David Josefsberg of South Orange, NJ, will play the role of Max. On Broadway, Mr. Josefsberg appeared in LES MISERABLES, Grease and The Wedding Singer. Off Broadway Josefsberg appeared in Altar Boyz, Slut, and Rated P. Mr. Josefsberg is half of the comedy-music duo Joberg and Gurner, recently signed to Comedy Central Records. Michael Kostroff returns to Paper Mill Playhouse to play Saunders after his critically acclaimed performance as Thénardier in the 25th Anniversary production of LES MISERABLES. Kostroff is best known for his five seasons on HBO's The Wire, two seasons on Disney's Sonny with a Chance, and for his dozens of television guest appearances. Jill Paice, who appeared as Betty Haynes in Paper Mill Playhouse's production of Irving Berlin's White Christmas in 2011, returns to play Maggie. Paice appeared on Broadway in: The 39 Steps, A Little Night Music (Anne), Curtains (Niki Harris), The Woman in White (Laura Fairlie) and on the West End in Gone with the Wind (Scarlett O'Hara). Ms. Paice appeared Off Broadway in Death Takes a Holiday (Grazia), Tokio Confidential (Isabella) and Where's Charley? (Kitty, Encores!). Mark Price joins the Lend Me a Tenor cast as the Bellhop. Mr. Price has appeared in many Broadway shows, including Mary Poppins (Robertson Ay), Wonderful Town, All Shook Up (Dennis), Rocky Horror Show (Riff Raff), Mamma Mia! (Pepper), Dance of the Vampires (Boris), You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Paul Simon's The Capeman, Chicago, and Beauty and the Beast (Lefou).
Don Stephenson will direct Lend Me a Tenor. Stephenson appeared as John Adams in Paper Mill Playhouse's production of 1776. Mr. Stephenson directed Of Mice and Manhattan for the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center, Titanic at The Muny and Noises Off and The 39 Steps at the Flat Rock Playhouse, Titanic at the Hangar Theatre, and The Great Unknown for the New York Musical Theatre Festival. He directed critically acclaimed productions of Oleanna, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and the hit musical Doctors and Diseases at the Barter Theatre, which moved Off Broadway to The Players Theater. Other New York directing credits include Buck Simple (Garrick Gaieties), When Pigs Fly (Kaufman Theatre), Golden Voices (Symphony Space), Old Flames (Theatre-Studio Inc.) and a workshop of My Time of Day: The Music of Frank Loesser. Don has directed The Desperate Hours and Through All Kinds of Weather at the Clarence Brown Theatre and Sleeping Beauty at American Stage Festival.
The Lend Me a Tenor design team includes:
Scenic designer John Lee Beatty has designed sets for more than 70 Broadway productions since 1973, including The Apple Tree, The Color Purple, Crimes of the Heart, Doubt, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Wonderful Town, Footloose, Once Upon a Mattress, Chicago, The Most Happy Fella, Ain't Misbehavin' and Knock Knock. Beatty won Tony Awards for his designs of On The Twentieth Century and Talley's Folly and received 11 other nominations for his work. Beatty also has won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Set Design four times and received 10 other Drama Desk nominations. Costumes will be designed by Wade Laboissonniere whose credits include The Story of My Life, 1776, Parade, LiberTy Smith, Sabrina Fair, Little Shop of Horrors, The Civil War, The Heavens Are Hung In Black, State of the Union and The Matchmaker. Lighting designer Stephen Terry has designed productions at theaters throughout the United States and has served as Associate Lighting Designer on Broadway. Sound designer Matt Kraus designed on Broadway for Kathy Griffin Wants a Tony and Liza's at the Palace...!. Hair design will be provided by Cookie Jordan (Broadway credits include: Fela!, The Motherf**ker with the Hat, Lombardi, The Miracle Worker, A View from the Bridge and South Pacific).
Tom Helm (Music Coordinator) has conducted more than 40 productions for Paper Mill Playhouse, including The Sound of Music, Follies, Crazy for You (also on PBS), The Baker's Wife, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and She Loves Me. On Broadway: musical director of LES MISERABLES, Me and My Girl, the Brigadoon revival, musical supervisor of the play-with-music Souvenir with Judy Kaye, as well as some performances of Cats. Gary Mickelson (Broadway's Memphis, Gypsy, Company) will serve as Production Stage Manager.
"Lend Me a Tenor is the perfect cure for the winter blues," remarked Mark S. Hoebee, Producing Artistic Director for Paper Mill Playhouse. "It is no wonder that this play was hailed by The New York Times as 'one of the funniest farces to ever appear on Broadway.' Lend Me a Tenor is one of the most hilarious comedies ever written, and we are thrilled to bring it to New Jersey with this all-star cast."
Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos