| Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends announces additional co-stars to join Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga | |
| Posted by: Official_Press_Release 01:06 pm EDT 10/22/24 | |
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| MANHATTAN THEATRE CLUB, CAMERON MACKINTOSH, AND DARYL ROTH ANNOUNCE ADDITIONAL CO-STARS JOINING BROADWAY LEGENDS BERNADETTE PETERS & LEA SALONGA IN STEPHEN SONDHEIM'S OLD FRIENDS ‘A GREAT BIG BROADWAY SHOW' PREVIEWS BEGIN MARCH 25, 2025 OPENING APRIL 8, 2025 TICKETS ON SALE TODAY AT TELECHARGE.COM AND AT THE SAMUEL J. FRIEDMAN THEATRE New York, NY – October 22, 2024) – Manhattan Theatre Club – Lynne Meadow, Artistic Director and Chris Jennings, Executive Director – is pleased to announce the Broadway co-stars who will join two-time Tony Award winner Bernadette Peters and Tony Award winner Lea Salonga in Cameron Mackintosh 's production of Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends. The production, presented by MTC in association with Cameron Mackintosh and Daryl Roth, will open April 8, 2025 at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street). Previews begin Tuesday, March 25, 2025. Tickets are on sale today at Telecharge.com and at the Samuel J. Friedman box office starting at noon. Joining Broadway Legends Peters and Salonga will be Jasmine Forsberg, Kate Jennings Grant, David Harris, Bonnie Langford, Tony Award winner Beth Leavel, two-time Tony Award nominee Gavin Lee, Ryan McCartan, multiple Olivier Award nominee Jason Pennycooke, two-time Olivier Award winner Joanna Riding, Jeremy Secomb, Maria Wirries, and Daniel Yearwood. The company will also include Kevin Earley, Paige Faure, Alexa Lopez, and Peter Neureuther. The final co-star will be announced soon. Cameron Mackintosh said today, "It was Steve's idea to do a third revue of his work but sadly he died before we had pieced it all together. I always wanted this one to be driven by his greatest melodies. To celebrate his great life and legacy I wanted to put on an all-star gala in London but first I had to finish the hat. Miraculously, in only a few days all the shows, songs, and fun we had enjoyed together fell onto the page in sequence (undoubtedly nudged from above by Steve) and the running order has hardly changed since. The gala was wonderful but more importantly, proved that the material wasn't just a concert, but the great big Broadway show Steve wanted it to be. For our West End season, Matthew Bourne and I put together an all-star ensemble of old friends, led by Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga, around whom we wove the material as if in a play. I am thrilled that nearly half of our rapturously received London old friends are able to join our brilliant new American friends to bring this show to Broadway. It's an added delight that I am reunited with Lynne Meadow and MTC, with whom Steve and I did our second revue, Putting it Together, starring the incomparable Julie Andrews. For all of us working on this show it is our love letter and thank you to Steve – a musical genius but also an old friend whose brilliant work and memory will last forever." Lynne Meadow and Chris Jennings of Manhattan Theatre Club said, "We are proud that MTC will co-produce the Broadway premiere of Old Friends. We are thrilled to reunite with the brilliant and prolific Cameron Mackintosh, with whom we co-produced Sondheim's Putting it Together Off-Broadway in 1993; Daryl Roth, with whom we first partnered on our Broadway transfers of Proof and The Tale of the Allergist's Wife in 2000; and Bernadette Peters, who returned to New York in 1982 to star in MTC's Off-Broadway production of Sally and Marsha. We are also pleased to be welcoming a fabulous group of actors, many of whom are joining Lea Salonga and director Matthew Bourne in making their MTC debuts, for this production. Stephen Sondheim was an early Board member of Manhattan Theatre Club (1971-1985), and we are honored to pay tribute to this legendary artist." Daryl Roth said, "It's a joy to celebrate Stephen Sondheim's remarkable legacy, and I'm especially thrilled to work with the legendary Bernadette Peters, the brilliantly talented Lea Salonga, and a fantastic group of actors from Broadway and the West End. Together, we're honoring a true master whose work will continue to inspire us and enrich the world of musical theatre for years to come." Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles presents the North American premiere of Old Friends at the Ahmanson Theatre from February 8 through March 9, 2025 in advance of the Broadway premiere. "Sales for Old Friends have been so great that it has become the anchor of our season," said Douglas C. Baker, Producing Director of Center Theatre Group. "For many performances, we have had to open up the Ahmanson Theatre to full capacity due to Center Theatre Group's subscription for the 2024/25 season outpacing expectations. Single tickets go on sale on November 20th." Old Friends is a great big Broadway show born out of Cameron Mackintosh and Stephen Sondheim's lifetime of friendship and collaboration. The two of them came up with the idea during the pandemic, drawing on the many shows that they had done together in collaboration with their good friend Julia McKenzie. Once theatres reopened in London and New York in the fall of 2021, Mackintosh was able to visit Sondheim again and this new show remained something they continued to discuss; but, sadly, shortly after, Sondheim passed away in November 2021. It fell to Mackintosh to pick up where he and Sondheim