press release
The Witches of Eastwick casts a Spell at the Ogunquit Playhouse
Sexy, Saucy New Musical Makes its American Northeast Premiere
For Immediate Release:
August 19, 2014
Get ready for a wickedly good time when the bewitching musical comedy, The Witches of Eastwick, hits the Ogunquit Playhouse stage September 3 through 27. Based on the Warner Brothers hit motion picture, this hysterical and devilish show with its beautiful original score was declared “musical comedy heaven” by London’s Daily Mail. The Ogunquit Playhouse is proud to have been selected by world-renowned theatre producer Cameron Mackintosh as the American Northeast premiere of his hit stage adaptation of The Witches of Eastwick.
Broadway leading-man James Barbour stars as the devilish Darryl Van Horne and Broadway veterans Nancy Anderson, Sara Gettelfinger and Mamie Parris are cast as the three bored New England women brewing and stewing about their dull lives, and wishing for the man of their dreams. They get far more than they bargain for when all hell breaks loose and the devil incarnate arrives to liven things up! To make matters more outrageous, Ogunquit’s favorite funny lady, Sally Struthers, joins the cast as Felicia Gabriel, the town’s resident busybody and know-it-all combined.
Starring as Darryl Van Horne is Broadway’s James Barbour. He was nominated for the Drama Desk, Drama League and Outer Critics Awards for Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Sydney Carton in the Broadway musical version of A Tale of Two Cities. He has starred on Broadway in many Tony Award winning shows including Stephen Sondheim’s Assassins, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast as The Beast, Carousel as Billy Bigelow, Urinetown as Officer Lockstock and as Edward Rochester in Jane Eyre, for which he also received a Drama League Award nomination. He also appeared in the Broadway production of Cyrano and the national tour of The Secret Garden. His many television appearances include Sex and the City, Ed, That’s Life, the PBS mini-series American Experience: John and Abigail Adams playing Thomas Jefferson, and the film version of A Tale of Two Cities in Concert for public television.
Nancy Anderson joins the cast as Sukie Rougemont. She made her Broadway debut as Mona in A Class Act and played the roles of Helen and Eileen in the Broadway revival of Wonderful Town. Ms. Anderson received Drama Desk Award Nominations for her portrayal of all the women in the Off Broadway production of Jolson & Co, as well as for the title role in Fanny Hill. Sara Gettelfinger will play Alexandra Spofford. She performed in many regional theaters across the country before landing her first Broadway role as Bird Girl in the musical Seussical. She went on to star on Broadway as Carla in the musical Nine with Antonio Banderas and to originate the role of Jolene Oakes in the Broadway production of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels with John Lithgow. Her other Broadway shows include Anything Goes, The Boys from Syracuse, and 101 Dalmations as Cruella de Vil. Ms. Gettelfinger recently portrayed Morticia in the national tour of The Addams Family Broadway Musical. Mamie Parris will portray Jane Smart. Ms. Parris has performed in many Broadway and national tours including Wicked as Elphaba, 9 to 5 the Musical as Judy, the Tony-nominated revival of Ragtime, the multiple Tony-winning The Drowsy Chaperone, Legally Blonde the Musical and Roundabout Theatre’s acclaimed revival of 110 in the Shade.
Emmy Award winning Sally Struthers returns to Ogunquit to portray Felicia Gabriel after performing the lead role in the 2013/14 National Tour of Hello Dolly. Ms. Struthers is best known for her comedic roles and is a highly acclaimed actress of stage, television and screen, winning two Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award for her performances in television’s groundbreaking series All in the Family. She starred in the Fox television series 9 to 5, her own CBS series Gloria and had recurring roles in the CBScomedy Still Standing and the CW’s highly acclaimed Gilmore Girls. Sally has performed many roles at Ogunquit Playhouse including Louise Seger in AlwayPatsy Cline, Mama Morton in Chicago, Paulette the hairdresser in Legally Blonde and last season’s Thoroughly Modern Millie as Mrs. Meers.
Shaun Kerrison returns from England to direct The Witches of Eastwick. Mr. Kerrison has worked with Cameron Mackintosh on many shows. He was last in Ogunquit in to direct Mary Poppins the Broadway Musical and in 2012 to direct the Rodgers and Hammerstein’s classic South Pacific, for which he received both a BroadwayWorld and IRNE Award Nomination for Best Director. He also directed the U.S. regional premiere of Sunset Boulevard at the Ogunquit Playhouse starring Stephanie Powers (BroadwayWorld and IRNE Award Nominations for Best Director) as well as the all new productions of Les Miserables and My Fair Lady (IRNE Award Nomination Best Director) for the Ogunquit stage. He recently reunited with conductor John Wilson to direct Kiss Me Kate for the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall. On Broadway, Mr. Kerrison was the Resident Director of Mary Poppins at the New Amsterdam Theatre. He was the Associate Director for the Broadway revival of Les Miserables at the Broadhurst Theatre and he redirected the National Theatres Production of My Fair Lady for its 50th Anniversary U.S. National Tour.
Lisa Stevens returns to Ogunquit to collaborate with Shaun Kerrison once again, after working together on Mary Poppins, to choreograph The Witches of Eastwick. She has choreographed shows for regional theatres throughout North America including Spamalot and Xanadu at the Arts Club Theater in Vancouver, Canada; Mary Poppins, Anne of Green Gables, Cats, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, 25th Annual…Spelling Bee for Theater Calgary, and First Wives Club for the Old Globe in San Diego. Her Off-Broadway productions include Bingo! The Musical. Ms. Stevens has choreographed many U.S. and U. K. National Tours including Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 the Musical, Bombay Dreams, and the world premiere of Disney’s High School Musical at London’s West End, as well as in Australia, Japan and Spain.
Musical Director for The Witches of Eastwick is Julian Bigg who has conducted many productions in London and around the world including, Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, The Phantom of the Opera, Sunset Boulevard, Cats, The Witches of Eastwick, My Fair Lady, Candide, Shrek, Merrily We Roll Along and Crazy For You. He has also been the Musical Supervisor for many royal spectaculars, including both HM The Queen’s 40th and Golden Jubilee celebrations. Mr. Bigg is a professor at The Royal Academy of Music in London, and The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff.
Original costumes are designed by Dustin Cross who joined the creative staff in 2013. Mr. Cross earned a BroadwayWorld Award for Best Costume Design for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, as well as a Broadway World nomination for West Side Story. On Broadway he has designed costumes for The 24 Hour Plays and Off Broadway for the 2013 production of Forbidden Broadway Comes Out Swinging at the Davenport Theater, The Other Josh Cohen at the SoHo Playhouse, Cougar The Musical and Zelda at the Oasis at St Luke’s Theater. In addition, he has designed for productions at Carnegie Hall, Irving Plaza and the Signature Theater.
Tickets for The Witches of Eastwick are on sale now. Single ticket prices start at $39 per show. To learn more about becoming an Ogunquit Playhouse member or season subscriber, or to purchase tickets and gift certificates, visit www.ogunquitplayhouse.org or call the Box Office at 207-646-5511.
Next on stage is the “creepy and they’re kooky, mysterious and spooky, they’re altogether ooky!” The Addams Family closes the Ogunquit season October 1 through 26.
