Casts Announced for White Christmas in Detroit & St. Paul

Casting has been announced for the casts of the two upcoming Midwestern stage productions of Irving Berlin's White Christmas.

White Christmas will play the Fox Theatre in Detroit from November 17th through December 30th, and the Ordway Center in St. Paul from November 28th through January 7th, 2007.

In Detroit, the production will star Kate Baldwin as Betty Haynes, Charles Dean as General Waverly, Berklea Going as Susan, Mark Ledbetter as Phil Davis, Mike Masters as Ralph Sheldrake, Susan Mansur as Martha Watson, Shannon O'Bryan as Judy Haynes and Graham Rowat as Bob Wallace.

Cliff Bemis, Jeremy Benton, Jacob ben Widmar, Jacqueline Bayne, Andrew Black, Graham Bowen, Melinda Cowan, Margot de La Barre, Steve Donahue, Sara Edwards, Megan Hart Jimenez, Luke Hawkins, Dale Hensley, Sarah Hicks, Alex Hsu, Drew Humphrey, Mary Giattino, Katie Kerwin, Maggie Malaney, Brent McBeth, Joseph Medeiros, Emily Morgan, Missy Morrison, Stephanie Morse and Kiira Schmidt will also be featured.

In St. Paul, White Christmas will star John Antony as Ralph Sheldrake, Stephen Bogardus as Bob Wallace, Jeffry Denman as Phil Davis, Melody Hollis as Susan, Kerry O'Malley as Betty Haynes, David Ogden Stiers as General Waverly, Kristen Beth Williams as Judy Haynes and Ruth Williamson as Martha Watson.

Kelli Barclay, Colin Bradbury, Robin Campbell, Erin Crouch, Lianne Marie Dobbs, Lois Enders, J. Austin Eyer, Chad Harlow, Michael Thomas Holmes, Matt Kilgore, Matt Kirk, Cara Kjellman, Denis Lambert, Melissa Lone, Carly Maitlin, Ritchie Mastascusa, Jennifer Mathie, Denise Nolin, James Patterson, Richard Pruitt, Lisa Ramey, Denis Lambert, Matt Schneider, Kelly Sheehan, Melissa Wolf Klain and Kevin Worley will also be featured in that cast.

Several of the productions' stars and ensemble members are veterans of the regional hit in other cities.

"The musical tells the story of two showbiz buddies putting on a show in a picturesque Vermont inn, and finding their perfect mates in the bargain," according to press notes. Irving Berlin's White Christmas features a book by David Ives (All in the Timing) and Paul Blake in addition to its classic Berlin songs.

As with the three previous productions that played in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Boston last holiday season, White Christmas boasts direction by Tony Award-winner Walter Bobbie (Chicago) and choreography by Randy Skinner (42nd Street).  Other professional productions of the show, which is now licensable to regional theatres, are on the way.

The Producing Office (Kevin McCollum, Jeffrey Seller), Paul Blake, Dan Markley, and Sonny Everett in association with Paramount Pictures, produce White Christmas.

White Christmas is based on the 1954 Paramount film that starred Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Danny Kaye and Vera-Ellen; the original screenplay was by Norman Krasna, Norman Panama, and Melvin Frank. Many Berlin classics are showcased in this new production, including "Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep," " Sisters," "How Deep is the Ocean" and the title song. 

A cast recording is available on Ghostlight Records.

For more information, visit www.whitechristmasthemusical.com or www.ghostlightrecords.com.