left off, collating their notes, and structuring the show that would initially become a spectacular star-studded gala at the Sondheim Theatre in London's West End in May 2022 to celebrate Sondheim's life and work, and also raise funds for the newly formed Stephen Sondheim Foundation. The gala won Best Theatre Event at the 2023 WhatsOnStage Awards and was subsequently broadcast on TV by the BBC. Mackintosh, who both produced and devised the evening, directed by his long-time collaborator Matthew Bourne, was encouraged by how brilliantly the material held together. They decided to rework the show for a run at the Gielgud Theatre from September 2023 with an all-star ensemble cast headed by legendary Broadway stars Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga, alongside a dazzling array of West End co-stars drawn from many of Mackintosh's old friends who had been featured in his productions. The Old Friends company performed some of the greatest songs ever written for musical theatre by one of theatre's greatest geniuses. Old Friends at the Gielgud became an instant legend and an unforgettable evening that earned a bevy of five-star raves and was hailed by The Times as "unmissable musical theatre." Manhattan Theatre Club, in association with CMI and Daryl Roth, presents Cameron Mackintosh's Production of Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends. Directed by Matthew Bourne, side by side with Julia McKenzie, with choreography by Stephen Mear. Musical supervision is by Alfonso Casado Trigo and Stephen Brooker, musical arrangements by Stephen Metcalfe, and conducted by Annbritt duChateau. Set design by Matt Kinley, projection design by George Reeve, costume design by Jill Parker, lighting design by Warren Letton and sound design by Mick Potter. Casting is by Tara Rubin Casting. Production Stage Manager is David Lober. ABOUT MANHATTAN THEATRE CLUB Under the leadership of Artistic Director Lynne Meadow and Executive Director Chris Jennings, Manhattan Theatre Club produces seasons of new work for the theatre both on and Off-Broadway, and in the 2023-24 season, all three of its Broadway shows were nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play, representing three of the five nominees in the category. MTC's not-for-profit mission, which Meadow created in 1972 and has implemented over five decades of award-winning productions, is to develop and present new work in a dynamic, supportive environment; to identify and collaborate with the most promising new as well as accomplished artists; and to produce a diverse repertoire of innovative, entertaining, and thought-provoking plays and musicals by American and international playwrights. Since 1989, MTC Learning and Community Engagement, which uses the power of live theatre and playwriting to awaken minds, ignite imaginations, open hearts, and change lives, has also been an important corollary to MTC's work. MTC's over 600 world, American, New York and Broadway premieres have earned 7 Pulitzer Prizes, 30 Tony Awards, 51 Drama Desk Awards and 49 Obie Awards amongst many other honors. MTC has homes on Broadway at its Samuel J. Friedman Theatre and Off-Broadway at New York City Center. MTC is an anti-racist organization that respects and honors all voices and upholds the values of community and equity. For more information, please visit https://www.manhattantheatreclub.com/. ABOUT CENTER THEATRE GROUP Center Theatre Group, one of the nation's preeminent arts and cultural organizations, is Los Angeles' leading not-for-profit theatre company, which, under the leadership of Artistic Director Snehal Desai, Managing Director / CEO Meghan Pressman, and Producing Director Douglas C. Baker, programs the Mark Taper Forum and the Ahmanson Theatre at The Music Center in Downtown Los Angeles, and the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City. Center Theatre Group is one of the country's leading producers of ambitious new works through commissions and world premiere productions and a leader in interactive community engagement and education programs that reach across generations, demographics, and circumstances to serve Los Angeles. Founded in 1967, Center Theatre Group has produced more than 700 productions across its three stages, including such iconic shows as Zoot Suit; Angels in America; The Kentucky Cycle; Biloxi Blues; Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992; Children of a Lesser God; Curtains ; The Drowsy Chaperone; 9 to 5: The Musical; and Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo. CenterTheatreGroup.org. BIOGRAPHIES BERNADETTE PETERS. Throughout her illustrious career, Bernadette Peters has dazzled audiences and critics with her performances on stage, in film, and television, in concert, and on recordings. She has garnered numerous accolades including three Tony Awards, a Golden Globe, four Emmy and Grammy nominations, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Best known for her work on stage and one of Broadway's most critically acclaimed performers, Bernadette recently made her highly successful West End debut in the Cameron Mackintosh production of Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends, celebrating the life and work of Stephen Sondheim. Bernadette has starred on Broadway in Hello, Dolly!; Follies; A Little Night Music; Gypsy; Annie Get Your Gun (Tony Award); The Goodbye Girl; Into the Woods (Drama Desk nomination); Song and Dance (Tony and Drama Desk Awards); Sunday in the Park with George; Mack & Mabel and On the Town. She also starred in City Center's Encores! Production, A