Aaron Tveit to Star in Barrington Stage Company's COMPANY; Initial Season Casting Announced

Barrington Stage Company (BSC), the award-winning theatre in Downtown Pittsfield, MA, under the leadership of Artistic Director Julianne Boyd and Managing Director Michele Weathers, is proud to announce initial casting for the 2017 season.

The 2017 BSC season will begin with Kunstler, starring Jeff McCarthy (Broadway's Chicago, BSC's Broadway Bounty Hunter) as the titular character, with Erin Roché (Measure for Measure, The Old Globe) as "Kerry". Kunstler is written by Jefferson Award winner and Emmy Award nominee Jeffrey Sweet, and directed by Meagen Fay. Performances begin May 18, with opening night set for May 21, and for a run through June 10.

The Birds will star Kathleen McNenny (Broadway's The Father) as "Diane," Sasha Diamond (BSC's peerless) as "Julia,"Christopher Innvar (Broadway's The Snow Geese, BSC's Much Ado About Nothing) as "Nat," and Obie Award winner Rocco Sisto (The Light Years at Playwrights Horizons) as "Tierney." Written by Conor McPherson and directed by BSC Artistic Director JuliAnne Boyd,The Birds begins previews June 15 and opens on June 18, for a run through July 8.

Starring in a new production of Ragtime is Elizabeth Stanley (Broadway and BSC's On the Town) as "Mother," Darnell Abraham(Side Show, The Media Theatre) as "Coalhouse," Zurin Villanueva (Broadway's Shuffle Along) as "Sarah," J. Anthony Crane(Broadway's The Country House) as "Tateh," Hunter Ryan Herdlicka (Broadway's A Little Night Music) as "Younger Brother," Anne L. Nathan (Broadway's It Shoulda Been You) as "Goldman," Lawrence E. Street (Broadway's Urinetown) as "Booker T. Washington,"Matt Gibson (Broadway's Gypsy) as "Willie Conklin," Allen Kendall (Broadway's Amazing Grace) as "JP Morgan," Joe Ventricelli(Sleep No More) as "Houdini," Eric Jon Malhum (Broadway's Wicked) as "Ford," Leanne A. Smith (Rock of Ages, Norwegian Cruises) as "Evelyn Nesbit," and John Little (Cabaret National Tour) as "Grandfather."

Rounding out the ensemble will be Robb Sherman ("Younger"), Allison Blackwell (Broadway's A Night with Janis Joplin), Christin Avante' Byrdsong (Figaro! 90210 at The Duke on 42nd Street), Alex Nicholson (Twelfth Night, The Theatre Project), Danielle James("True Blood"), Frances Evans, and Elliot Trainor. Ragtime features a book by Terrence McNally, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, andmusic by Stephen Flaherty, with direction from Helen Hayes Award winner Joe Calarco, choreography by Karma Camp, and musical direction by Darren Cohen. Ragtime begins previews June 21, opens June 24, and closes on July 15.

The 2017 season will continue with the laugh-out-loud but rarely staged comedy, Taking Steps, featuring Claire Brownell (Broadway'sThe 39 Steps) as "Elizabeth," Miles G. Jackson (BSC's Tribes) as "Tristam," Richard Hollis (Broadway's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time) as "Roland," Matthew Greer (Broadway's The Real Thing) as "Leslie," and Helen Cespedes (Broadway's The Cripple of Inishmaan) as "Kitty." Written by Olivier and Tony Award winner Alan Ayckbourn, with direction from Tony Award nomineeSam Buntrock (Broadway's Sunday in the Park with George), Taking Steps will begin performances July 20 and open July 23, for a run through August 5.

Aaron Tveit (Broadway's Catch Me If You Can, Next to Normal), who returns to BSC after previously playing "Matt" in the 2007 production of Calvin Berger, will star as "Bobby" in Company, along with Ellen Harvey (Broadway's Present Laughter) as "Joanne,"Lawrence Street (Broadway's Urinetown) as "Harry," Jeanette Bayardelle (Broadway's The Color Purple) as "Sarah," Kate Loprest(Broadway's First Date) as "Susan," Paul A. Schaefer (Broadway's The Phantom of the Opera) as "Peter," Jane Pfitsch (Broadway'sCabaret) as "Jenny," James Ludwig (Broadway's Spamalot) as "David," Lauren Marcus (Little Shop of Horrors, Sharon Playhouse) as "Amy," Joseph Spieldenner (Broadway's Les Misérables) as "Paul," Peter Reardon (BSC's All My Sons) as "Larry," Nora Schell(Spamilton, Triad Theater) as "Marta," and Rebecca Kuznick (BSC's Fiddler on the Roof) as "Kathy." Featuring a book by George Furth, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, with choreography by Jeffrey Page, music supervision by Darren Cohen, music direction by Alex Shields, and direction by JuliAnne Boyd, Company will begin previews on August 10 and is set to open August 13 for a run through September 2.

