Closer Than Ever Opens Off-Broadway on Aug.5

By: BWW News Desk Jul. 28, 2005

A new production of the Richard Maltby Jr. and David Shire revue Closer Than Ever will open in New York on August 5th; it will run through August 22nd at Dillon's Theater (245 W. 54th Street).

Produced and directed by J. William Bruce (for the second year in a row), the show is a Halfway Home Production (of which Bruce is the artistic director); it will feature musical direction by Bill Lewis. Closer Than Ever is "a musical revue about life, love, sex and those unexpected events that somehow touch everyone's life." Closer Than Ever, which followed up Maltby and Shire's Starting Here, Starting Now, originally opened at the Cherry Lane Theatre on October 17th, 1989; Brent Barrett, Richard Muenz, Lynne Wintersteller and Sally Mayes comprised the original cast.

Ryan Hunt, Christopher Schraufnagel, Ariana Shore and Erin Kukla will star in the Dillon's Theater production. Hunt's most recent credits include Carousel, Into The Woods and The Pirates of Penzance, (for which he was nominated for a New Hampshire Theatre Award for Best Actor) and Street Scene. Schraufnagel's New York credits include Tess’ Last Night (NY Fringe Festival), Lacerations (Lincoln Center Directors lab), and he has also appeared in Jesus Christ Superstar and Company.

Shore recently played Meg in Merrily We Roll Along at the Gene Frankel Theatre, and additional credits include The Frogs, Hello Dolly!, and Noises Off . Kukla's credits include the recent European tour of Tommy as well as Book Ends (a musical workshop), West Side Story, Smile and Pippin.

Closer Than Ever's performance schedule is Friday at 8 PM, Sunday at 7 PM and Monday at 7 PM. Tickets are $20 with a $10 food/drink minimum, and $10 with a $10 food/drink minimum for students and seniors; they can be ordered online at www.theatermania.com, or by calling (212) 352-3101 or 1-866-811-4111.


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