Danny Rutigliano and More Star in Goodspeed's THE FABULOUS LIPITONES, Beg. Tonight

Goodspeed Musicals, the first two-time Tony Award winning theatre in the country, is happy to present The Fabulous Lipitones, a new musical about a not-so-traditional barbershop quartet. This engaging musical comedy will run from tonight, May 9 to June 2 at The Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, Conn., Goodspeed's home for developing new works.

What happens when a barbershop quartet who's been belting out close harmonies for twenty years loses a key member to a heart-stopping high "C"? The three surviving members must cease their bickering and race to find a replacement in time for Nationals. Excitement is high when they find someone, BUT he's nowhere near what they expected. You won't want to miss this hilarious and moving story of friendship, prejudice and the power of song.

The Fabulous Lipitones, a comedy about what happens when white bread meets tandoori, is by Emmy-winning writer John Markus, head writer for The Cosby Show and writer/producer of The Larry Sanders Show, and award-winning playwright Mark St. Germain, author of the hit show Freud's Last Session as well as Camping With Henry And Tom and the musical Stand By Your Man: The Tammy Wynette Story which was a Goodspeed audience favorite at The Norma Terris Theatre.

This production will feature Danny Rutigliano playing Phil Rizzardi. Mr. Rutigliano appeared both on Broadway and in the LA cast of The Lion King, and in the National Tour of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Howard Dunphy will be played by D.C. Anderson who appeared in Broadway and touring productions of Phantom of the Opera and in the National Tour of Pippin. Wally Smith will be played by Wally Dunn of Broadway's Gypsy and the National Tours of All Shook Up and West Side Story. Baba "Bob" Mati Das will be played by Rohan Kymal who has appeared in All The Rats and Rags at 3LD/Joe'sPub and in the Caldwell Theatre production of Hair.

The Fabulous Lipitones will be directed by Gordon Greenberg, who has directed numerous Goodspeed Opera House productions including Happy Days, Half a Sixpence and Pirates of Penzance, and directed Band Geeks! and The Baker's Wife at The Norma Terris Theatre. Choreography will be by Connor Gallagher whose credits include the national tour of Elf and numerous other musicals at regional theatres across the country.

The Set Design will be by Brian Prather whose New York credits include designs for Playwrights Horizons, The Hangar Theatre, 59E 59th and The Kitchen Theatre. In addition, Mr Prather has designed numerous shows for Barrington Stage Company and TheaterWorks Hartford. Costumes will be designed by Gregory Gale. His recent Broadway credits include Rock of Ages, The Wedding Singer and Urinetown. Mr. Gale's designs for Goodspeed include How to Succeed..., High Button Shoes, and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Lighting Design will be by Jeff Croiter and Cory Pattak. A recent Tony Award-winner for Peter and the Starcatcher, Jeff Croiter's other Broadway credits include the new production of Jekyll and Hyde and Newsies. His Goodspeed credits include Me and My Girl, Pirates of Penzance and Happy Days at the Goodspeed Opera House and Camille Claudel, The Baker's Wife and Band Geeks! among others at The Norma Terris Theatre. Mr. Pattack's Goodspeed credits include How to Succeed... and Band Geeks!. Projection Design will be by Michael Clark who has designed over a dozen Broadway shows including the Current Productions of Breakfast at Tiffany's, Annie, and Jersey Boys. Mr. Clark recently designed the projections for the Goodspeed Opera House production of My One And Only. Music Direction will be Dan Pardo. Sound Design will be by Jay Hilton who is in his 28th season at Goodspeed.

The Fabulous Lipitones will be produced for Goodspeed Musicals by Michael Price.

The Fabulous Lipitones will run tonight, May 9 - June 2, 2013. Curtain times are Wednesdays at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m, Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. (*Thurs. 8 pm only on May 9th), Fridays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
Tickets are available through the Box Office (860.873.8668), open seven days a week, or on-line at www.goodspeed.org. For show highlights, exclusive photos, special events, and more visit us at goodspeed.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

Dedicated to the preservation and advancement of musical theatre, Goodspeed Musicals produces three musicals each season at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Conn., and additional works at The Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, Conn., which was opened in 1984 for the development of new musicals. The first regional theatre to receive two Tony Awards (for outstanding achievement), Goodspeed celebrates another milestone, its 50th Anniversary, in 2013. In addition to the two theatres and production facilities, Goodspeed maintains The Scherer Library of Musical Theatre and The Max Showalter Center for Education in Musical Theatre. Goodspeed gratefully acknowledges the Marquee Sponsors for this production, Rich Cersosimo and Valerie Koif, as well as the ongoing support of Sennheiser, the Official Audio Sponsor and the Department of Economic and Community Development with support from the Connecticut Office of the Arts.

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