Bed and a Chair: A New York Love Affair featuring music by Stephen Sondheim and orchestrations by Wynton Marsalis. She also enjoys a career which boasts an impressive list of television credits, most recently, "High Desert," "Zoey's Extraordinary Christmas," "Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist" (Emmy nomination), "The Good Fight," "Mozart in the Jungle," and "Smash," among others. Peters has lit up the silver screen in over 30 films including Pennies From Heaven (Golden Globe Award), The Jerk, The Longest Yard, Silent Movie, Annie, Pink Cadillac, Slaves of New York, Woody Allen's Alice, Impromptu, Living Proof, It Runs in the Family, Coming Up Roses, The Broken Hearts Gallery, and tick, tick…BOOM! She has recorded six solo albums, including the Grammy-nominated I'll Be Your Baby Tonight, Sondheim, Etc.: Bernadette Peters Live at Carnegie Hall, and Bernadette Peters Loves Rodgers & Hammerstein. Bernadette is a New York Times best-selling author of three children's books with two original songs: Broadway Barks, Stella is a Star, and Stella and Charlie: Friends Forever. LEA SALONGA is best known for her Tony Award-winning role in Miss Saigon. In addition to the Tony, she won the Olivier, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Theatre World Awards, Time100 Impact Award from Time Magazine, and the Gold Legend Award from Gold House. Most recently, Lea starred in the West End production of Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends, and as Aurora in Here Lies Love on Broadway, which she also produced. Lea was also the first Asian to play Eponine in the musical Les Misérables on Broadway and returned to the show as Fantine in the 2006 revival. Fans of all ages recognize Lea as the singing voice of Princess Jasmine from Aladdin and Fa Mulan for Mulan and Mulan II. For her portrayal of the beloved princesses, the Walt Disney Company bestowed her with the honor of "Disney Legend." She has released 14 albums – including her latest recording, Sounding Joy – and toured all over the globe, performing sold-out concerts in landmark venues. Salonga's talents extend to the screen, where she can be seen on MAX's "Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin" and Sony's "Yellow Rose" and heard on Netflix's "Centaurworld" and FX's "Little Demon." JASMINE FORSBERG is an actor and songwriter from Orlando, Florida. Broadway: Six (Jane Seymour), Here Lies Love (Maria Luisa). First National Tour: Six. Off-Broadway: Broadway Bounty Hunter. Regional: A Grand Night for Singing (Goodspeed), Love in Hate Nation (Two River Theater), Wild Fire (Denver Center). TV: "One December Night" (Hallmark), "Llamas" (Nick Jr.). Jasmine's debut single, "do you," is streaming on all platforms. BFA from Penn State. Thanks to CESD, Tara Rubin Casting, and my loved ones for their endless support. jasmineforsberg.com @jasmine_forsberg. KATE JENNINGS GRANT. Broadway: Belinda in Noises Off, The Country House (MTC), The Lyons (dir. Mark Brokaw), Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls, Proof (MTC) and An American Daughter (both directed by Daniel Sullivan). Off-Broadway: Mother of the Maid opposite Glenn Close, Bette in The Marriage of Bette and Boo, The Beard of Avon (dir. Doug Hughes), Radiant Baby (dir. George C. Wolfe), Between Us (MTC), Summer of '42. Most recently Kate starred as Beatrice in Simon Godwin's production of Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare Theatre, D.C.). National Tours: Sharon in Finian's Rainbow and Eve Harrington in Applause. Film: Love and Other Drugs opposite Jake Gyllenhall (dir. Ed Zwick), United 93 (dir. Paul Greengrass), Diane Sawyer in Frost/Nixon (dir. Ron Howard), Custody (dir. James Lapine), When a Stranger Calls, Kinsey (dir. Bill Condon), Forgiven (Bend Film Festival Best Supporting Actress). Television roles include Madame Giry on "Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin," Louise Herrick on ABC's "Notorious," "We Crashed," "Russian Doll," "Billions," "Madame Secretary," "The Good Wife," and recurring roles on "Alpha House," "Damages," "Parenthood," and "Pan Am." Kate is a graduate of The Juilliard School's Drama Division and holds a B.A. in English and Music Composition from the University of Pennsylvania. DAVID HARRIS joins Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends directly from his Broadway run as The Duke in Moulin Rouge! after originating the role in the first national tour. Regional productions include Valjean in Les Misérables, Father in Ragtime, Billy in Anything Goes, Dan in Next to Normal (BroadwayWorld and Connecticut Critics Circle Award nominations for Best Actor) and originating the role of Max Bronfman in a reimagined Rags. As one of Australia's most acclaimed leading men, David has earned multiple Best Actor awards and nominations for roles including Chris in Miss Saigon; Fiyero in Wicked; Tick in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert; Emmett in Legally Blonde; the Baker in Into The Woods; Malcolm in The Full Monty; Joe in Damn Yankees; John in Little Women; Prez in The Pajama Game; Perchik in Fiddler On The Roof and Jimmy in Thoroughly Modern Millie. US and international concerts include Ragtime with the Boston Pops, Defying Gravity – The Songs of Stephen Schwartz, and Boublil & Schönberg's Do You Hear The People Sing? David has released two solo albums, ‘Til The Night Is Gone and At This Stage. Discover more at Davidharrisofficial.com and follow @DavidHarrisOz. BONNIE LANGFORD starred in Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends at the Gielgud