Hearn Led CAMELOT Concert to Open Ravinia's 2009 Season

The Chicago Sun Times is reporting that the Ravinia Festival in Highland Park is expected to announce today that it will open its 2009 season with a new, "staged concert" version of Alan J. Lerner and Frederick Loewe's classic Arthurian musical "Camelot," with George Hearn, Sylvia McNair and Rod Gilfry in the lead roles. 

This will be the first time that Broadway star and Ravinia regular Hearn has played the role of King Arthur-in a tuneful show that has become widely associated with President John F. Kennedy's administration. Director Marc Robin will helm the new semi-staged production, which will be accompanied by the large Ravinia Festival Orchestra under Erich Kunzel's baton explains the Chicago paper.

The paper reports the concert will be a one-night-only performance June 5, "Camelot" and will reunite many of those involved in Ravinia's 2007 staging of "The Most Happy Fella".

A staged concert of The Most Happy Fella starring Hearn was among the highlights of the 2007 season.  "Based on Sidney Howard's 1924 play They Knew What They Wanted, Loesser's The Most Happy Fella revolves around the complications that arise when Tony, an aging Italian vineyard owner, proposes by mail to Rosabella, a young waitress who once served him in a San Francisco restaurant. Rosabella has no recollection of Tony, but accepts his proposal, largely because he has sent her a picture of Joe, his handsome ranch hand," as press notes state.

Tony Award-winner George Hearn, who won acclaim in Ravinia's productions of Sweeney Todd and A Little Night Music will return to the festival to play Arthur for the first time. Hearn is fresh from his performance as the Wizard in the Broadway production of Wicked. He was also seen at Ravinia performing during the festival's centennial season-ending concert "Carousel of the Animals" along with McNair. He last appeared at Ravinina in the leading role of 'Joe' in The Most Happy Fella.

Visit www.ravinia.org for more information.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.

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