Cincinnati Playhouse Presents World Premiere of DADDY LONG LEGS, 3/13-4/10

The Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park will continue its Marx Theatre season with the world premiere of DADDY LONG LEGS by John Caird, the Tony Award-winning co-director of LES MISERABLES and Tony-nominated composer Paul Gordon, the creator of last season's enchanting musical EMMA. This charming and lighthearted new musical begins previews in The Playhouse's Robert S. Marx Theatre March 13 and continues through April 10.

This new adaptation of this story by John Caird is based on the Jean Webster novel of the same name. And though the stage production has stayed true to the basic storyline, the character and voice of Daddy Long Legs is completely new.

Jerusha Abbott is the oldest orphan in the John Grier Home, where she has been raised from childhood. At the age of 18, she has finished her education and is caught between the orphanage and the world waiting for her outside its walls. Just when she feels her life is hopeless and doomed to obscurity, Mrs. Lippett, the orphanage matron, informs Jerusha that an anonymous orphanage trustee has offered to change her life forever. He will pay for her college education with one caveat: she must write him a letter each month updating him on her studies and other pursuits at school, but he will never return her letters.

Paul Gordon has had an eclectic and successful career in theatre, film and pop music. He was nominated for a 2000 Tony award for composing the music and lyrics to the Broadway musical JANE EYRE directed by John Caird. He has written several number one pop songs and is the recipient of nine ASCAP awards.

Tony-Award winning director John Caird (LES MISERABLES, THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF NICHOLAS NICKLEBY, JANE EYRE), who also wrote the book, will helm the production.

Designing set and costumes is Tony nominee and Olivier Award winner David Farley (2008's SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE and A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC with Catherine Zeta-Jones, which is currently running on Broadway). Other members of the production team include Lighting Designer Paul Toben, Sound Designer Michael Miceli, Music Director Laura Bergquist and Associate Director Nell Balaban.

The cast of DADDY LONG LEGS includes Megan McGinnis (Broadway's LITTLE WOMEN, BEAUTY AND THE EBAST, LES MISERABLES) as Jerusha Abbott and Robert Adelman Hancock (FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, MAMMA MIA!) as Jervis Pendleton.

For a behind the scenes video from the production, click here.

The Production Stage Manager is Jenifer Morrow, Second Stage Manager is Suann Pollock and Assistant Stage Manager is Jamie Lynn Sullivan.

Prices for DADDY LONG LEGS range from $25-$67, depending on day and seat location. New this season, tickets are just $25 for the preview performances at 8 p.m. Saturday, March 13; 2 p.m. Sunday, March 14; 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 16; and 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 17. Some restrictions apply. The official opening night is Thursday, March 18 at 8 p.m.

 Performances take place at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays and  Wednesdays, 8 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays; 4 and 8 p.m. on  Saturdays; and 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sundays.

 Tickets to DADDY LONG LEGS are on sale now. For more  information, call The Playhouse box office at 513/421-3888  (toll-free in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana at 800/582-3208) or  visit www.cincyplay.com. Call 513/345-2248 for TDD  accessibility.

 The Playhouse is supported, in part, by the generosity of the tens of thousands of individuals and businesses that give to the Fine Arts Fund. The Ohio Arts Council helps fund The Playhouse with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. The Playhouse also receives funding from the Shubert Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Photo Credit: Jeanne Tanner