Rob McClure to Lead CHAPLIN on Broadway!

Rob McClure, who originated the role of Chaplin at the La Jolla Playhouse, will star in the title role of the new Broadway musical CHAPLIN. A new musical depicting the life of film icon Charlie Chaplin, with music and lyrics by Christopher Curtis and book by three-time Tony Award-winner Thomas Meehan (Annie, The Producers, Hairspray) and Christopher Curtis, CHAPLIN will open on Broadway on Monday, September 10, 2012 at the Barrymore Theatre (243 West 47th Street). Previews will begin Tuesday, August 21, 2012. Acclaimed director/choreographer Warren Carlyle (Finian's Rainbow, Hugh Jackman, Back on Broadway) directs and choreographs the production. Additional casting and additional creative team to be announced soon.

CHAPLIN comes to Broadway following the popular success of a production at the La Jolla Playhouse in 2010, under the name Limelight. Tickets to CHAPLIN are now on sale to Audience Rewards members through Sunday, June 3. Tickets will go on sale to the general public beginning Monday, June 4 through Telecharge at www.telecharge.com or by calling 212-239-6200 or 800- 800-432-7250. Group sales are on sale by going to www.telecharge.com/groups or by calling 212-239-6262 or 800-432-7780.

For ticket information through Audience Rewards or to create your free membership, go to: www.audiencerewards.com

From the slums of London to the heights of Hollywood, CHAPLIN is the showbiz Broadway musical about the silent film legend the world couldn't stop talking about - Charlie Chaplin. The brand new 22-person musical reveals the man behind the legend, the undeniable genius that forever changed the way America went to the movies.

CHAPLIN will be produced on Broadway by the Rich Entertainment Group (Bob & Mindy Rich), Roy Gabay (Fela!, The Little Dog Laughed, Steel Magnolias), and John Caudwell and Claire Johnson, with additional producers to be announced. Rich/Caudwell are also co-producing this season's productions of Jesus Christ Superstar and Leap of Faith.

Rob McClure (Chaplin) originated the role of Chaplin at La Jolla Playhouse (Craig Noel Award winner). Most recently in New York, Rob received raves for another title role, leading the cast of Where's Charley? at Encores. A two-time Barrymore Award winner, Rob starred on Broadway as Princeton/Rod in the Tony Award winning musical Avenue Q. He made his Broadway debut in the 2002 Broadway revival of I'm Not Rappaport alongside Judd Hirsch and Ben Vereen. Other selected credits include Avenue Q (1st National Tour, Helen Hayes Nomination), Amadeus (Mozart, Walnut Street Theatre), Little Shop of Horrors (Seymour, The MUNY), The Game's Afoot (World-Premiere by Ken Ludwig, Cleveland Playhouse), The Producers (Carmen Ghia, Walnut Street Theatre), The Flea and the Professor (World-Premiere, Arden Theatre.) and Johnny Baseball (World-Premiere American Repertory Theater).

Christopher Curtis (Music & Lyrics, Book). As a pianist and singer Chris Curtis has performed in Los Angeles, New York, Japan and Ireland with such artists as Stevie Wonder. As a composer he wrote and sang the theme song for the popular Discovery Channel/The Learning Channel TV series "A Wedding Story" as well as the songs for the Discovery Channel's "Travelers" and "On the Inside." He wrote and sang the theme song to the Trimark Pictures film The Break starring Martin Sheen. Chris was signed to the songwriter program at Disney Animation. Chaplin, formerly entitled Limelight, was the recipient of the San Diego Theatre Critics Circle's Craig Noel Award for Best Musical for its run at the La Jolla Playhouse.

Thomas Meehan (Book) won the 2001 Tony Award for co-writing the book of The Producers with Mel Brooks, and then went on to win the 2003 Tony Award for co-writing the book of Hairspray with Mark O'Donnell. He received his first Tony Award in 1977 for writing the book of Annie, which was his first Broadway show, and he has since written books for, among others, the musicals I Remember Mama, Ain't Broadway Grand, Annie Warbucks and the American version of Bombay Dreams. His most recent works are the Broadway musicals Young Frankenstein, for which he co-wrote the book with Mel Brooks; Cry-Baby, co-written with Mark O'Donnell; and Elf, co-written with Bob Martin. Meanwhile, the summer of 2010 saw the limited-run premiere of Death Takes a Holiday, for which he co-wrote the book with the late Peter Stone to music and lyrics by Maury Yeston. Future projects include Rocky, for which he has written the book to lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Stephen Flaherty. Other works in earlier stages of development include musicals based on the life of Roy Rogers, the early years of Judy Garland entitled Chasing Rainbows, the movie Tootsie and the movie Dave. In addition, he is a long-time contributor of humor pieces, including Yma Dream, to The New Yorker; an Emmy Award-winning writer of television comedy; and a collaborator on a number of screenplays, including Mel Brooks' Spaceballs, To Be or Not to Be and the film version of The Producers. He is also the co-author, with the poet J.D. McClatchy, of the libretto of 1984, an opera composed by Lorin Maazel, based on George Orwell's classic novel, which had its world premiere in the spring of 2005 at London's Royal Opera House and was performed in 2008 at La Scala in Milan, and last year at the opera house in Valencia. Mr. Meehan is a member of the Council of the Dramatists Guild.

Warren Carlyle (Director/Choreographer) Warren was represented on Broadway this season by Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway (Director and Choreographer, Broadhurst Theater) and as choreographer of Follies (Marriott Marquis Theatre, The Kennedy Center). Most recently he directed and choreographed Cotton Club Parade at City Center Encores! and the critically acclaimed, Tony-nominated Broadway revival of Finian's Rainbow at the St James Theater. Other Broadway credits include A Tale of Two Cities (director/choreographer) at the Al Hirschfeld Theater. Selected additional New York credits include: choreographed Girl Crazy, On The Town, Finian's Rainbow, Juno and Stairway To Paradise (all Encores! at City Center); 101 Dalmatians (Madison Square Garden / Tour); You Again (NY Fringe); Working (Zipper Theater); Slut! (ATA); Roundabout 40th Anniversary Gala and The 24 Hour Musicals (The Public Theater). Regional credits include: produced, directed and choreographed Hugh Jackman In Performance (Curran Theater San Francisco); Camelot (Stratford Canada); musical staging for the new Randy Newman revue Harps & Angels (Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles); directed and choreographed the award winning, Broadway-bound musical Limelight (La Jolla Playhouse); directed and choreographed Buddy's Tavern (The O'Neill Theater Center, Richard Rodgers Award Winner); Lucky Guy (Goodspeed); choreographed Mame (The Kennedy Center); The Pirates Of Penzance (Paper Mill Playhouse, Goodspeed - CT Critics Circle Award for Best Choreography); The Bakers Wife (Goodspeed) and Pageant (Second City Chicago). In his native England his work has included Me and My Girl (director and choreographer, UK Tour - Award Winning Best Production, Theater Goers Choice Award); The Goodbye Girl (1st National UK Tour); Pageant (Vaudeville Theater); Sondheim's Moving On (Bridewell Theater); and Scrooge (European Tour). He is represented on film and television by Deception starring Hugh Jackman (20th Century Fox); "Hope and Faith" (ABC); "An Evening at the Boston Pops" (PBS); and Elton John's Made in England music video.

For more information, visit: www.ChaplinBroadway.com