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Judy Kaye, Betsy Wolfe, Wesley Taylor and More Join TALES OF THE CITY Musical Streaming Event

The event will also feature Mary Birdsong, Manoel Felciano, and Josh Breckenridge.

By: Jun. 01, 2021
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Judy Kaye, Betsy Wolfe, Wesley Taylor and More Join TALES OF THE CITY Musical Streaming Event  Image

A.C.T. will present a special online screening of the record-breaking musical, Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City, The Musical.

Celebrating the 10th anniversary of its world premiere, Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City, The Musical will stream on Broadway On Demand's National Theater Network during San Francisco Pride Week for one week only-June 21-27, 2021.

Seen for the first time in its entirety, the fully-staged production-captured during its original 2011 run with multiple cameras before a live audience-features a cast of 21, including Tony Award winner Judy Kaye (Mamma Mia!, The Phantom of the Opera), Betsy Wolfe (Waitress, Falsettos), Wesley Taylor (Rock of Ages, SpongeBob SquarePants), Mary Birdsong ("The Descendants," "Reno 911!"), Tony Award nominee Manoel Felciano (To Kill a Mockingbird, Sweeney Todd), and Josh Breckenridge (Come From Away, Scottsboro Boys). Rounding out the cast are (in alphabetical order): Keith A. Bearden, Jessica Coker, Kristoffer Cusick, Diane J. Findlay, Alex Hsu, Kimberly Jensen, Patrick Lane, Stuart Marland, Jeff McLean, Kathleen Elizabeth Monteleone, Pamela Myers, Richard Poe, Julie Reiber, Andrew Samonsky, and Josh Walden.

On the bustling streets of 1970s San Francisco, neon lights pierce through the fog-drenched skies, disco music explodes from crowded nightclubs, and a wide- eyed Midwestern girl finds a new home-and creates a new kind of family-with the characters at 28 Barbary Lane. Over three decades after Armistead Maupin mesmerized millions with his daily column in the city's newspapers, detailing the lives and (multiple) loves of Mary Ann, Mouse, Mona, Brian, and their beloved but mysterious landlady Mrs. Madrigal, his iconic San Francisco saga came to life as a momentous new musical at A.C.T.'s Geary Theater. With a libretto by Tony Award winner Jeff Whitty (Avenue Q), music and lyrics by the Scissor Sisters's Jake Shears and John Garden, choreography by Larry Keigwin, and direction by Jason Moore (The Cher Show, "Pitch Perfect"), the show opened in June 2011 to critical and audience acclaim and became the highest-grossing musical production in A.C.T.'s history. Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City, The Musical is based on the first two novels in Armistead Maupin's series-Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City and More Tales of the City.


In addition to the online screening, A.C.T. is filming a special conversation with Pam MacKinnon and Tony Award nominee Mx. Justin Vivian Bond-who made history as the first actor who identifies as transgender to play a trans character on Broadway during the one-night-only 2017 benefit concert of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City, The Musical in the role of Mrs. Madrigal. The discussion will be free and available to ticket holders. The conversation will discuss the changes in casting over the past 10 years and highlight the importance of representation and diversity in theater.

"As San Francisco returns and we celebrate Pride anew this month, I'm thrilled to have A.C.T.'s beloved musical and Armistead Maupin's characters be part of the celebration," said MacKinnon. "This is a show that deserved a longer life. We're grateful to have this simple but beautiful archival capture that represents the city, where we were, and who we can be."

The creative team for Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City, The Musical includes Douglas W. Schmidt (Set Design), Beaver Bauer (Costume Design), Robert Wierzel (Lighting Design), John Shivers (Sound Design), Bruce Coughlin (Orchestrations), Carmel Dean (Music Supervisor), Stephen Oremus and Carmel Dean (Arrangements), Cian McCarthy (Music Director), Travis Greisler (Assistant Director) Ashley Browne (Assistant Choreographer), and David Caparelliotis (Casting).

Tickets ($19, $29, $49) are available now by visiting www.act-sf.org/tales or calling 415-749-2228. The $19 "Mary Ann" tickets give access to a 48-hour viewing window. Those purchasing the $29 "Household" tickets will, in addition to the viewing window, receive a digital download of the original show poster, while those purchasing the $49 "Pride Party" tickets will receive a digital download of the original show poster autographed by the cast and creative team.




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