Ogunquit Playhouse's VICTOR / VICTORIA, Starring Lisa Brescia, Hits the Stage Tonight

It's the 20th anniversary of Broadway's tender and funny, smart and sexy Victor/ Victoria and the Ogunquit Playhouse is celebrating by mounting a full-scale glamorous production of the musical comedy tonight, June 24 to July 18, complete with the original Broadway and touring sets designed by Robin Wagner and costumes by Willa Kim.

Written by acclaimed film director Blake Edwards (Breakfast at Tiffany's, The Pink Panther) and based on his hit film that starred Julie Andrews, Robert Preston and James Garner, this truly classic musical features an electrifying and moving score by Henry Mancini, lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and additional musical material by Frank Wildhorn that includes the exciting "Le Jazz Hot," the touching "Almost A Love Song," and the hilarious "Chicago, Illinois." Don't miss the musical comedy that BroadwayWorld exclaims "has all the panache and sizzle of Chicago, the colorful character line up of Guys and Dolls, and the farcical comedy of Noises Off." This show has it all!

Victor/Victoria is a musical comedy set in 1934 Paris in all its glitzy glory, and tells the story of Victoria, played by Broadway's Lisa Brescia, a down-on-her-luck nightclub singer in search of a job. Her luck changes when she meets the flamboyant and big-hearted Toddy, played by Broadway veteran George Dvorsky, who hatches a plan to help her masquerade as female impersonator "Victor." Hilarity and confusion soon follow when "Victor" becomes an overnight sensation in the night clubs of Paris and attracts the attention of a macho Chicago gangster, King Marchan, played by Darren Ritchie -- much to the dismay of his ditsy girlfriend Norma Cassidy, played by Robyn Hurder.

Lisa Brescia makes her Ogunquit Playhouse debut in the starring role as Victoria Grant. She has appeared on Broadway in many productions including Mamma Mia! as Donna Sheridan, Wicked as Elphaba, Twyla Tharp's The Times They Are A-Changin' as Cleo, Aida as Amneris, and The Woman in White as Marion Halcolmbe, as well as many off-Broadway and regional productions.

George Dvorsky, who last graced the Ogunquit Playhouse stage as Billy Flynn in Chicago (2010), is cast in the role of Carroll Todd. He has appeared on Broadway in The Scarlet Pimpernel, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (revival), the Tony Award-winning Passion, Marilyn: An American Fable and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, as well as in many off-Broadway productions, and was featured on PBS' Emmy-winning Passion: Live at Lincoln Center starring Patti LuPone. He recently starred as El Gallo in New York's longest running musical The Fantasticks. Mr. Dvorsky also starred as Baron Bomburst/Lord Scrumptious in the National Tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and as Billy Crocker opposite Chita Rivera in Anything Goes at the Paper Mill Playhouse. His extensive regional credits include appearances at Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS) in Houston; North Shore Music Theatre in Beverly, MA; The Olney Theatre Center, Olney, MD; and the Cape Playhouse in Dennis, MA. At the Ogunquit Playhouse he starred in the productions of 1776, My One and Only, Damn Yankees, Brigadoon, and Carousel.

Darren Ritchie joins the cast as King Marchan, the homophobic gangster who falls in love in "Victor." Mr. Ritchie most recently appeared in the critically acclaimed Freedom's Song at Ford's Theatre in Washington D.C. He received the Outstanding Performance by an Actor Award at the 10th anniversary New York Music Festival for his work in Standby the Musical. On Broadway he originated the role of the White Knight/Jack in Wildhorn's Wonderland: Alice's New Musical Adventure, as well as the role of Jonathan Harker in the Broadway production of Dracula, the Musical. His other Broadway performances include Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Little Shop of Horrors, Bells Are Ringing, and Les Miserables.

