RIALTO CHATTER: Will Tharp's COME FLY WITH ME Cast Ring-A-Ding Ding Broadway?

Deriving inspiration from the timeless big band sounds of Frank Sinatra, Tony Award Winner Twyla Tharp is currently premiering her new musical ‘Come Fly With Me' to the Alliance Theatre stage in Atlanta. Conceived, directed and choreographed by Tharp, the musical, which, with permission from the Frank Sinatra Enterprises and the Sinatra family, features original masters of Sinatra's voice, began performances Sept. 15, and officially opened on Sept. 23.

Casting notices for 'Come Fly With Me' reveal that the Alliance Theatre cast is expected to make the "swing" to Broadway in Spring 2010. There is no official word of a Rialto production at this time, but the musical is expected to indeed hit the Broadway stage next year.

‘Come Fly With Me' is a dance-musical that, according to Alliance, "follows four couples over the course of one night falling in and out of love." Songs included are "Let's Fall In Love," "Witchcraft," "Summer Wind," "Body & Soul," "It's All Right with Me," "Take Five," "That's Life," "Nice ‘n' Easy" and "My Way."

The cast features an international company of 38 members, included 14 world-class daredevil dancers. Featured are Keith Roberts, Matthew Dibble and Tony nominee John Selya, as well as Karine Plantadit (Damn Yankees), Rika Okamoto (Tarzan), Charlie Neshyba-Hodges (The Times They Are A Changin'), Alexander Brady, Laura Mead, Holley Farmer, Carolyn Doherty, Heather Hamilton, Ashley Tuttle, Todd Burnsed, Eric Otto, Justin Peck, Kristine Bendul, Jodi Melnick, Joel Prouty, Matt Rivera and John Sorensen-Jolink.

‘Come Fly With Me' has set design by James Youmans (West Side Story), lighting by Donald Holder (The Lion King, Movin' Out), costumes by Katherine Roth and music supervision by Sam Lutfiyya (Movin' Out).

Twyla Tharp is an American dancer and choreographer. She is the creator of what is now known as the "cross-over" ballet. Tharp's work often utilizes classical music, jazz and contemporary pop music. In 2002, Ms. Tharp's award-winning dance musical ‘Movin' Out' set to the music and lyrics of Billy Joel premiered at the Richard Rodgers and ran for three years. A national tour opened in 2004 and also ran for three years. For ‘Movin' Out', Tharp received the 2003 Tony Award, the 2003 Astaire Award, the Drama League Award for Sustained Achievement in Musical Theater; and both the Drama Desk Award and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Choreography. For the London production, Tharp won Best Choreography (Musical Theatre) Award of the UK's Critics' Circle National Dance Awards 2006.

'Come Fly With Me' ran until October 11th, 2009.

For tickets or more information, please phone Alliance Theatre at (404) 733-5000 or visit http://www.alliancetheatre.org/