony orchestras, family presentations, local arts and community events. The Bushnell is home to two theaters- the historic 2,800-seat Mortensen Hall, and the 907-seat Belding Theater, a state-of-the-art performance hall that opened in 2001. The Bushnell’s nationally-recognized arts-in-education program, PARTNERS (Partners in Arts and Education Revitalizing Schools), now in its 14th year, is a cross-community educational effort serving 22 schools in 12 districts throughout the Greater Hartford area. The Bushnell opened in January 1930 and is a non-profit organization. For more information, call The Bushnell at (860) 987-6000, The Bushnell Box Office at (860) 987-5900 or visit our website at www.bushnell.org.