Jack Noseworthy Departs Lestat, Role Rethought

A week into performances of Lestat in San Francisco Warner Brother's Theatre Ventures has announced that they will be recasing the role of Armand, which was being played by Jack Noseworthy. In a statement from the show's director, Robert Jess Roth, he notes that "In the development of the show in San Francisco the creative team has decided to take the character of Armand, wonderfully played by Jack Noseworthy, in a new direction. I have enjoyed working with Jack and his contributions to our show have been invaluable. We will all miss him."

In the same statement, Jack Noseworthy notes that "Being part of the creative process of Lestat has been a tremendous pleasure and an enriching experience. I am confident that taking the character of Armand in a new direction is the correct choice for the production. I wish my friends well, and a long prosperous run."

Drew Sarich, Noseworthy's understudy is said to be taking over the role until an official replacement is named. The show, which began its San Francisco run on December 17th, plays there until January 29, 2006 as it prepares for Broadway. Lestat, based on the Vampire Chronicles series by Anne Rice, will begin performances at the Palace Theatre on March 11th, 2006, after winding up a limited engagement at San Francisco's Curran Theatre, where it will run from December 17th, 2005 through January 29th, 2006.

Produced as the inaugural theatrical production of Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures, Lestat will feature a score by Grammy Award-winning composer John (The Lion King, Aida) and lyricist Taupin (a longtime songwriting collaborator of John's), and a book by Linda Woolverton (Beauty and the Beast). Directed by Robert Jess Roth with musical staging by Matt West, the show will star Hugh Panaro in the blood-guzzling title role, Carolee Carmello as Gabrielle, Jim Stanek as Louis, Roderick Hill as Nicolas, Michael Genet as Marius and Allison Fischer as Claudia.

Lestat "is the romantic and heartbreaking story of the extraordinary journey of one man who escapes the tyranny of his oppressive family only to have his life taken from him. Thrust into the seductive and sensual world of an immortal vampire, Lestat sets out on a road of adventures in a quest for everlasting love and companionship but is forced to reconcile his innate sense of good with his primal need to exist," according to press notes.