The 2017 Barrington season will also include Speech & Debate by Tony Award winner and Pulitzer Prize finalist Stephen Karamand directed by Jessica Holt. Speech and Debate begins previews July 13, with an opening set for July 16, and will run thought July 29.This by Obie Award winner Melissa James Gibson and directed by Christopher Innvar begins previews on August 3, officially opens on August 6, and will run through August 27. The 2017 season will conclude with Gaslight (Angel Street) by PatRick Hamilton and directed by Louisa Proske. Gaslight begins previews October 4, opens October 8 and runs through October 22.

Additional casting and creative team for all productions will be announced shortly.

Performance schedules for all productions are available by visiting www.barringtonstageco.org.

Both single tickets and 2017 season passes are now on-sale and available at www.barringtonstageco.org or by calling 413-236-8888 or visiting the MainStage box office (30 Union Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201). Tickets range from $25 to $69.

In addition to the previous announced 2017 productions, BSC is also proud to announce the following events for their 2017 season:

From August 30-September 3, Broadway veteran Ed Dixon (Anything Goes, Mary Poppins) brings his one-man show, Georgie: My Adventures with George Rose, to the St. Germain Stage, directed by Eric Schaeffer (Follies). The performance schedule for Georgieis as follows: August 30-September 2, 7:30pm; September 2-3, 3:00pm.

Two-time Tony Award-winner William Finn returns by popular demand with the next generation of talented musical theatre writers inSongs by Ridiculously Talented Composers and Lyricists You Probably Don't Know But Should...They share a concert of their newest songs with the help of four extraordinary singers, ridiculously talented in their own right. A funny, charming and insightful evening, narrated by Mr. Finn! Concerts will take place June 9 and 10 at 8pm. Tickets range from $30-40.

On Monday, July 31, 2017 at 7pm, BSC will present Nobody Does It Like Me...The Music of Cy Coleman. Straight from Broadway's Wicked, the multiple Emmy and Tony-nominated Michele Lee spotlights the music of Cy Coleman (Sweet Charity, Barnum and City of Angels). Including songs from their musical Seesaw, Ms. Lee infuses the evening with stories that tickle the funny bone to ballads that cut deep into the soul. With music director extraordinaire Ron Abel, it's easy to see how "Nobody Does It Like" Michele Lee. Tickets range from $40-50. VIP tickets, which include premium seating, a post-show reception, and a meet-and greet, are available for $75.

After many summers of blowing the roof off of our cabaret, on Sunday, September 3, 2017 at 8pm, Joe Iconis and his tribe of musical theater misfits return to the Mainstage for a special one-night-only concert- Joe Iconis and Family TAKE OVER! These musical mavericks will make it clear why The New York Times calls them "The Future of Musical Theatre" with songs about anything and everything that makes you laugh, cry, scream, or drink. Come see what happens when The Family gets out of the basement and is set loose on the Mainstage for our final blowout of summer! Tickets range from $35-45.

The 2017 Youth Theatre Program production will be BYE BYE BIRDIE. The winner of four Tony Awards, including Best Musical, BYE BYE BIRDIE features a book by Michael Stewart, lyrics by Lee Adams and music by Charles Strouse. BYE BYE BIRDIE, BSC's 20thYouth Theatre production, will be directed and choreographed by Julianne Katz (Crazy For You at Lincoln Center, Assistant Choreographer).

Barrington Stage Company is a professional award-winning Equity regional theatre located in the heart of the Berkshires, in Pittsfield, MA. It was co-founded in 1995 by Artistic Director JuliAnne Boyd and has a three-fold mission: to present top-notch, compelling work; to develop new plays and musicals; and to find fresh, bold ways of bringing new audiences into the theatre-especially young people. Barrington Stage garnered national attention in 2004 when it premiered William Finn and Rachel Sheinkin's musical hit The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee which later transferred to Broadway where it won two Tony Awards. In 2009, Mark St. Germain's Freud's Last Session ran more than ten weeks on Stage 2 and later moved Off Broadway and played for two years. St. Germain's Becoming Dr. Ruth(which premiered at BSC as Dr. Ruth, All the Way in 2012) played Off Broadway at the Westside Theatre in fall 2013. BSC's all-time record-breaking musical, On the Town, was originally produced at BSC in 2013. In 2014, it opened on Broadway with BSC as a co-producer, where it was nominated for four Tony Awards including Best Musical Revival. In 2016, Barrington Stage swept the? first Annual Berkshire Theatre Awards by winning 20 out of the 25 awards. In 2016, BSC produced three World Premieres; Presto Change-O, Broadway BounTy Hunter, and American Son, which won the Laurents/Hatcher Award for Best New Play.

For more information, visit www.barringtonstageco.org.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos