Loretta Devine Replaces Jennifer Holliday in New York City Center's PAL JOEY

New York City Center today announced casting updates for the Annual Gala Presentation Pal Joey. Joining the cast are Loretta Devine as nightclub owner Lucille Wallace and Jeb Brown as Tony, the gangster who’s caught her eye. Jennifer Holliday, previously announced in the role of Lucille, is no longer able to appear due to scheduling conflicts. The production opens with a benefit performance on November 1 (through 5), celebrating 80 years at the center or the arts, followed by a gala dinner at the Ziegfeld Ballroom.

In this new production, reconceived by co-director and choreographer Savion Glover and director Tony Goldwyn, the character of Joey undergoes a complete transformation. Played by Ephraim Sykes (Ain’t Too Proud), Joey Evans is a Black jazz singer who refuses to compromise on his craft as he struggles to make it big on the Chicago nightclub circuit. With a new book by Richard LaGravenese and Daniel “Koa” Beaty, the production reimagines Linda English (Aisha Jackson) as a radio chanteuse trying to find her authentic voice, and Vera Simpson (Elizabeth Stanley) as a liberated white socialite following her passions. Rodgers and Hart classics like “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered” and “I Could Write a Book” are joined by gems like “My Heart Stood Still” and “The Lady is a Tramp,” which shine with sexy wit and powerful new subtext.

Funds raised by all seven performances help to ensure the future of City Center’s founding mission: to provide all New Yorkers affordable access to world-class performing arts. Tickets from $35 can be purchased online at NYCityCenter.org, by calling 212.581.1212, or in person at the City Center Box Office. Gala packages for the opening performance on Wednesday, November 1 at 6pm, which include dinner and dancing at the Ziegfeld Ballroom, start at $2,500. For additional details, contact SpecialEvents@NYCityCenter.org. New York City Center is located at 131 W 55th St between Sixth and Seventh avenues.

About:

NEW YORK CITY CENTER (Michael S. Rosenberg, President & CEO) has played a defining role in the cultural life of the city since 1943. The distinctive Neo-Moorish building was founded by Mayor Fiorello La Guardia as Manhattan’s first performing arts center with the mission of making the best in theater, dance, and music accessible to all audiences. This commitment continues today through celebrated dance and musical theater series like the Fall for Dance Festival and the Tony-honored Encores! series; the annual season by Principal Dance Company Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater; and new dance series Artists at the Center. City Center welcomes audiences to experience internationally acclaimed artists including Kyle Abraham, Matthew Bourne, Ayodele Casel, Manhattan Theatre Club, Nederlands Dans Theater, and Twyla Tharp, on the same stage where legends made their mark. Dedicated to a culture built on the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion, City Center’s dynamic programming, art exhibitions, and studio events are complemented by education and community engagement programs that bring the performing arts to thousands of New York City students, teachers, and families every year, in all five boroughs.

 

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