Segerstrom Center Announces Casting for GHOST, 7/29-8/10

The supernatural power of love is taking Orange County by storm as the new Broadway and West End musical GHOST - THE MUSICAL, adapted from the Academy Award®-winning film, opens at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, July 29 - August 10. GHOST - THE MUSICAL features Steven Grant Douglas as Sam Wheat, Katie Postotnik as Molly Jensen, Carla R. Stewart as Oda Mae Brown and Robby Haltiwanger as Carl Bruner. Featured ensemble are Fernando Contreras, Brandon Curry, Evette Marie White, Lydia Warr, Hana Freeman and Shannan E. Johnson. Rounding out the ensemble are Susan Leilani Gearou, Tony Johnson, Beth Stafford Laird, Andrea Laxton, Ben Laxton, Jake Vander Linden, Michael McClure, David Melendez, Jack O'Brien and Maria Cristina Slye.

Single tickets start at $25 and are now available online at SCFTA.org, the Box Office at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa or by calling (714) 556-2787. For inquiries about group ticket savings for 10 or more, call the Group Services office at (714) 755-0236. The TTY number is (714) 556-2746. The 2 p.m. performance on Saturday, August 2 will include audio description, open captioning and sign language interpretation.

GHOST - THE MUSICAL is directed by Tony Award®-winner Matthew Warchus (Matilda the Musical, God of Carnage, The Norman Conquests, Boeing-Boeing) and choreographed by Ashley Wallen (The X Factor, Kylie Minogue, Seal, Madonna's film W.E.). The musical features book and lyrics by Bruce Joel Rubin (Ghost, Jacob's Ladder, The Time Traveler's Wife) who has adapted his Academy Award-winning original screenplay for the stage and original music and lyrics by a team of Grammy® Award-winners, including Dave Stewart (half of the multi-Grammy Award-winning Eurythmics) and Glen Ballard (Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror," Alanis Morissette's Jagged Little Pill). The score also includes the iconic song "Unchained Melody," written by Hy Zaret and Alex North (courtesy of Frank Music Corp. ASCAP) and famously performed in the film by The Righteous Brothers. Illusions are created by famous stage and film illusionist Paul Kieve (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Matilda the Musical).

Set in modern day New York City, GHOST - THE MUSICAL is a timeless fantasy about the power of love. Walking back to their apartment one night after a romantic dinner, Sam and Molly are mugged, leaving Sam dead on a dark street. Sam is trapped as a ghost between this world and the next and unable to leave Molly, who he learns is in grave danger. With the help of a phony storefront psychic, Sam tries to communicate with Molly in the hopes of saving and protecting her.

Employing special effects never before seen in an on-stage musical, GHOST - THE MUSICAL features illusions that continually leave audiences astonished and questioning if what they just saw was real. Sam, as a ghost, walks through a solid door. Inanimate objects take on a life of their own. Spirits ascend to the heavens, subway passengers are thrown in the air during a high speed train ride and people disappear and reappear right before your eyes.

GHOST - THE MUSICAL has been enjoyed by more than one million people worldwide and has been nominated for numerous awards including five Olivier Awards and three Tony Awards. The Associated Press calls GHOST - THE MUSICAL "eye-poppingly brilliant" while Variety assures the audience will experience "a limitless array of dazzling effects." Newsday promises that GHOST - THE MUSICAL is "unlike anything seen on stage before" and the Daily Telegraph says that Ghost The Musical "will keep you gasping!"

GHOST - THE MUSICAL is produced by Troika Entertainment and Michael Coppel in association with Hilary Williams, Margot Astrachan Production/Dennis Grimaldi Productions/Paul Lucas Productions/Robert Sher and Paramount Pictures. Casting for the U.S. national tour of GHOST - THE MUSICAL provided by Joy Dewing CSA, Joy Dewing Casting.

Original Broadway production produced by Colin Ingram, Hello Entertainment/David Garfinkle, Donavan Mannato, MJE Productions, Patricia Lambrecht and Adam Silberman in association with Paramount Pictures.

Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Film in 1990, Ghost became a blockbuster hit and an instant
classic, winning numerous awards worldwide. The film starred Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, Tony
Goldwyn and Whoopi Goldberg and was directed by Jerry Zucker. Bruce Joel Rubin's script won an
Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, and Whoopi Goldberg won the Academy Award for Best
Actress in a Supporting Role for her portrayal of psychic Oda Mae Brown.

STEVEN GRANT DOUGLAS (Sam Wheat) is elated to be making his national tour debut. Regional: Rent (Roger), Avenue Q (Princeton) and Aida (Radames u/s). B.F.A. Musical Theatre, University of Minnesota Duluth.

KATIE POSTOTNIK (Molly Jensen) is originally from Greendale, Wisconsin. She's thrilled to be playing Molly! National tour: Rock of Ages (Regina). New York: WOWS. Regional: All Shook Up, The Wedding Singer and MTW.

CARLA R. STEWART (Oda Mae Brown) is overjoyed to grace the stage. She's from the Windy City, Chicago, and an AMDA NY alum. Credits: Ain't Misbehavin', Rent, Grease, Hairspray and The Wiz.

ROBBY HALTIWANGER (Carl Bruner) is thrilled to be part of this production! He is a recent graduate of Wagner College. Favorite credits include: Rent (Roger), The Who's Tommy (Tommy), Fiddler on the Roof (Perchik), Jesus Christ Superstar (Jesus) and All Shook Up (Chad).

Segerstrom Center for the Arts applauds Kia, Official Automotive Partner of the Center and United Airlines, Official Airline of the Center. Time Warner is the Media Partner of the Broadway and CurtainCall Series.

Photo Credit: Joan Marcus