On the Town cast announced for London ENO revival

By: Jan. 06, 2005
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English National Opera's (ENO) new production of Leonard Bernstein's ON THE TOWN begins March 5, 2005 at the London Coliseum (Press Night March 10, 2005). There will be 17 performances playing in repertory until May 24, 2005.

Director Jude Kelly ("Singin' in the Rain", Olivier Award "Outstanding Musical Production") and choreographer Stephen Mear ("Mary Poppins", "Anything Goes", "Singin' in the Rain") are reunited in staging the first ever London revival of Leonard Bernstein's musical masterpiece.  The production, a unique and major collaboration between the ENO orchestra and chorus and some of the finest international musical theatre and opera artists, features a cast and orchestra of over 100.

With music by Leonard Bernstein ("West Side Story", "Candide", "Wonderful Town"), book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green (authors of "Singin' in the Rain", lyricists for "Wonderful Town" and "Bells Are Ringing") and based on an idea by Jerome Robbins, this new production marks the 60th anniversary of the original New York staging (premiere December 28, 1944, Adelphi Theatre) and the first London production since the premiere in 1963 (a production that starred Elliott Gould).  The original New York production marked the musical theatre creative debuts of composer Leonard Bernstein, writers Betty Comden and Adolph Green and choreographer Jerome Robbins. The subsequent MGM movie version (released in 1949) was co-directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen and starred Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Betty Garrett, Ann Miller, Jules Munshin and Vera-Ellen.

International opera singers Willard W. White and Lucy Schaufer are joined by the ENO chorus and musical theatre actors Timothy Howar ("Tonight's The Night" and "Peggy Sue Got Married" in London, "Tommy" in Canada, "Les Miserables" on Canadian and US tours), Adam Garcia (Olivier Award nominee as Tony Manero in "Saturday Night Fever" in London, "Tap Dogs" in Australia, "Coyote Ugly" for producer Jerry Bruckheimer, Agatha Christie's Marple: "The Body in the Library" for ITV), ("Oklahoma!" and "The Phantom of the Opera" on Broadway),  (Zelda Fitzgerald in "Beautiful & Damned" and Girl on the Swing in "Contact" in London),  Caroline O'Conner ("Chicago" on Broadway and in Sydney, Olivier Award nominee for "Mack & Mabel" in London and "Street Scene" for ENO, "Moulin Rouge" for director Baz Luhrmann).  British actresses Sylvia Syms ("Ice Cold in Alex", "The Tamarind Seed") and Janine Duvitski ("One Foot in he Grave", Mike Leigh's "Abigail's Party") are also featured in the cast.

The full principal cast features: Willard W. White (Workman 1*), Timothy Howar (Ozzie), Adam Garcia (Chip), Aaron Lazar (Gabey), Helen Anker (Ivy Smith), Caroline O'Connor (Hildy Esterhazy), Lucy Schaufer (Claire de Loone), Sylvia Syms (Madame Maude P. Dilly) Janine Duvitski (Lucy Schmeeler), Philip Ball (Announcer/Master of Ceremonies), Greg Winter (Rajah Bimmy).  Sailors/Waitors: Stuart Dawes, Tom Dwyer, Bob J Harms, Nick Holmes, Stori James, James O'Connell, Darragh O'Leary, Craig Scott, Nick Searle, Tristan Temple and Liam Mikhail Wrate. NY City Girls/Eddie's Girls: Lucy Anderson, EJ Boyle, Chloë Campbell, Julia Hinchcliffe, Rebecca Lee, Jane McMurtrie, Jo Morris, Alexis Owen-Hobbs, Amy Ellen Richardson, Lorraine Stewart and Danielle Young. 

(*On March 18, 24, 26, April 19 and May 11, 19, 21and 24, the role of Workman 1 is sung by Rodney Clarke).

Simon Lee (Joel Schumacher's "The Phantom of the Opera") conducts ENO's orchestra.

With music by Leonard Bernstein, book and lyrics by Betty Comden & Adolph Green  and based on an idea by Jerome Robbins, ON THE TOWN is directed by Jude Kelly, choreographed by Stephen Mear, conducted by Simon Lee, designed by Robert Jones with lighting by Mark Henderson. The assistant choreographer is Nikki Woollaston.

The magnificent 2364-seat London Coliseum is London's largest theatre. Home to ENO since 1968, the building re-opened in 2004 following a four-year, £41 million restoration.  The London Coliseum has an illustrious history of presenting American musicals, hosting a succession of London premiere productions in the forties and fifties: "Annie Get Your Gun" (premiere June 7, 1947), "Kiss Me, Kate" (March 8, 1951), "Guys & Dolls" (May 28, 1953), "Can-Can" (October 14, 1954), "The Pajama Game" (October 13, 1955), "Damn Yankees" (March 28, 1957) and "Bells Are Ringing" (November 14, 1957).

Tickets now on sale: Box Office +44 (0)20 7632 8300 Lines open 24 hours.

Online: www.eno.org 
 Helen Anker Aaron Lazar

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