Stanley Bahorek Leads Cast Of 5th Avenue Theatre's CANDIDE 5/25-6/13

The 5th Avenue Theatre has announced the cast for our upcoming production of Leonard Bernstein's Candide, directed by the 5th's Executive Producer and Artistic Director David Armstrong. Starring in the title role is New York actor Stanley Bahorek, who's performed in the national tour of Big River and on Broadway in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Playing his love Cunegonde is L.A.'s Laura Griffith, whose Broadway credits include South Pacific and The Light on the Piazza, as well as several appearances on the stage of The 5th, most recently in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Playing the dual roles of Voltaire and Candide's overly-optimistic mentor Dr. Pangloss is acclaimed Seattle actor David Pichette, familiar to local audiences from work on practically every stage in town including The 5th Avenue, where he was last seen as Professor Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady. And popular Seattle actress Anne Allgood, last seen on The 5th's stage in Sunday in the Park with George as the Nurse and the American Lady, appears as the Old Woman.

Other 5th Avenue Theatre favorites in the cast include: Allen Fitzpatrick (Martin), Brandon O'Neill (Cacambo), Mike McGowan (Maximilian), Timothy McCuen Piggee (King of El Dorado), and two actors fresh from our production of On The Town: Greg McCormick Allen (Ensemble) and Billie Wildrick (Paquette).

Playing the denizens of two continents are: Jeffrey Alewine, Jadd Davis, Mary Jo DuGaw, Anne Eisendrath, Cayman Ilika, Eric Polani Jensen, Corinna Lapid Munter, Karen Skrinde, and Dane Stokinger. Interns are Dana Blasingame, Emily Cawley, Sean Glynn, Arwen Morgan, Sage Michael Price, and Lauren Smith.

The comic and dramatic adventures of a young man as he travels the world in search of his one true love, Candide is inspired by Voltaire's wickedly satirical novel. This musical masterpiece includes some of the greatest music ever written, with brilliantly witty lyrics by Richard Wilbur and additional lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, John Latouche, Dorothy Parker, Lillian Hellman, and Leonard Bernstein himself. Candide is a cornerstone of the Seattle Celebrates Bernstein festival.

Candide the musical was originally written by Bernstein with the book by playwright Lillian Hellman, but its original production in 1956 was not successful, and it wasn't until Hal Prince's 1973 production with a new book by Hugh Wheeler that it finally found critical and box-office success. Since that time it has enjoyed numerous revivals in different forms, including an "opera house version" that premiered in 1982. The version that Armstrong has chosen for The 5th Avenue was commissioned by John Caird (co-creator of Les Miserables) for London's Royal National Theatre in 1999. "The result is a full two-act evening that I think is the best version of the show by far," says Armstrong. "I'm thrilled that we're going to do this new rendition, to my knowledge just the second time that it's been done in the U.S. This is part of our mission, to introduce Seattle audiences to ‘the greatest shows you've never seen.'"

Tickets for Candide as well as season subscriptions to The 5th Avenue's 2010-2011 Season are available by calling 206-625-1900/toll-free 888-5TH-4TIX (584-4849), at our website 5thavenue.org, and in person at the box office at 1308 5th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98101.

The 5th Avenue Theatre is Seattle's premier musical theater. In 1980, the non-profit 5th Avenue Theatre began producing and presenting top-quality live musical theater for the cultural enrichment of the Northwest community. The 5th Avenue Theatre maintains a subscription audience of over 25,000 and an annual attendance of more than 287,000. It ranks among the nation's largest and most respected musical theater companies. The Theatre is committed to encouraging the next generation of theatergoers through its Educational Outreach Program which includes: The Adventure Musical Theatre Touring Company, The 5th Avenue High School Musical Theatre Awards, the Student Matinee Program and Spotlight Nights. Unique in its Chinese-inspired design, the exquisite theater opened in 1926 as a venue for vaudeville and film. Today, under the leadership of Executive Producer and Artistic Director David Armstrong, Managing Director Bernie Griffin and Producing Director Bill Berry, The 5th Avenue Theatre continues to achieve the highest standards in all aspects of artistic endeavors and facility operations, while preserving its artistic, architectural and historic legacy. Visit www.5thavenue.org.