Orfeh, Karl & Kushnier to See 'Bright Lights' in Philly

Orfeh, Andy Karl and Jeremy Kushnier are set to headline Prince Music Theatre's production of Paul Scott Goodman's pop musical Bright Lights, Big City from June 14th through July 2nd.  The show will open on June 17th.

The Philadelphia staging of the rock musical will be directed by Stafford Arima (Altar Boyz) with choreography by Andrew Palermo.  Orfeh (The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Footloose, Saturday Night Fever) will play Clara, Karl (Altar Boyz, Slut, Saturday Night Fever), who is married to Orfeh, will play Tad and Kushnier will take on the lead role of Jamie (Footloose, Rent, Aida tour).  They will be joined by Kelli Barrett as Amanda, Marian Murphy as Mom, Jonathan Shade as Michael, Julie Toliver as Vicky, as well as Don Daniels, Alex Keiper, Christopher de Prophetis and Alyse Wojciechowski.

Based on the much-praised novel by Jay McInerney, the show is set in 1984. "Fresh off the bus from Kansas, Jamie works as a fact-checker for a major New York magazine. His wife, a fast-rising super-model, just left him; he's still reeling from the death of his mother a year earlier. He plunges into a New York night life of partying, drinking, and drugs with his glib best friend, and as a result he's on the verge of getting fired," according to the theatre's website. "A uniquely moving and touching coming-of-age story, Bright Lights, Big City is set against the backdrop of the excessive yet glossy chaos of the 1980's. "

The score of Bright Lights, Big City is preserved on a studio cast recording that features Patrick Wilson, Sherie Rene Scott, Jesse L. Martin, Christine Ebersole, Gavin Creel, Eden Espinosa, Celia Keenan-Bolger and others. Based on a concert version presented as part of the Guggenheim Museum's Works and Process series, it is available on Sh-K-Boom Records. Kurt Deutsch, the founder of the record label, directed. The musical, which features book, lyrics and music by Goodman, was first seen at the New York Theatre Workshop, where it was directed by Michael Greif (Rent).

A 1988 film version of Bright Lights, Big City, with a screenplay by McInerney, featured Michael J. Fox, Kiefer Sutherland, Phoebe Cates, Swoosie Kurtz and others.

Visit www.princemusictheatre.org for more information.