'A Tale of Two Cities' to Open on Broadway Sep 18; Previews Aug. 19

BroadwayWorld.com has learned the the Jill Santoriello penned A Tale of Two Cities, which played the Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota, Florida in the Fall of 2007 will open on Broadway at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre on September 18, 2008. Previews will begin on August 19, 2008 with rehearsals set to start on "Bastille Day", July 14th.

A Tale of Two Cities features a book, music and lyrics by Santoriello;  designed by Tony Walton (scenery), David Zinn (costumes), Richard Pilbrow (lights), Carl Casella and Domonic Sack (sound).  Musical direction is by Kevin Stites and orchestrations by Edward B. Kessel and Bob Krogstad. The show's press representation is The Jacksina Company. The Sarasota production was directed by Michael Donald Edwards and choreographed by Warren Carlyle. An official press release today, received at 3:57 PM, named Warren Carlyle as director and choreographer for the Broadway production (we have since learned, that this is pending completion of a negotiation).

"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," describe press notes, "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 Carton, inspired by love to make an extraordinary sacrifice."

The Florida cast featured James Barbour (Sydney Carton), Craig Bennett (Jerry Cruncher), Joe Cassidy (Ernest Defarge), Janine Divita (Young French Woman), Kevin Greene (Gabelle), Tim Hartman (The Turnkey), Michael Hayward-Jones (Jarvis Lorry), Derek Keeling (Charles Darnay), Jodie Langel (Mrs. Cruncher), Jay Lusteck (Attorney General), Katherine McGrath (Miss Pross), Les Minski (Marquis St. Evremonde), Walter Winston Oneil (Cronie), Rob Richardson (Gaspard), Rebecca Robbins (Vengeance), Jessica Rush (Lucie Manette), Alex Santoriello (Dr. Manette), Wayne Schroder (C.J. Stryver), Natalie Toro (Madame Defarge) and Nick Wyman (John Barsad), and Alex Howley, Kim Fanok, Karis Danish, Amy E. Gray, Marcus Denard Johnson, Heather Kopp, , Julie Lachance, Jennifer Logue, Bruce Merkle, Catherine Missal, Stephen Missal and Owen Teague.

The cast in the famous court-room scene

For more information visit www.ATaleof2Cities.com

Photos by Carol Rosegg