A 'Tale Of Two Cities' Begins Previews Tonight, 8/19

The upcoming musical A Tale of Two Cities begins previews tonight August 19th, 2008

The production will feature: James Barbour as Sydney Carton (Jane Eyre, Assassins, Urinetown, Beauty and the Beast, Camelot), Craig Bennett as Jerry Cruncher (Miss Saigon, Mamma Mia!, The Light in the Piazza, Les Miserables), Brandi Burkhardt as Lucie Manette, (Lil' Abner, Jekyll & Hyde, Wonderland, Oklahoma!, Oleanna), Kevin Earley as Ernest Defarge (Thoroughly Modern Millie, 1776, Assassins, Side Show, Les Miserables), Gregg Edelman as Dr. Alexandre Manette (City of Angels, Into the Woods, 1776, Passion, Cabaret, She Loves Me, Wonderful Town, Falsettos), Michael Hayward-Jones as Jarvis Lorry (Evita, Les Miserables, Beauty and the Beast, A Christmas Carol, The Sound of Music, The King & I, Me and My Girl, A Little Night Music, On the 20th Century), Aaron Lazar as Charles Darnay (Les Miserables, The Light in the Piazza, Oklahoma!, The Phantom of the Opera, The Scarlet Pimpernel, On The Town), Mackenzie Mauzy as The Seamstress (Lizzie Borden, The Flamingo Kid, The Bold and the Beautiful), Katherine McGrath as Miss Pross (The Music Man, Night of the Tribades, A Man of No Importance, Indian Blood, Echoes of War, The Real Inspector Hound, After Margritte, Dear Liar, The Baccae, Enter A Free Man, The Rivals, Romeo & Juliet, Shirley Valentine, Electra, Moon for the Misbegotten, Hamlet), Les Minski as Marquis St. Evremonde (Carousel, Annie, Moon for the Misbegotten, Find Your Way Home), Natalie Toro as Madame Therese Defarge (Evita, Les Miserables, A Christmas Carol, Zombie Prom, The Audience, Jesus Christ Superstar, Cats, West Side Story, The Fix, Frances of Guernica, Blood Brothers, Zorba), Nick Wyman as John Barsad (Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, My Fair Lady, Sly Fox, Doubles, On the Twentieth Century, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels),

The ensemble will feature: Drew Aber, Catherine Brunell, Alison Cimmet, Jennifer Evans, William Thomas Evans, Randy Glass, Kevin Greene, Michael Halling, Tim Hartman, Fred Inkley, Georgi James, Miles Kath, Jay Lusteck, Ray McLeod, Catherine Missal, James Moye, Walter O'Neil, Dan Petrotta, Devin Richards, Rob Richardson, Rebecca Robbins, Jennifer Smith, Anne Tolpegin, Eric Van Tielen,
Mollie Vogt-Welch and Alison Walla.

Set against the epic backdrop of the French Revolution and based on the classic Dickens novel, "A Tale of TWO CITIES" is a musical about injustice, vengeance and the redemptive power of love. When Dr. Manette is released from the French Bastille after 17 years, he must be resurrected from the brink of madness by his daughter, Lucie. In England they meet two very different men: the exiled French aristocrat, Charles Darnay, whom Lucie marries, and the drunken cynic, Sydney Carton. Soon family secrets and political intrigue combine to draw Lucie and her family back to Paris. At the height of the Reign of Terror, the musical finds an unlikely hero in Sydney Carton.

Jill Santoriello has written the show's book, music and lyrics. The musical is being designed by Tony Walton (scenery), David Zinn (costumes), Richard Pilbrow (lights), Carl Casella and Domonic Sack (sound). Orchestrations are by Edward B. Kessel and Bob Krogstad ; arrangements are by Edward B. Kessel and Wendy Bobbitt Cavett. The musical's creative team has collectively garnered: 3 Tony Awards, 4 Drama Desk Awards, 1 Oscar Award, 1 Emmy Award, 2 Drama Logue Awards, 1 Obie Award, 17 Tony Award Nominations, 13 Drama Desk Nominations and 1 Grammy Nomination. The show is directed by Warren Carlyle.

In the history of fictional literature, A Tale of TWO CITIES is arguably the most famous book title on earth. Since its inaugural publication on April 30th, 1859, A Tale of TWO CITIES has sold over 200 million copies in several languages. It is the recounting of one of the most electrifying love stories ever written told against the backdrop of one of the most terrifying eras in human history.