Theatre in London's West End and as Madame Thénardier in the Les Misérables World Tour Arena Spectacular. She also returned to her role of The Doctor's assistant, Melanie Bush in "Doctor Who" on BBCTV and Disney Plus worldwide. West End theatre includes Les Misérables (Sondheim Theatre); Anything Goes (Barbican Theatre); 9 to 5, The Musical (Savoy Theatre); 42nd Street (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and filmed for DVD and cinema release in the UK and Ireland, across America and streamed on Broadway HD and PBS America); Cats (The Gillian Lynne Theatre); The Pirates Of Penzance (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and London Palladium); Peter Pan - The Musical (Aldwych Theatre); Me and My Girl (Adelphi Theatre); Sweet Charity (Victoria Palace Theatre); Spamalot (Harold Pinter Theatre and Playhouse Theatre); Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Savoy Theatre) and Chicago (Adelphi Theatre, Cambridge Theatre and on Broadway). She made her West End debut at the tender age of seven in Gone with the Wind at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. The following year she played Baby June in Gypsy opposite Angela Lansbury at the Piccadilly Theatre and on Broadway. For this performance, at the age of ten, Bonnie was nominated for a Drama Desk Award. UK tours: 42nd Street; Charlie Girl; Oklahoma!; Guys and Dolls; Fosse; Spamalot; 9 to 5, The Musical; Anything Goes and numerous Royal Variety Performances and Royal Galas. Bonnie performed her concert An Evening with Bonnie Langford to celebrate the 120th Anniversary of Richmond Theatre. She also hosted both The Music of the Night and Let's Face The Music concerts with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Albert Hall. She regularly performs her own cabaret shows at The Pheasantry and Crazy Coqs in London. Television/Film: BBC's "EastEnders" for which she won Best Newcomer at the 2015 British Soap Awards, a BAFTA for best continuing drama and nomination for Best Serial Drama Performance at the 2019 National Television Awards; Bugsy Malone (dir. Alan Parker); "Just William" (ITV); "The Lena and Bonnie Show" (ITV); "The Hot Shoe Show" (BBC); "Hotel Babylon" (BBC); "Agatha Christie's Marple" (ITV); "The Catherine Tate Show" (BBC); Melanie Bush on "Doctor Who" (BBC) and even "The Masked Dancer" as Squirrel. Bonnie was the subject of ITV's "This Is Your Life." In 2006, she learned to ice skate on the ITV show "Dancing on Ice," skating her way to the final and returning for the All Stars season in 2014. Recordings include Bonnie Langford Now, Jazz at the Theatre and numerous Doctor Who audio dramas for Big Finish. BETH LEAVEL. Tony Award winner Beth Leavel was most recently seen on Broadway in the role of The Baroness in Lempicka. She was nominated for a 2019 Tony, Drama Desk, Drama League and Outer Critic's Circle Award for her performance as DeeDee Allen in the critically acclaimed Broadway show The Prom. She received Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and L.A. Drama Critics Awards for her performance as the title character in The Drowsy Chaperone. Beth also received Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle nominations for her role as Florence Greenberg in Baby, It's You! Other Broadway roles include Mrs. June Adams in Bandstand, Emily in Elf, Donna in Mamma Mia!, Frau Blücher in Young Frankenstein, Dorothy Brock in the revival of 42nd Street, Tess in the original company of Crazy for You, Mrs. Bixby in The Civil War, Ellie in Hal Prince's Show Boat, and Anytime Annie (her Broadway debut) in 42nd Street. Numerous TV, most recently "The Ghosts of Christmas Always" (Hallmark), "The Walking Dead" (AMC), and "The Bite" (Spectrum). Beth's one-woman cabaret, It's Not About Me, has played across the country to rave reviews and sold-out venues. In her spare time, Leavel gives back and teaches master classes for students all over the world. MFA from UNC-G. Proud mom to T.J. and Sam and helplessly in love with Adam Heller. Grateful to my BRS/GAGE family. GAVIN LEE is currently playing Thénadier in the World Concert Arena tour of Les Misérables. Before this he was part of the London company of Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends and is thrilled to be returning to the show in LA and NYC. Recent favorite roles have included Lumière in Disney's Beauty and the Beast at the London Palladium, the title character in How The Grinch Stole Christmas at MSG and Squidward in The SpongeBob Musical on Broadway (Drama Desk Award and Tony Award nomination). He originated the role of Bert in the West End and Broadway productions of Mary Poppins (Drama Desk and Theatre World Awards, Olivier and Tony Award nominations). TV credits include "Law and Order: SUV," "The Good Wife," "Little America," and "White Collar." Select London/UK theatre credits include Top Hat, Crazy for You, Peggy Sue Got Married, Me and My Girl, Oklahoma!, Contact and Singin' In The Rain. RYAN McCARTAN made his Broadway debut as Fiyero in Wicked and Off-Broadway debut originating JD in Heathers: The Musical at New World Stages. Additional stage credits include Mac in Scotland, PA, with Roundabout Theatre Company, Hans in Disney's Frozen on Broadway, Tony in West Side Story at the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and most recently, Randy Newman's Faust: The Concert at The Soraya. Film credits include The Rocky Horror Picture Show, directed by Kenny Ortega; Emma's Chance from Sony Pictures; Summer Forever with Relativity Media; and The Standoff on Amazon. Television credits include "The