Crumb, Colton, Larsen, MacRae, Malone, Metz and Sullivan to Star in Off-Broadway BINGO

Aruba Productions and Buddy & Sally Productions are proud to present the New York premiere of BINGO, a winning new musical opening Monday, November 7, 2005 at Off-Broadway's St. Luke's Theatre (308 West 46th Street). Directed by Thomas Caruso (Resident Dir., Mamma Mia), BINGO begins preview performances on Friday, October 21. BINGO has a book by Michael Heitzman and Ilene Reid; lyrics and music by Mr. Heitzman, Ms. Reid and David Holcenberg.

In this environmental musical comedy, the audience gets to join in the BINGO game at Hamerin County's St. Luke's Church basement, where they will meet – among others – Vern, Honey and Patsy, three pals that have driven through a terrible thunderstorm in the name of their weekly obsession. In between the number calling, strange rituals and fierce competitions, love blossoms and estranged friends reunite, sending everyone home a winner.

BINGO stars Tony nominee Ann Crumb (Anna Karenina) as Bernice/Joan, Chevi Colton (The Insect Comedy, City Center) as Minnie, Liz Larsen (The Rocky Horror Show, Broadway) as Honey, Heather MacRae (Falsettos, Broadway) as Vern, Beth Malone (Babes in Arms, L.A. Reprise) as Alison, Janet Metz (Fiddler on the Roof, Broadway revival) as Patsy, and Patrick Ryan Sullivan (42nd Street, Broadway revival) as Sam/Frank.

BINGO had its world premiere production in 2001 at the Hermosa Beach Playhouse, with subsequent productions at the Ordway Center of the Performing Arts in Minnesota in 2001 and the Adirondack Theatre Festival in 2003.

With choreography by Lisa Stevens (Ass't. Choreog., Bombay Dreams), BINGO features scenic design by Eric Renschler (As Long as We Both Shall Laugh), costume design by Carol Brys, lighting design by John Viesta and sound design by Lewis Mead (Urinetown). BINGO features musical direction and orchestrations by Steve Bishop.

BINGO will play Mondays at 8 p.m.; Tuesdays at 8 p.m. Wednesdays at 2:00 p.m., Fridays at 8 p.m.; Saturdays at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Sundays at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. (There are no performances on Wednesday evenings or Thursdays).

Tickets for BINGO are $65 and are now available by calling Telecharge.com at (212) 239-6200. For more information, please visit www.bingothemusical.com.

BIOGRAPHIES

Ann Crumb (Bernice/Joan). Broadway: Anna Karenina (Tony nom. for Best Actress), Aspects of Love, Chess, Les Misérables. London: The Goodbye Girl, Aspects of Love, Nine. Off-Broadway: Hemingway Project, The Slow Drag, Inside/Out, Rags and others. National and International Tours include: Swing!, Music of the Night, Man of LaMancha, Evita, Les Misérables. Regional: Love and Anger, Bed and Sofa (Wilma Theater); Will Rogers Follies (Paper Mill); The Gamblers (American Stage Co.); I Remember (Guthrie). TV: "Law & Order," "Another World," "As the World Turns," "Guiding Light."

Chevi Colton (Minnie). Ms. Colton's New York theatrical debut was in The Insect Comedy, directed by Jose Ferrer at City Center. Since then she has gone on to a diverse career in musicals and plays on Broadway, including leading roles in Cabaret, Over Here, The Grand Tour, The Supporting Cast, Roza, as the hilarious mother in Torch Song Trilogy, as well as two national tours of Fiddler on the Roof. Among dozens of Off-Broadway shows, her favorite was the New York and international company of Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well. Recent engagements include the hit revivals of Milk and Honey and 70 Girls 70 at the York Theatre.

Liz Larsen (Honey). B'way: Smell of the Kill, The Rocky Horror Show, Most Happy Fella (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics noms, Drama-Logue Award), Damn Yankees, Fiddler on the Roof, Starmites, Night Music. Off-B'way: Him & Her (Fringe Performance Award), New Yorkers, Loman Family Picnic, New Brain. Nat'l: Sunday in the Park (Helen Hayes Award), Baby (Helen Hayes nom).

HEATHER MacRAE (Vern). Broadway: Hair (Sheila); Coastal Disturbances (Faith); Dr. Charlotte in the Tony Award-winning musical Falsettos, a role she created in the Off-Broadway production of Falsettoland and later reprised in the national tour and in L.A. Off-B'way: The Hot L Baltimore (the Girl), Emily (Hallie). Nat'l. tour: Neil Simon's Rumors (Cookie). Film: Life with Mikey, Everything You Always Wanted to Know About SexŠ, Bang the Drum Slowly, A Perfect Couple. Ms. MacRae won a 1999 Mac Award for Outstanding Female Vocalist and a 1999 Bistro Award for her show Songs for My Father, a tribute to her father, Gordon MacRae.

Beth Malone (Alison). Bingo happily marks Ms. Malone's New York debut. Regional credits include: Babes in Arms (L.A. Reprise), Guns (Mark Taper Forum), Sail Away (Denver Center), Grand Hotel and You're a Good Man Charlie Brown (Colony Theater). Film: Twist of Faith, The Interview. Television: "Reno 911," "Judging Amy," "Wanda Does It," TV Guide Channel's "What's On." MFA, U.C. Irvine.

Janet Metz (Patsy). Broadway: Fiddler on the Roof, Marie Christine, On the Town, Once Upon a Mattress. Off-Broadway: I Love You, You're Perfect…; Falsettoland (cast recording); I Love New York. Tours: Joseph… (recording w/Donny Osmond), The Music of ALW, Stop the World…. Regional: Harmony (Drama-Logue Award), Spitfire Grill, Mack & Mabel.