Robyn Hurder is cast as beautiful, bubble-brained Norma, the jealous girlfriend of gangster King Marchan. She is returning to her native state of Maine to make her Ogunquit Playhouse debut. On Broadway she originated the roles of Jeannie Muldoon in Nice Work If You Can Get It, Marty in the most recent revival of Grease, and Violet in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Her other Broadway credits include Chicago and The Wedding Singer. She has also appeared in many Off Broadway and New York theatres including Paint Your Wagon at City Center's Encores!, Play It Cool at Theatre Row and as one of The Broadway Dolls in Tour De Fierce (NYMF). Her First National Tour credits include A Chorus Line as Cassie, Spamalot as Lady of the Lake, and Starlight Express as Pearl.

Also joining the cast are Joe Joyce as Henri Labisse who recently appeared on Broadway in the Tony Award nominated musical Swinging On A Star and National Tours of 42ND Street, The Mystery of Edwin Drood and La Cage Aux Folles; Jacob Smith who is making his Ogunquit debut as Squash and recently appeared in the National Tours of Spamalot and Rock of Ages; and Robert Marcus who is also making his Ogunquit debut is cast as Andre Cassell and recently appeared in the National Tour of Jekyll & Hyde.

Directing the Ogunquit production is Matt Lenz, who received the 2015 Drama Desk nomination for Pageant: The Musical. On Broadway he has worked as the Associate Director on original productions of Hairspray, Catch Me If You Can, The Velocity of Autumn and Disney's Beauty and the Beast as Resident Director. He has directed many musicals at regional theatres throughout the U. S. as well as the National Tours of Hairspray, Catch Me If You Can and A Christmas Story: The Musical. Internationally Mr. Lenz has directed Hairspray in Johannesburg, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Toronto, and Cologne, Germany.

Darren Lee joins the creative team for Victor/Victoria as Choreographer. On Broadway Mr. Lee worked as the Associate Choreographer for Pacific Overtures. He has choreographed for many regional theatres across the country including Olney Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, St. Louis MUNY, Paper Mill Playhouse, Music Theatre of Wichita, La Jolla Playhouse, and North Shore Music Theatre.

Jeffrey Campos returns to the Ogunquit Playhouse as Musical Director. His National Tour credits include Jekyll & Hyde, A Chorus Line, The Wizard of Oz, Oklahoma, Annie, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. He has worked at the Ogunquit Playhouse as both Musical Director and Assistant Musical Director for the productions of The Witches of Eastwick, Grease, Thoroughly Modern Mille, Joseph...Dreamcoat, 9 to 5 the Musical, Damn Yankees, South Pacific, Legally Blonde, Summer of Love, and Sunset Boulevard, as well as many other regional theatres throughout the U.S.

The Ogunquit Playhouse will produce four more Broadway musicals in 2015. The delightful Nice Work If You Can Get It hits the stage July 22 to August 15 with Ogunquit's favorite comic actress Sally Struthers as the town temperance enforcer set against a gang of bootleggers. The Tony Award-winning Broadway musical Million Dollar Quartet is on stage August 19 to September 19. Saturday Night Fever, with a newly revised book and musical arrangements, comes to life on stage from September 23 to October 25. The Irving Berlin classic White Christmas will be presented just in time for the holidays, December 9 to 20 at the Music Hall in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Mark your calendars now and get ready to see every show this year. Tickets are on sale now. Prices start at $44 per show. To learn more about becoming a Playhouse member, or to purchase tickets and gift certificates, visit www.ogunquitplayhouse.com or call the Ogunquit Playhouse Box Office at 207-646-5511.

The Ogunquit Playhouse is America's Foremost Summer Theatre, a 501c3 not-for-profit organization, producing the finest Broadway musicals each season, with performances Tuesday through Sunday, from mid-May to mid-October. Follow the Ogunquit Playhouse on Twitter (@OgunquitPH) and become our fan on Facebook (facebook.com/OgunquitPlayhouse) for behind-the-scenes info, photos and fun throughout the season. For a complete list of show times, pricing and more information about the season visit www.ogunquitplayhouse.org.

Pictured: Broadway's Lisa Brescia stars as Victoria Grant. Photo by Julia Russell.

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