Winchesters," "Freakish," "Royal Pains," "Midnight TX," "Monday Mornings," "Last Man Standing," "The Middle," and "Liv and Maddie." He is represented by Gersh and Thruline Entertainment. JASON PENNYCOOKE has three Olivier nominations for Lafayette/Jefferson (Original cast of Hamilton, also WhatsOnStage Award winner), Bobby Dupree (Memphis), and Jacob (La Cage aux Folles). Three affiliate Olivier nominations for West End shows he choreographed: Porgy & Bess, Soul Sister and The Big Life. Other West End credits include Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends; Toulouse Lautrec in Moulin Rouge!; Benny Southstreet in Guys and Dolls; Paul in Kiss Me, Kate; Little Moe in Five Guys Named Moe; Second in Father Comes Home from the Wars (Royal Court); Benny in Rent; Rocky III in Starlight Express; Jason in Soul Train; Particle Man in Stomp; Sammy Davis Jr. in The Rat Pack Live from Las Vegas; John Jasper in Simply Heavenly; Joe Wellington in Golden Boy; Lamar in Elegies; Admiral in The Big Life; Will Scarlett in Robin and the Seven Hoods; and Cats. He can currently be seen as Wilson Pickett in the Elton John biopic Rocketman, Other Samuel in the BBC Drama/Comedy "Boat Story," Larry in Season 2 of "Loki" (Marvel Studios), Steve in "Dinner with the Parents" (Prime), and Barry in Season 3 of "Sister Bonniface Mysteries" (BBC/BritBox). Other credits include Bus Conductor in "Worzel Gummage" (BBC); as the voice of the Lead Wildebeest in feature animation Junglebeat The Movie; voice of lead character Arni in new Disney Animation series "Viking Skool" (Disney+). Choreography/Direction/Resident Direction: Get Up Stand Up, The Big Life, Half a Sixpence, Into the Woods, Shrek The Musical (Sweden), Crazy for You (Sweden), End of The Rainbow, Five Guys Named Moe, Pearl Fishers. Numerous stage shows, stadium events and music videos. Other Film/TV credits include: Mister Lonely (Dir. Harmony Korine), "Bumps" (BBC1), Shopping (Dir. Paul W.S Anderson), "All About The McKenzies" (ITV), "London Live," and "Stay Lucky" (YTV), Instagram: @jasonpennycooke @thepennycooke. JOANNA RIDING is a British five-time nominee and two-time winner of the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical, for Julie in Carousel (National Theatre, London) and Eliza in My Fair Lady (Drury Lane Theatre, London). She was nominated for the following roles: Jane in The Witches of Eastwick (Drury Lane), Sarah in Guys and Dolls (National Theatre) and Annie in Calendar Girls the Musical (Phoenix, London). Other recent roles include Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends (Gielgud, London), Sally in Follies (National Theatre), Rose in Gypsy (Buxton Opera House), and Babe in The Pajama Game (Shaftesbury, London). Her plays include Ruth in Blithe Spirit, Maggie in Hobson's Choice, Mrs. Cheveley in An Ideal Husband and Fania in Playing for Time. TV credits include Eve Marbury in "Ridley" (ITV), Maeve Gibney in "McDonald and Dodds," and Melissa in "Stella" (Sky). Joanna's film credits include Cinderella's Mother in Into the Woods. JEREMY SECOMB. Theatre: Les Misérables Arena Spectacular (World Tour); Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends (Gielgud); Sister Act (Eventim Apollo & UK tour); A Christmas Carol (Dominion); Cats (Kilworth); Evita (UK and International tour & Adelphi); Sweet Charity (Nottingham Playhouse); Les Misérables (Queens); Sweeney Todd (London & New York); The Phantom of The Opera (Majesty's & Australia/New Zealand & UK tour); Lend Me a Tenor (Gielgud); Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (Palace); The Woman in White (Palace); Jerry Springer The Opera (Cambridge); Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (UK tour); A Grand Night for Singing (Footbridge Sydney). TV: "Stonehouse" (ITV). Concerts: Soloist: Liverpool Philharmonic, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Birmingham Symphony and Ulster Symphony Orchestras; Old Friends-Stephen Sondheim Gala (Sondheim & BBC); Bonnie & Clyde; Evita; Sunset Boulevard (Alexandra Palace & Royal Albert Hall); Three Phantoms (China & UK); Movies to Musicals; Les Misérables; Jesus Christ Superstar; Playing Our Part (Cadogan Hall). Recordings: Mascherato: The Musical; Jerry Springer The Opera; 25th Anniversary Phantom of the Opera ; Lend Me A Tenor; vocalist on numerous solo albums. Awards: Sweeney Todd (Winner: Theatre World Award. Nominations: Best Leading Actor in a Musical, Lucille Lortel, Drama League and Drama Desk Awards). @jeremysecombofficial. MARIA WIRRIES is a Performer, Composer, Lyricist, and Self-Proclaimed Swamp Witch. Select credits include Dear Evan Hansen (Broadway and First National Tour), Kinky Boots (Off Broadway revival), and Penelope or How the Odyssey Was Really Written (Off-Broadway). She is currently in the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop and has developed her own original musicals at the Goodspeed Opera House, the Paramount Theater, and Penn State University. She is a proud Penn State and Young Arts Alum and says a huge thank you to her childhood voice teacher Alan for gifting her a love of Sondheim and his work from an early age; "children will listen." DANIEL YEARWOOD. Broadway: Sweeney Todd, Hamilton, Once on This Island, INK (MTC). NYC: Eyes of the World: From D Day to VE Day (Carnegie Hall), Grand Hotel (NYCC). Regional: In the Heights, Newsies (Fulton Theatre). Recent collaborations include Breathe: Portraits from a Pandemic; Music by Douglas Lyons & Ethan Pakchar, Book by Timothy Allen McDonald & Jodi Picoult; Past Demons: Tales by Shirley Jackson by Ryan Scott