Patrick Ryan Sullivan (Sam/Frank). Broadway: 42nd Street (Julian Marsh), Beauty and the Beast (Gaston), Titanic. Off-Broadway: Meet John Doe (New York Theatre Workshop), Sundown (York). National and International Tours: Chicago, 42nd Street, The Fantastiks, Labor of Love, Gumbo Ya-Ya. Regional credits include: Auntie Mame (Bay St. Theater), Romance/Romance (Caldwell), A Lot of Living (Savannah Theatre), Carousel (Seattle CLO). Film: Target Audience (Showtime). B.A., University of Louisiana.

Michael Heitzman (Music, Lyrics, Book) is one of the Grammy-nominated songwriters of "Throw That Girl Around" from the Broadway musical Swing! His first musical Vices, which he directed, received eight Joseph Jefferson Award nominations including Best New Work and Best Director. Vices was subsequently mounted at the Mixed Blood Theater in Minneapolis and work-shopped at the Ars Nova Theater in New York City. It is slated to open in San Diego next year. In addition to having several TV and film scripts in development, he and Ilene recently wrote for the NBC series "Just Deal." Their sitcom "Scott Free," developed with Barbara Streisand's production company Barwood Films and Kelsey Grammar's production company Gramnet, was purchased by Paramount Pictures. Michael is a member of the Dramatist Guild, BMI and the Writer's Guild of America, East.

Ilene Reid (Music, Lyrics, Book) is one of the writers of the musical Vices, which was nominated for eight Joseph Jefferson Awards including Best New Work. Her song "Throw That Girl Around," co-written with Michael Heitzman and Everett Bradley, was featured in the Broadway musical Swing! and garnered her a Grammy nomination for the original cast recording on Sony Classics. Ilene's music has also appeared in several independent films and industrials. Her song "Dinosaur Swing" can be heard on the children's recording Sing Me a Story, by Bob McGrath of Sesame Street, and her song "Whadify," co-written with Everett Bradley, was featured in the "Promicide" episode of "Dawson's Creek" on the WB network. Ilene is a current member of BMI and The Writers' Guild of America, East.

David Holcenberg (Music, Lyrics) is currently the musical director and conductor for Mamma Mia on Broadway and the associate music supervisor for its North American productions. His other Broadway credits include productions of Seussical, Titanic, and the Hal Prince revival of Showboat as musical director as well as Good Vibrations where he provided musical arrangements and supervision. David also recently music directed Lynn Aherns' and Stephen Flaherty's Dessa Rose at Lincoln Center as well as the U.S. premiere of their show Ragtime where David received an L.A. Drama Critics Circle Award for Distinguished Achievement in Musical Direction. David also music directed the Toronto production of The Phantom of the Opera. In concert, David served as guest conductor for the Cleveland Pops, toured the United States and Canada with Theodore Bikel and conducted PBS Great Performances: Tribute to Hammerstein. He will be making his Carnegie Hall conducting debut this December.

LISA STEVENS (Choreographer) recently served as Associate Choreographer to Anthony Van Laast on Bombay Dreams in New York and London. Other choreography credits: Fiddler on the Roof (Jessie Award, Canada); "The Swinging Nutcracker" (Bravo Television); Hello, Dolly!; The Music Man. As a performer (London, West End): Chicago, Bombay Dreams (original casts). Regional: West Side Story, Gypsy. Film: The Phantom of the Opera, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreacoat.

THOMAS CARUSO (Director) is the Resident Director of Mamma Mia! and directed the world premiere of Off Season, a duet of plays by Terrence McNally and Israel Horovitz at Gloucester Stage in Massachusetts. He directed the premiere of Jack Heifner's play Earth to Bucky at the Bay Street Theatre. On Broadway, Thomas was the Associate Director for both Bombay Dreams and the musical revival of Follies by Stephen Sondheim and James Goldman. He directed the national tour of Master Class by Terrence McNally, starring Charlotte Cornwell of the Royal Shakespeare Company. Other credits include directing a staged reading of Arthur Miller's play Resurrection Blues at the Key West Playwrights Company's Inaugural Gala starring James Naughton and Mary McCormack. In 2002, Thomas directed and composed All American Boy, a new musical for the New York International Fringe Festival. Other New York new play credits include China Dolls by Jack Heifner (Ensemble Studio Theatre), Two Boys by J. E. Parker (Rattlestick and Off-Broadway), Surviving Mom (HB Playwrights Foundation), Subtle Bodies by Clive Barker (Off-Broadway), Mickey's Home (Theatre for the New City), Tatjana (Juilliard) and Enemy of the People (Century Center). He received the Kenneth Frankel Memorial Directing Fellowship from Manhattan Theatre Club. Regionally, he has directed Cowboy Mouth (Williamstown Theatre Festival), New World Rhapsody (New York Stage and Film), The Girl in the Frame and Mimi Le Duck starring Annie Golden (Adirondack Theatre Festival), The Next Marilyn (Florida Studio Theatre), Master Class (TheatreWorks), and developed new works at the Stamford Center for the Arts; Festival of New Works in Ann Arbor; Phoenix Theatre Company-New Works Festival, and Key West Theatre Festival. Thomas has assisted on numerous Broadway productions including Love! Valour! Compassion!, Master Class with Zoe Caldwell and Faye Dunaway, Stanley with Anthony Sher, Parade (Toronto) and Les Miserables (10th Anniversary).