Hartt Presents ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY, Opening 3/14

It's a delightful ride on the Twentieth Century Limited luxury liner, as a down-and-out Broadway producer pulls out all the stops to convince his former muse and lover, now a successful film actress, to return to Broadway in his new play. Her temperament, not to mention a jealous new lover and a religious fanatic along for the ride, make for lunacy on the rails. Don't miss this delectable musical comedy, On the Twentieth Century, Thursday through Saturday, March 14-16, at 7:30 PM, and Sunday, March 17, at 3:00 PM, in Millard Auditorium, University of Hartford, 200 Bloomfield Avenue, West Hartford, CT. Admission is $20, with discounts for students, seniors, and groups. Please call the University Box Office at 860.768.4228 or 800.274.8587 or visit www.hartford.edu/hartt for tickets and information.

Directed by Robert Davis, with music direction by Michael Morris and choreography by Darlene Zoller, On the Twentieth Century features music by Cy Coleman, and book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, who later paired with Coleman on The Will Rogers Follies. Coleman is best known for his work (with Dorothy Fields) on the beloved musical Sweet Charity, ("If My Friends Could See Me Now," "Big Spender," and "I'm a Brass Band"). Comden and Green found success in both stage (Wonderful Town, Bells are Ringing, Applause) and screen (Singin' in the Rain).

Based on the plays by Ben Hecht, Charles McArthur, and Bruce Milholland, the Broadway production was directed by Harold Prince, and was produced for the Broadway Stage by Robert Fryer, Mary Lea Johnson, James Cresson, and Martin Richards. On the Twentieth Century is presented by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc.

Hartt's cast is lead by Zach Bencal as Oscar Jaffe; Katie Sarno as Lily Garland; Lars Lee as Bruce Granit; Alexandra Bartley as Letitia Peabody Primrose; Alex Domini as Oliver Webb; Kristina Wilson as Imdelda Thornton; Jason Long as Owen O'Malley; Courtney Rada as Agnes/Ensemble; Steven Gant as Conductor/Ensemble; Zoe Stephens-North as Emily/Ensemble; Julian Sarria as Max Jacobs/Ensemble; Jenny Brescia as Dr. Johnson/Ensemble; and James Booth as Grover Lockwood/Ensemble.

Porters/Ensemble are portrayed by Jimmy Bain, Justin Henry, Sarah Kozlowski, and Riza Takahashi. Other members of the ensemble are Jonny Cortes, Andrew Martin, Mischa Storer, Allison Canning, Emily Cohn, Sarah Kawalek, Erin Kelly, Chloe Kounadis, Katie Moskowitz, Nina Paganucci, Cori Stolbun, Nicole Teebagy, Sofie Wasserman-Smith, Taylor Sumner, Kate Suppes, Jenna Zito.

The Hartt School is the comprehensive performing arts conservatory of the University of Hartford that offers innovative degree programs in music, dance, and theatre. Founded in 1920, Hartt has been an integral part of the University of Hartford since its charter merged the then Hartt School of Music, the Hartford Art School, and Hillyer College to create the University in 1957. 2010 markEd Hartt's 90^th year of providing world class performing arts education to students in Greater-Hartford and around the world. With more than 400 concerts, recitals, plays, master classes, dance performances, and musical theatre productions a year, performance is central to Hartt's curriculum. For more information about The Hartt School, visit www.hartford.edu/hartt.