Seattle Musical Theatre to Present SWEET CHARITY

Seattle Musical Theatre invites Seattle to spend Valentine's month with SWEET CHARITY, the girl who wants to be loved. This Tony Award-winning musical follows the titular broad as she sings, dances, laughs, and cries her way through the harsh reality of Times Square, searching for The One. Even amongst a colorful array of characters, including her cynical trio of streetwise girlfriends, a phony evangelist, a list of unreliable suitors, the unflappable Charity knows in her heart that there's gotta be something better than this.

With a witty and energetic book by Neil Simon, music by Cy Coleman and lyrics by Dorothy Fields, this quirky romance includes musical theatre favorites Big Spender, If My Friends Could See Me Now, Too Many Tomorrows, There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This, I'm a Brass Band, and Baby, Dream Your Dream. Directed and choreographed by Harry Turpin. Music Direction by Michael Nutting. SWEET CHARITY runs February 13-March 1, 2015 at Seattle Musical Theatre at Magnuson Park. Tickets ($20-$35) are available at www.seattlemusicaltheatre.org or by calling 1-800-838-3006.

SMT is thrilled to welcome back award-winning Director and Choreographer Harry Turpin (The Who's TOMMY and Pajama Game). Turpin has also worked as a choreographer for Anything Goes, Hello Dolly, Twas The Night, City of Angels, The Wiz, Gifts of the Magi, The Pajama Game, Grease, Guys and Dolls, West Side Story, and several productions of Bye, Bye, Birdie--with his production at Holy Names Academy receiving a nomination for best Choreography by the 5th Avenue Theatre Spotlight Awards. Turpin recently won the 2014 BroadwayWorld Seattle Regional Award for his direction and choreography for The Who's TOMMY.

Music Director Michael Nutting (A Christmas Carol and I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change) has worked at Village Theatre and The 5th Avenue. He earned his Bachelors in Piano Performance and Music history at Western Washington University. Upon graduation, he moved to Seattle to pursue his career in the arts and is keeping busy directing musicals, music directing, teaching piano, accompanying, composing, and arranging.

SWEET CHARITY's creative team also includes light and sound design by Caleb Dietzel, sets by Phillip Lienau, props by Stacie Hart, and costumes by John Allbritton.

Seattle Musical Theatre veteran Megan Tyrell, last seen in Young Frankenstein at SMT as Victor's repressed fiance Elizabeth, will take on the titular role. Other credits include Big River and The Producers (Village Theatre, swing), Chicago (SSR), Melancholy Play (StageRight), Brighton Beach Memoirs (Capital Playhouse), Stardust (Harlequin Productions), Quake, Electra, Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, Tartuffe (UofI).

Doug Fahl, recently seen in The Who's TOMMY at SMT, plays Oscar, Charity's nebbishy love interest. A veteran of the stage, Fahl has performed as an actor, singer, and dancer in over 60 theatrical productions. He has acted professionally in Salt Lake City and Seattle for over 25 years, with such theaters as Seattle Repertory Theater; Village Theater; Seattle Musical Theater; ArtsWest Theater; Annex Theater; Pioneer Theater Company; Sundance Theater; Salt Lake Acting Company and more.

Tyrrell and Fahl will be joined by Stephanie Graham as Carmen, Roxanne De Vito as Helene, Larissa Schmitz as Nickie, Curtis Jacobson as Herman, Matthew Lawrence as Vittorio Vidal, Amberlee Williams as Rosie, Marissa Ryder as Ursula, Evan Woltz as Daddy. The cast also includes Angelica Barksdale, Tristan Caruthers, Phineas Clark, Brian Culbertson, Sara Henley-Hicks, Britt Hobson, Jelani Kee, Anthony Pallozzi, and Angela Snyder.

SMT's season concludes with A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM directed by Vince Brady, music direction by Joel Kurzynski, playing April 10-26, 2015.

The mission of Seattle Musical Theatre is to engage and entertain the community by producing new and traditional musicals. The theater nurtures local talent by providing training and artistic development opportunities for children, youth, and adults from all walks of life. SMT's vision is to enrich the entertainment and educational value of live theater in the Northwest region; provide a premiere environment for nurturing artistic and technical talent; and develop the Magnuson Park theater facility as a key cultural resource for civic, arts, and other community organizations. SMT at all times will strive to demonstrate and inspire these values among the Board of Directors, staff, artists, volunteers, patrons, and donors.