Broadway-Bound BEACHES, Starring Shoshana Bean & Whitney Bashor, Opens Tonight in Chicago

Drury Lane Productions and Jennifer Maloney-Prezioso (Broadway's Spring Awakening, Rock of Ages) present the pre-Broadway production of Beaches, A New Musical, based on the beloved novel by Iris Rainer Dart. The show began previews June 24 and opens tonight, July 2nd, running through August 16, 2015. The original musical is written by Iris Rainer Dart and Thom Thomas, with music by David Austin and lyrics by Iris Rainer Dart. The production is directed by Eric Schaeffer (Broadway's Follies, Million Dollar Quartet).

The all-star cast is led by Shoshana Bean as "Cee Cee Bloom," and Whitney Bashor as "Bertie White." Bean, a veteran of the Broadway stage debuted in the original cast of Hairspray and starred as the very first replacement for Elphaba, the green-skinned witch, in Wicked. Her independent solo releases have topped the iTunes R&B and Blues charts in the US and UK in peak positions 5, 3 and now #1 with the release of her latest EP Shadows to Light. She also sang back up for Michael Jackson at his 30th anniversary concert at Madison Square Garden and her music has also been featured in TV shows on NBC, MTV, Oxygen and Showtime.

Bashor appeared in Broadway's Tony award-winning Bridges of Madison County and went from the stage to the small screen, appearing on HBO's critically acclaimed "Boardwalk Empire."

The young versions of the characters are played by Presley Ryan as "Little Cee Cee" (How The Grinch Stole Christmas at Madison Square Garden, NBC's "The Sound of Music Live") and Brooklyn Shuck as "Little Bertie / Nina" (Broadway: Matilda in Matilda; Annie)

Also starring is Travis Taylor as "John Perry" (Lancelot in Camelot at Drury Lane Theatre, Sunday in the Park with George at Goodman Theatre), Nancy Voigts as "Leona Bloom" (Follies at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, A Christmas Carol at Goodman Theatre), Kelly Anne Clark as "Rose White" (I Love You You're Perfect Now Change - Off Broadway, Victor/Victoria at the Marriott for which she won a Jeff Award), Jim DeSelm as "Michael Barron" (Tony in West Side Story at Drury Lane Theatre, TV: Chicago P.D.), Michael Accardo as "Nathan Bloom" (Full Monty at Drury Lane Theatre Water Tower, TV: Chicago P.D.), Andrew Varela as "Arthur" (Broadway: LES MISERABLES and Little Women), Samantha Pauly as "Teen Cee Cee" (Godspell at Marriott, TV: Chicago P.D. and Shameless) and Olivia Renteria (Brigadoon at Goodman Theatre, Oliver at Drury Lane Theatre) as "Teen Bertie."

Rounding out the cast are William Carlos Angulo, Heather Brorsen, Josh Kohane, Christine Mild and Holly Strauder.

Beaches will be choreographed by Lorin Latarro (Broadway: Waiting for Godot, Scandalous), with musical direction by Brian Nash (Silence!, Kathy Najimy: Lift Up Your Skirt). The production will also feature scenic design by Tony and Emmy Award-winning Derek McLane (86th Academy Awards, Broadway: Anything Goes, Ragtime), lighting design by Tony Award-winning Howell Binkley (Broadway: Jersey Boys, West Side Story, Memphis), costume design by Alejo Vietti (Broadway: Beautiful, The Carole King Musical, Jersey Boys), and sound design by Tony Award-nominated Kai Harada (Broadway: Fun Home, Follies, Million Dollar Quartet).

Opening night is scheduled for tonight, July 2, and the production will run through August 16. Tickets are on sale now and available by calling the Drury Lane Theatre box office at 630.530.0111, TicketMaster at 800.745.3000 or visiting www.drurylane.com. The performance schedule is as follows: Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m. ($45), Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. ($45) and 8 p.m. ($55), Fridays at 8 p.m. ($60), Saturdays at 5 p.m. ($60), and 8:30 p.m. ($60), and Sundays at 2 p.m. ($60), and 6 p.m. ($55). Student group tickets start as low as $30 and Senior Citizens start at $40 for matinees. Dinner and show packages are also available.

For more information on Beaches and the rest of the 2015-2016 theatrical season at Drury Lane, visit www.drurylane.com.