Oliver. Immensely grateful to MTC and excited to return and celebrate the legacy of the late Stephen Sondheim alongside this incredible cast. Love to Mom, Dad, & The Three Peas. Thank you, Tara, Sheri and Erica. @daniel.j.yearwood. KEVIN EARLEY. Broadway credits include Les Misérables, Thoroughly Modern Millie and A Tale Of Two Cities. Kevin secured a NY Drama Desk Award nomination for the title role in Death Takes a Holiday at the Roundabout, Laura Pels Theater. He has also received a Chicago Joseph Jefferson Award, L.A. Drama Critics' Circle Award and four L.A. Ovation Award nominations. Original cast albums include Death Takes a Holiday, A Tale of Two Cities, Secondhand Lions and Ripper, as well as his solo album "Earley Standards." His regional highlights include Pierre in Natasha Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812, Dysart in Equus, Robert in The Play That Goes Wrong, Andrews in Titanic, Mr. Hart in 9 to 5 and Archibald in The Secret Garden. Directing credits include Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, The Glass Menagerie , Changing Channels and The Fantasticks. Special thank you to Julie Ann. kevinearley.com PAIGE FAURE. Broadway: A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical (The Noise and Marcia, Ellie, Jaye standby), the Tony Award-winning revival of Company (Bobbie, Sarah, Jenny standby), the title role in Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella (Ella), the revival of Miss Saigon (Ellen u/s), Bullets Over Broadway starring Zach Braff (Ellen u/s), and How To Succeed in Business… featuring Daniel Radcliffe (Hedy LaRue). She's toured internationally with five other Broadway shows, premiered new works regionally at The Old Globe, Paper Mill Playhouse, The REV Theatre Company and the Kennedy Center, and has most recently created choreography for The Rev Theatre's 2024 production of Jersey Boys, as well as being part of the choreography team for the A Beautiful Noise first national tour. She has performed for the Tony Awards, PBS Capitol Fourth Celebration, The Met Gala, and is a frequent soloist with The New American Pops Orchestra and NJ Festival Orchestra. Paige is a compassionate yoga teacher and arts educator, and totally cringe mom to Hank. @paigefaure. ALEXA LOPEZ is a proud Cuban American hailing from South FL. She most recently originated the role of April in the world premiere of Falcon Girls at Yale Repertory Theatre. Regional credits include Jane Doe (Ride the Cyclone/Beck Center), Sonya (The Great Comet of 1812/Idaho Shakespeare & GLT), Mimi (Rent/Cain Park), Lizzie Borden (Lizzie/Beck Center), Maria (West Side Story/Porthouse), Mollie (Perpetual Sunshine and the Ghost Girls; 2021 ASCAP Award Winner/Beck). Last year, she was honored to perform the national anthem for over 65,000 fans at her first major football game, Browns vs. Steelers, for Hispanic Heritage Month. Alexa also won Best Actress in a Musical in the 2022 Cleveland Critics Circle Theatre Awards for her work as Maria in Porthouse's West Side Story. Recent Grad of Baldwin Wallace Music Theatre 2024. Alexaelizabethlopez.com @alexaelopez. PETER NEUREUTHER is overjoyed to be making his Broadway debut with this legendary cast! Regional: Les Misérables (The Muny), Beauty & The Beast (The Northern Stage). Recent graduate of CCM MT. Thank you to the creative team, Tara Rubin Casting, and the amazing team at HCKR for this opportunity. Love to Mom, Dad, Lucy, and Grace. Thank you for always believing in my dreams! @peter_neureuther. STEPHEN SONDHEIM (Music and Lyrics) wrote the music and lyrics for Saturday Night (1954), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962), Anyone Can Whistle (1964), Company (1970), Follies (1971), A Little Night Music (1973), The Frogs (1974), Pacific Overtures (1976), Sweeney Todd (1979), Merrily We Roll Along (1981), Sunday in the Park with George (1984), Into the Woods (1987), Assassins (1991), Passion (1994), and Road Show (2008), as well as the lyrics for West Side Story (1957), Gypsy (1959), Do I Hear a Waltz? (1965), and additional lyrics for Candide (1973). Side by Side by Sondheim (1976), Marry Me a Little (1981), You're Gonna Love Tomorrow (1983), Putting It Together (1993/99), Moving On (2001), and Sondheim on Sondheim (2010) are anthologies of his work as a composer and lyricist. For films, he composed the score of Stavisky (1974), co-composed the score for Reds (1981), and wrote songs for Dick Tracy (1990). He wrote songs for the television production "Evening Primrose" (1966), co-authored the film The Last of Sheila (1973), and the play Getting Away with Murder (1996), and provided incidental music for the plays The Girls of Summer (1956), Invitation to a March (1961), Twigs Twigs (1971), and The Enclave (1973). He won the Tony Award for Best Score for Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, and Passion, all of which won the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award, as did Pacific Overtures and Sunday in the Park with George, the latter also receiving the Pulitzer Prize for Drama (1985). Stephen Sondheim was born in 1930 and raised in New York City. He graduated from Williams College, winning the Hutchinson Prize for Music Composition, after which he studied theory and composition with Milton Babbitt. He served on the Council of the Dramatists Guild, the national association of playwrights, composers, and lyricists, and served as its president from 1973 to 1981. In 1983, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and in 1990, he was appointed the first Visiting Professor of Contemporary