Marla Schaffel to Star in York Theatre Company's Carmelina

Tony Award-nominee Marla Schaffel has been cast in the title role of the York Theatre Company's "Musicals in Mufti" presentation of Carmelina, which will take place from October 20th through 22nd.

The staged concert of Carmelina, which features music by Burton Lane, lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, and a book by Lerner and Joseph Stein (as well as additional lyrics by Barry Harman), will be directed Michael Leeds.  Joining Schaffel will be Camille Saviola as Rosa, Alison Walla as Gia, Ray Wills as Vittorio, and Nat Chandler, Joseph Kolinski, Daniel Marcus, and Eli Zoller.

Carmelina "is the story of an Italian woman who, for 17 years, has received support from three former GIs-each of whom believes he is the father of her daughter. Her scheme unravels when the men return to her small village for a reunion," state York notes on the 1979 musical, which is based on the film Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell (which, incidentally, also inspired Mamma Mia!).

Schaffel was most recently seen in the NYMF musical Warrior.  She starred on Broadway in the Tony-nominated musical Jane Eyre, a role which earned her a Tony nomination, the Drama Desk Award, a Drama League Award, and the Outer Critics Circle Award, all for Best Actress in Musical. Her other Broadway credits included Titanic and Les Miserables, as well as starring in national tours of Evita, My Fair Lady, and The Sound of Music. She also recently appeared in Fanny Hill at the York. Film credits include I Love You! Don't Touch Me and Cradle Will Rock, while TV work includes "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit."

Carmelina and Take Me Along are two of three "Musicals in Mufti" shows with books written or co-written by Joseph Stein (Fiddler on the Roof, Zorba, The Baker's Wife) that are being presented this season.  The second is Take Me Along, which opens tonight, and the third is Plain and Fancy.

The York Theatre Company is located in St. Peter's Theatre, just east of Lexington Avenue on East 54th Street. Call (212) 935-5820 or visit www.yorktheatre.org for tickets.