Director/choreographer Robert Longbottom has finished casting Broadway’s upcoming production of Bye Bye Birdie, which starts previews at Henry Miller’s Theatre on September 10 and opens October 15.
As previously announced, the show will star John Stamos (Cabaret, Nine) as Albert Peterson, Gina Gershon (Cabaret, Boeing-Boeing) as Rose Alvarez, Bill Irwin (Waiting for Godot, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?) as Mr. Harry MacAfee, Jayne Houdyshell (Coraline, Wicked, Well) as Mrs. Mae Peterson, Dee Hoty (Mamma Mia!, Footloose) as Mrs. MacAfee, Matt Doyle (Spring Awakening) as Hugo Peabody, Molly Ephraim (Fiddler on the Roof, Into the Woods) as Ursula Merkle, Jake Evan Schwencke as Randolph MacAfee, Allie Trimm (13) as Kim MacAfee and Nolan Gerard Funk as Conrad Birdie.
The rest of the cast will include Catherine Blades, Deanna Cipolla, Paula Leggett Chase, Riley Costello, John Treacy Egan, Colleen Fitzpatrick, Todd Gearhart, Patty Goble, Suzanne Grodner, Robert Hager, Nina Hennessey, Natalie Hill, Julia Knitel, Jess Le Protto, David McDonald, JC Montgomery, Jillian Mueller, Paul Pilcz, Daniel Quadrino, Emma Rowley, Tim Shew, Kevin Shotwell, Allison Strong, Jim Walton, Brynn Williams, and Branch Woodman.
On the creative team are Andrew Jackness (set design), Gregg Barnes (costume design), Ken Billington (lighting design), Tom Clark/Acme Sound (sound design), Howard Werner (projection design), David Holcenberg (musical direction), Howard Joines (musical coordination), David Brian Brown (hair and wig design), Jonathan Tunick (orchestrations) and David Chase (music supervision).
The musical, with a book by Michael Stewart, music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Lee Adams, took home four Tony Awards in its initial run on Broadway, including that for Best Musical, Best Featured Actor in a Musical, Best Choreography and Best Direction of a Musical.
With all the buzz this show has already generated, it looks like it may nab a few more in its return to the Great White Way!
Broadway Musical Blog 