Signature's 'The Visit' Receives Star-Studded NYC Reading Feb.19

Signature Theatre will present a closed reading of The Visit on Tuesday, February 19 in New York City.  The East Coast premiere of The Visit will be one of three mainstage works presented as a part of Signature's four-month celebration of the songwriting team of John Kander & Fred Ebb.

The Visit is a new musical based on Friedrich Dürrenmatt's original play, one of the great works of the 20th century, and features music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb and book by Terrence McNally.  The production will be choreographed by Ann Reinking and directed by Frank Galati.

Signature's February 19 reading of The Visit will star Chita Rivera (Claire) and George Hearn (Anton), with Mark Jacoby (Mayor), Jayne Houdyshell (Matilda), Florence Lacey (Mayor's Wife), Jason Danieley (Schoolmaster), David Garrison (Doc), David Cryer (Rudi), Manoel Felciano (Karl), Megan McGinnis (Ottilie), Roy Bean (Jacob- Eunuch), David Sabella-Mills (Louis- Eunuch), Aaron Lazar (Young Anton), Lorin Latarro (Young Claire), Matt Farnsworth (Lenny), James Clow (Priest/Evgeny), Brian O'Brien (Benny), Hal Robinson (Policeman), Patty Goble (Ensemble), Sally Wilfert (Ensemble) and Betsy Wolfe (Ensemble).

The reading will feature two new songs by John Kander and additional new material.

Two-time Tony Award winners Chita Rivera and George Hearn will star in Signature's production of The Visit, along with Mark Jacoby.  Additional Cast members will be announced in coming weeks.  The production will play Tuesday, May 13 through Sunday, June 22 on Signature's MAX stage in Arlington, VA.

"Claire Zachanassian (Chita Rivera) was driven from her hometown in disgrace when she was 17, having been betrayed by her lover (George Hearn). Several decades and seven husbands later, Zachanassian has become the richest woman in the world, yet her hometown has fallen on hard times. When Zachanassian returns with an offer to save the town, salvation comes with an outrageous price tag," describe press notes.

The Visit will feature set design by Derek McLane, costume design by Susan Hilferty, and lighting design by Howell Binkley.

Signature Theatre's Kander & Ebb Celebration is the highlight of the Theatre's spring 2008 season. The festival is a four-month celebration of the works of the great Broadway songwriting team of John Kander & Fred Ebb.  Kander and Ebb were the longest-running songwriting partnership in Broadway musical history, working together from 1965 until Ebb's death in 2004.

The Kander & Ebb Celebration also features the Tony Award winning Kiss of the Spider Woman starring Will Chase, Natascia Diaz and Hunter Foster in a production directed by Eric Schaeffer (March 11- April 20) and the rarely performed The Happy Time (April 1 – June 1) with George Dvorsky, David Margulies and Michael Minarik in a production directed by Michael Unger.

 Signature Theatre is just 10 minutes from downtown Washington, DC in Arlington's Shirlington Village.  The new theater complex is located at 4200 Campbell Avenue (22206), just off I-395 at the Shirlington exit.  For directions visit www.signature-theatre.org. Free parking is available in the adjacent public garage.