Theatre at Oxford University. He was awarded the Kennedy Center Honors in 1993, the National Medal of Arts in 1996, the MacDowell Medal in 2013, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015. His collected lyrics with attendant essays have been published in two volumes: Finishing the Hat (2010) and Look, I Made a Hat (2011). In 2010, the Broadway theater formerly known as Henry Miller's Theatre was renamed in his honor, and in 2019, he became the first living artist to have a theater named in his honor on Shaftesbury Avenue when the refurbished Queen's Theatre in London's West End was renamed the Sondheim Theatre to commemorate his 90th birthday, by Sir Cameron Mackintosh. CAMERON MACKINTOSH (Producer, Devised By) has been working in the theatre for almost 60 years and is the producer of several of the most legendary musicals of all time: Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera and Cats, three of the world's longest running, alongside the perennial Oliver!, Miss Saigon, Mary Poppins (co-produced with Disney), Little Shop of Horrors, and Hamilton in the UK, which he co-produces with Jeffrey Seller. With Stephen Sondheim, Cameron has created three musical revues: Side by Side by Sondheim, Putting it Together and Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends. Cameron and Director Matthew Bourne's newly reimagined production of Oliver! which recently played to sell-out audiences and rave reviews in Chichester, will arrive in London's Gielgud Theatre in December. To celebrate Les Misérables' world record-breaking continuous run of over 40 years, the Arena Spectacular Concert version of Les Misérables has just commenced its 2–3 year World Tour (a first for any musical on this scale) selling out across the UK with a stellar cast of Les Mis alumni. Previous filmed concerts, at the Royal Albert Hall, the O2 Arena and the Gielgud Theatre, are still continually screened on television and in cinemas throughout the world, alongside Cameron's spectacular 25th Anniversary Concert of The Phantom of the Opera, also at the Royal Albert Hall. In 2012, alongside Working Title Films and Universal, Cameron produced the hugely successful Oscar®, Golden Globe and BAFTA award-winning film adaptation of Les Misérables, which is one of the most successful movies ever of an original stage musical. To celebrate over 10 years since its release, the movie has been remixed and recently re-released in full Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision in selected cinemas around the world, as well as a new home vision 4K Blu-ray disc and iTunes download version of the film. Cameron owns and operates eight historic London theatres, which have all been spectacularly rebuilt and refurbished for the 21st century. They house many of London's most successful hits. The Sondheim, formerly known as the Queen's, now has a glorious auditorium and backstage and has been renamed in honour of Cameron's great friend, theatrical legend Stephen Sondheim. Music Theatre International, one of the world's oldest and largest libraries of secondary rights of many of the greatest musicals ever written, has been one of Cameron's companies for over 30 years. MTI represents and champions both exciting new contemporary writers as well as the great classics, and proudly represents the second-class rights for Disney Theatrical. In 1990, Cameron inaugurated the Chair of Contemporary Theatre at St Catherine's College in Oxford University, with Stephen Sondheim as his first visiting professor. The Professorship is now in its 35th year. Cameron was knighted in the 1996 New Year's Honours for his services to British theatre and in June 2023, was awarded the Freedom of the City of London. In 2014, he was the first British producer ever to be elected to Broadway's Theater Hall of Fame. DARYL ROTH (Producer) holds the singular distinction of producing 7 Pulitzer Prize-winning plays: Anna in the Tropics; August: Osage County; Clybourne Park; How I Learned to Drive; Proof ; Edward Albee's Three Tall Women; and Wit. The proud recipient of 13 Tony Awards and London's Olivier Award, her over 130 award-winning productions include Kinky Boots; Angels in America; Appropriate; Between the Lines; Company; Funny Girl; Gloria: A Life; Edward Albee's The Goat or Who is Sylvia; Indecent; Into the Woods; It Shoulda Been You; Life of Pi; Love, Loss, and What I Wore; The Normal Heart; The Tale of the Allergist's Wife; Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992; and War Horse. Currently: Left on Tenth, Our Town. Since 1996, she has run the landmark Off-Broadway venue the Daryl Roth Theatre on Union Square. A Trustee of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Lincoln Center Theater, she was honored to have been inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame. www.DarylRothProductions.com. MATTHEW BOURNE (Musical Staging and Direction) is firmly established as the UK's most popular and successful choreographer and director. He is the creator of the world's longest-running ballet production, a record-breaking nine-time Olivier Award winner, and the only British director to have won the Tony Award for both Best Choreographer and Best Director of a Musical. He is the Artistic Director of New Adventures, the UK's busiest and most popular dance company and the major exporter of British dance internationally. As Artistic Director of his first company, Adventures in Motion Pictures, from 1987 until 2001, Matthew created many award-winning works (including Nutcracker!, Highland Fling, Swan Lake, Cinderella and The Car