Front Row Centre Theatre News: THE BOY FRIEND

Sandy Wilson'S THE BOY FRIEND,
Directed by Julie Andrews,
Plays a Limited Engagement at THE ROYAL ALEXANDRA THEATRE,
JANUARY 10 - FEBRUARY 18, 2006

David and Ed Mirviish are pleased to announce Sandy Wilson's THE BOY FRIEND, directed by Oscar and Emmy Award-winner Julie Andrews, will play a strictly limited engagement at Toronto's Royal Alexandra Theatre, January 10 - February 18, 2006.  

Having made its Broadway debut in 1954 with Andrews as its star, THE BOY FRIEND is a loving spoof of 1920s musical comedies.  Amidst happy flappers and perfect young ladies, romance blooms on the French Riviera as an English heiress suddenly falls for the delivery boy and professes her love at the Grand Ball.  This delightful comedy sparkles and will leave you floating on air with the memorable songs "Won't You Charleston with Me?," and "It's Never Too Late to Fall in Love" .  THE BOY FRIEND is something the whole family will enjoy.

THE BOY FRIEND has book, music and lyrics by Sandy Wilson.  His songs were featured in Broadway's The American Dance Machine, while his other credits include London's The Buccaneer, Valmouth, Call It Love, Divorce Me, Darling! and Aladdin.

Most recognized for her role as Maria in "The Sound of Music" and the title role in "Mary Poppins," Julie Andrews made her Broadway debut in The Boy Friend.  She originally created this version of The Boy Friend for the Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor, New York in August 2003.   Choreography is by John DeLuca, Broadway's Minnelli on Minnelli, Chita and All That Jazz featuring Chita Rivera and the national tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Music of the Night.

Bethe Austin will play Hortense.  Ms. Austin won a Barrymore Award for Best Supporting Actress as Katy in Texas Flyer; the role of Percival Browne will be portrayed by Paul Carlin; Andrea Chamberlain will perform the role of Maisie, Broadway's revival of Little Me; Drew Eshelman will play Lord Brockhurst, Broadway's Les Miserables, along with its first national tour; the role of Bobby Van Husen will be performed by Rick Faugno, Broadway's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Wonderful Town, Conversations with My Father and The Will Rogers Follies; Jessica Grove will perform the role of Polly Browne, she was seen in Broadway's Thoroughly Modern Millie and Les Miserables and received a Jefferson nomination for her role as Dorothy in Radio City Entertainment's The Wizard of Oz; Nancy Hess will portray Madame Dubonnet.  Her Broadway credits include Chicago, Company, Kiss of the Spider Woman, The Goodbye Girl, Jerome Robbins' Broadway and Me and My Girl; the role of Tony will be portrayed by Sean Palmer.  He was seen on Broadway in Saturday Night Fever, Fosse and Dream; the role of Lady Brockhurst will be portrayed by Darcy Pulliam, seen on Broadway in Show Boat (revival) and Anna Karenina.                                                                       

Scenic and costume design is by Oscar, Emmy and Tony Award-winning Tony Walton, whose many Broadway designs include the recent revivals of Our Town, I'm Not Rappaport, The Man Who Came to Dinner and Annie Get Your Gun with Kelly Hanson, as associate scenic designer and Rachel Navarro as co-costume designer.  Lighting designed by Richard Pilbrow, Broadway's Our Town (Revival), The Life, Show Boat (Revival), Tango Passion and Dawn Chiang, Broadway's The Life, Show Boat (Revival), Tango Passion, La Cage aux Folles.  Musical supervisor for the national tour of The Boy Friend is Michael O'Flaherty, Goodspeed Musicals' Resident Music Director.  F. Wade Russo, Broadway's By Jeeves is music director / conductor.  Gregory M. Brown is assistant music director with orchestrations by Dan DeLange.  

THE BOY FRIEND began July 8, 2005 at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Connecticut and is produced for Goodspeed Musicals by Michael P. Price.

Sandy Wilson's THE BOY FRIEND
directed by Julie Andrews
Performances begin January 10 - February 18, 2006
at the Royal Alexandra Theatre, 260 King Street West
Tickets are $30.00 - $94.00
 and are available on-line at www.mirvish.com
or by calling TicketKing at 416-872-1212 or 1-800-461-3333
and
Groups call 416-593-4142 or 1-800-724-6420

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