Full Cast Announced for HELLO! MY BABY at Goodspeed

Goodspeed Musicals is re-imagining favorite Tin Pan Alley tunes with the new-fashioned musical comedy Hello! My Baby. The show from Goodspeed's 2011 Festival of New Artists will run from November 3 through 27, 2011 at The Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, Conn., Goodspeed's home for developing new works.

This new-fashioned musical reboots the greatest hits of Berlin, Gershwin, Kern and more. When Tin Pan Alley's teen King of the Song-Pluggers falls for a factory girls who's a musical demon, it's a recipe for comic romance as they sing and dance their way through class struggles, street gangs, debutante balls and a whole lot of ukuleles. Say "Hello!" to a brand new, all-American musical valentine for all ages!

Hello! My Baby features dozens of songs including "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows," "Alice Blue Gown," "Ain't We Got Fun," "A Good Man Is Hard To Find," "You Made Me Love You," "My Buddy," "Stairway To Paradise," "Hello! My Baby" and plenty more by your favorite American songwriting masters!

Hello! My Baby is conceived and written by eight-time Emmy Award winner Cheri Steinkellner. Ms. Steinkellner also wrote new lyrics for the show. She wrote and produced the hit television series "Cheers" and Disney's acclaimed animated series/feature film "Teacher's Pet." Her other television writing credits include "The Jeffersons," "Who's the Boss," "The Facts of Life," and "Family Ties." Ms. Steinkellner wrote the book for the current Broadway and West End hit Sister Act and for Goodspeed's Princesses at The Norma Terris Theatre. New music and arrangements are by Georgia Stitt whose musicals include Big Red Sun (winner of the Harold Arlen Award in 2005), The Water (Winner of the 2008 ANMT "Search for New Voices in American Musical Theatre"), Sing Me a Happy Song, and Mosaic (written with Cheri Steinkellner). Her songs are showcased on the albums of Susan Egan, Lauren Kennedy, Stuart Matthew Price and many others. Ms. Stitt also acted as Music Director for Goodspeed's The Baker's Wife at The Norma Terris Theatre.

Goodspeed Musicals, the first two-time Tony Award winning theatre in the country has announced that the cast of Hello! My Baby will be led by Justin Bowen, who will play Mickey McKee, and Stephanie Koenig, who will play Nelly Gold/Ned O'Reilly. Kelly McCormick will play Frances Gold. Junior Tierney will be played by Carrington Vilmont of Broadway's The Phantom of the Opera and Goodspeed's Half a Sixpence. Stanford J. Tierney will be played by Dick Decareau, who appeared in Broadway's Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Raggedy Ann and Goodspeed's Li'l Abner and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Beth McVey will play Ethel Coots. Ms. McVey's Broadway credits include Beauty and the Beast, The Phantom of the Opera, Nine, 42nd Street, and Annie. Bert Coots will be played by Frank Root of Broadway's 42nd Street and Mack & Mabel as well as Goodspeed's George M!. Alex Viola will play Violet Gold.

The ensemble includes Jessica Azenberg, Matthew A. Bauman as Albie Coots, Catherine Blades as Alice (Broadway's Bye Bye Birdie). Zak Edwards, Michael Mendez as Kid Vicious, Clinton Roane as Noble T. Jones (Broadway's The Scottsboro Boys), Allie Schauer as Marie (Goodspeed's Radio Girl at The Norma Terris Theatre), Jeremy Sevelovitz as Johnny, Ashley Wallace, and Michael Warrell as Dickie the Duck.

Hello! My Baby will be directed by Ray Roderick, whose creative vision led such Goodspeed favorites as My One and Only, 42nd Street, and Singin' in the Rain. Mr. Roderick served as the Associate Director of the 2000 Broadway revival of The Music Man as well as Co-conceived, Directed, and Choreographed the National Tour of Irving Berlin's I Love A Piano. Choreography will be by Kelli Barclay, who choreographed Goodspeed's tap-dance spectacular My One and Only and How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying. Ms. Barclay's Broadway credits include Assistant Choreographer on the revival of 42nd Street and Associate Choreographer of Irving Berlin's White Christmas.

The set will be designed by Michael Schweikardt, whose Goodspeed credits include the scenic masterpiece Show Boat, Irving Berlin's Annie Get Your Gun, Camelot, Big River, and 1776. Costumes will be designed by Robin L. McGee, who was the costume designer for Goodspeed's My One and Only and Broadway's As Long As We Both Shall Laugh. Lighting design will be by John Lasiter, who served as Lighting Designer for Goodspeed's City of Angels, Show Boat, Irving Berlin's Annie Get Your Gun, Camelot, Big River, and 1776 as well as Broadway's High and A Grand Night for Singing. Sound design will be by Jay Hilton, who is in his 26th season at Goodspeed. The Music Director will be Steve Saari.

Hello! My Baby will be produced for Goodspeed Musicals by Michael P. Price. Hello! My Baby will run November 3 through 27, 2011. Curtain times are Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Thursday at 7:30 p.m.*, Friday at 8:00 p.m., Saturday at 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. (*Thurs. 8 pm only on November 3rd).

Thanksgiving week performances will take place on Monday, November 21, at 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm; Friday, November 25, at 2:00 pm and 8:00 pm; Saturday, November 26, at 3:00 pm and 8:00 pm; and Sunday, November 27, at 2:00 pm and 6:30 pm (Final Performance). Collection bins will be placed in the main lobby during the final week of performances.

Tickets are available through the Box Office (860.873.8668), open seven days a week, or on-line at www.goodspeed.org.

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