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By Kenneth Jones
The Visit at Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA. The new musical by John
Kander (music), Fred Ebb (lyrics) and Terrence McNally (book) will play
Signature's Max space May 13-June 22.
Frank Galati directs and Ann Reinking choreographs, as they did for the
2001 world premiere at Goodman Theatre in Chicago. Refinements have been
made to the script and score since that time.
Based on the play The Visit by Friedrich D=FCrrenmatt (adapted by
Maurice Valency), the musical stars two-time Tony Award winner and
Broadway legend Chita Rivera (The Rink, West Side Story, Kiss of the
Spider Woman) as Claire Zachanassian, who was driven from her hometown
in disgrace when she was 17, having been betrayed by her lover.
"Several decades and seven husbands later, Zachanassian has become the
richest woman in the world, yet her hometown has fallen on hard times,"
according to the Signature. "When Zachanassian returns with an offer to
save the town, salvation comes with an outrageous price tag."
Tony Award winner George Hearn (La Cage aux Folles, Sunset Blvd.) plays
her former lover, Anton Schell. Tony nominee Jacoby (Ragtime, Show Boat)
plays The Mayor, a role he created in Chicago.
The production is part of Signature's current Kander & Ebb festival,
which also features mainstage productions of Kiss of the Spider Woman
and The Happy Time.
The cast is expected to include Bethe Austin as Annie, the mayor's wife;
D.B. Bonds (Make Me a Song, The Phantom of the Opera) as young Anton;
Matthew Deming as Louis Perch; Alan H. Green as Benny; Jim Harms as
Rudi; Michael Hayward-Jones (Me and My Girl) as The Priest; Howard Kaye
(Miss Saigon) as Lenny; Doug Kreeger (Les Miserables) as Evgeny; Mary
Ann Lamb (Curtains, Seussical, Fosse) as young Claire; Jerry Lanning (of
the original Mame) as The Doctor; Ryan Lowe as Jacob Chicken; Karen
Murphy (All Shook Up, 42nd Street) as Matilda, Anton's wife; Brian
O'Brien (The Pirate Queen, Annie Get Your Gun) as Kurt; Cristen Paige as
Ottilie; Kevin Reed as Karl; Hal Robinson (Cabaret, Nick & Nora) as The
Police Chief; Jeremy Webb (The Glorious Ones) as The Schoolmaster, plus
Leslie Becker, Robert Mintz, Brianne Moore, Christy Morton and Kimberly
Sherbach.
For more information about the Helen Hayes Award-winning Signature
Theatre, visit www.signature-theatre.org.
The Visit played Chicago's Goodman Theatre in 2001-02. The creators have
hoped for a New York City run, but that has yet to happen. This DC-area
staging would seem to be the next step toward a wider life.
Director Galati is a Tony Award nominee for his direction of Ragtime,
and a two-time 1990 Tony winner for his direction and script of The
Grapes of Wrath.
Reinking, the Broadway actress, dancer, director and choreographer, won
a Tony for choreographing the popular revival of Chicago, and was
Tony-nommed for her direction of Fosse. She was also a Tony nominee as
Best Featured Actress (Musical) and Best Actress (Musical) for Dancin'
and Goodtime Charley.
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