Man. Further hit productions were created when New Adventures was launched in 2002 (including Play Without Words, Edward Scissorhands, Dorian Gray, Sleeping Beauty, The Red Shoes and Romeo and Juliet). Matthew is also a West End and Broadway choreographer; a 30-year relationship with producer Cameron Mackintosh has resulted in the globally successful musicals Mary Poppins, My Fair Lady and Oliver! In 2015, he became the first dance figure to be given the Stage Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Theatre. He received the OBE in 2001 and was knighted in the Queen's New Year Honours in 2016; in the same year he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award in recognition of his outstanding services to dance. His latest work for New Adventures, The Midnight Bell, which premiered in 2021, went on to win the National Dance Award for Best Modern Choreography. His productions of Romeo and Juliet and Edward Scissorhands are currently on tour. JULIA McKENZIE. On screen, Julia McKenzie is perhaps best known for playing Miss Marple in "Agatha Christie's Marple." More recently Julia starred in "The Queen & I," BBC's adaptation of J.K Rowling's "The Casual Vacancy," "Gold Digger," ITV's "The Town," BBC's "Cranford" and the hugely popular British sitcoms "Fresh Fields" and "French Fields." Julia is also recognized for her work on stage having starred in many productions in the West End and on Broadway, including Promises, Promises and On the 20th Century. Julia is well known for her work with Stephen Sondheim, Company, Side By Side By Sondheim, Follies, Into The Woods, and Julia went on to win the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical in Sweeney Todd. Julia also won the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for Guys and Dolls at the National Theatre, and the Evening Standard Award for Best Actress for Woman In Mind by Alan Ayckbourn. Film work includes Allelujah, Notes on a Scandal, Bright Young Things and Shirley Valentine. In 2018, Julia was awarded a CBE for her services to Drama. STEPHEN MEAR (Choreography) has won the Olivier Award for Best Theatre Choreographer three times, twice for Mary Poppins (London, Broadway & UK tours; Co-Choreographer with Sir Matthew Bourne – they also received an LA Drama Critics Circle Award, a Helpmann Award in Australia, and a Tony and Drama Desk Award nomination) and the third for Hello, Dolly! at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre. Olivier Award nominations include Gypsy (Chichester Festival Theatre/Savoy), Kiss Me, Kate (Chichester Festival Theatre/Old Vic), Crazy for You (Regent's Park/Novello), Sweet Charity (Menier Chocolate Factory/Theatre Royal), Sinatra (Palladium/UK tour), Singin' in the Rain (West Yorkshire Playhouse/ National; received the WhatsOnStage Award in 2001 for Best Choreography) and Soul Train (West Yorkshire Playhouse/ Victoria Palace). Theatre includes as Director/ Choreographer: Guys and Dolls and Funny Girl (Théâtre Marigny, Paris), Guys and Dolls Live in Concert and The Best of the West End (Royal Albert Hall), 42nd Street (Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris), Top Hat and Thoroughly Modern Millie (Kilworth House Theatre), She Loves Me (Chichester Festival Theatre), Little Shop of Horrors (Storyhouse Theatre, Chester) and Shoes (Sadlers Wells/Peacock). As Choreographer: La Cage aux Folles (Regent's Park);The Witches (National Theatre); Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends (Gielgud Theatre); Chess (ENO); Sunset Boulevard (ENO, Broadway); On the Town (ENO, Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris); Singin' in the Rain (Grand Palais/Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris); City of Angels, The Vote and The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (Donmar Warehouse); White Christmas (Curve/Dominion); Scrooge: The Musical (Curve); Mack & Mabel (Chichester Festival Theatre/ UK tour); The Pajama Game (Shaftesbury); Amadeus, The Music Man, Funny Girl, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Putting It Together and The Grapes of Wrath (Chichester Festival Theatre); Guys and Dolls, Dreamgirls and Ragtime (Milwaukee Rep); Die Fledermaus and The Little Mermaid (Broadway); Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (West Yorkshire Playhouse/ UK tour); Gigi (Regent's Park); Stephen Ward (Aldwych); Betty Blue Eyes (Novello); Me and My Girl (Sheffield Crucible); Anything Goes (National/Theatre Royal) and Acorn Antiques: The Musical (London/UK tour). TV credits: "Gypsy Live at the Savoy," "The Tracey Ullman Show," "Psychobitches," "Acorn Antiques: The Musical," "So You Think You Can Dance?" and "Victoria Wood's Christmas Special." Music Videos: "Number 1" (Goldfrapp) and "The Importance of Being Idle" (Oasis). PRODUCTION INFORMATION Manhattan Theatre Club In association with CMI and Daryl Roth presents Cameron Mackintosh's Production of STEPHEN SONDHEIM'S OLD FRIENDS On Broadway at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street) Previews March 25, 2025 Opening Night April 8, 2025 Starring Bernadette Peters & Lea Salonga Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Devised by Cameron Mackintosh Choreography by Stephen Mear Musical Staging and Direction by Matthew Bourne Side by Side with Julia McKenzie WEBSITE & SOCIAL MEDIA Website: www.manhattantheatreclub.com Instagram: www.instagram.com/MTC_NYC Facebook: www.facebook.com/ManhattanTheatreClub X: x.com/mtc_NYC YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/mtcbroadway |
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