David Hyde Pierce, Ramin Karimloo, Lilli Cooper & More to Star in THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE Benefit Concert Reading

Roundabout Theatre Company will present a special Benefit Concert Reading of The Pirates of Penzance, the Tony Award-winning musical adapted by Rupert Holmes, with music by Arthur Sullivan, libretto by W.S. Gilbert and direction by Scott Ellis.

The performance will star Tony Award winner David Hyde Pierce as "Major General," Tony Award nominee Ramin Karimloo as "Pirate King," Tony Award nominee Lilli Cooper as "Ruth," Colton Ryan as "Frederic," and Samantha Williams as "Mabel."

Other cast members include Eddie Cooper, Cicily Daniels, Jōvan Dansberry, Alex Dorf, Rick Faugno, Leslie Donna Flesner, Curtis Holland, Madison McBride, Ryan Worsing with remaining cast to be announced soon.

The director and choreographer who dazzled audiences with their productions of She Loves Me and Kiss Me, Kate! team up again to helm one of their personal favorites, for one night only-and only at Roundabout.

Building upon the historic fact that Gilbert and Sullivan launched Pirates of Penzance in the United States prior to its London premiere, Scott Ellis and Warren Carlyle's new staging envisions a production that sets sail in the heart of New Orleans, home of the real-life Pirates of the Pontchartrain. With an adaptation by Rupert Holmes (The Mystery of Edwin Drood) and jazz, blues, ragtime, and symphonic music arrangements by orchestrators Joseph Joubert and Daryl Waters, a mighty crew of The Big Easy's actors and musicians create a new sound, a fresh style, and the very model of a modern musical evening of swashbuckling, tongue-twisting, and romantic merry-making.

This partially staged reading is the first step in envisioning a revival that could bring Pirates to Broadway for the first time in over 40 years.

Additional creative team includes David Rockwell (Scenery) and Donald Holder (Lights). Additional creative team will be announced soon.

Proceeds from the Benefit Concert Reading of The Pirates of Penzance support Roundabout Theatre Company's many programs and initiatives, including Education at Roundabout.

VIP, Benefactor and Producer tickets include admission to an exclusive post-show party following the performance.

Please visit www.roundabouttheatre.org/pirates for information and to purchase tickets.

David Hyde Pierce

(Major General) is an Emmy and Tony Award-winning actor and director most recently seen on stage starring in The Visitor at The Public Theater. He is currently filming season two of the hit series, Julia, for HBO Max. Pierce made his professional and Broadway debut in Christopher Durang's Beyond Therapy and went on to appear in numerous stage productions both on and Off-Broadway. Most recently on Broadway he starred opposite Bette Midler in his Tony-nominated performance as 'Horace Vandergelder' in Hello, Dolly! Additional Broadway credits include The Heidi Chronicles, Spamalot, Curtains (Tony Award), Accent on Youth, La Bête, and Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike (Tony nomination). Off-Broadway: Adam Bock's A Life, Richard Greenberg's The Maderati, Mark O'Donnell's That's It Folks! and John Kander and Greg Pierce's musical The Landing; as well as Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing, and Harry Kondoleon's Zero Positive at The Public. Pierce made his Broadway directing debut with Brian Hargrove and Barbara Anselmi's musical, It Shoulda Been You. Other directing credits include Vanya and Sonia at the Mark Taper Forum, David Lindsay-Abaire's Ripcord for MTC, and a gangster-themed The Importance of Being Earnest at Williamstown Theatre Festival. Pierce's film credits include Bright Lights, Big City, Crossing Delancey, Little Man Tate, Sleepless in Seattle, Wolf, Nixon, Isn't She Great, Wet Hot American Summer, Full Frontal, Down With Love, A Bug's Life, Osmosis Jones, Treasure Planet, and The Perfect Host. Television credits include Norman Lear's political satire "The Powers That Be," and Dr. Niles Crane on "Frasier," for which he earned eleven Emmy nominations, and won four, as well as American Comedy, Television Critics, Viewers for Quality Television and Screen Actors Guild Awards. Pierce is a longtime advocate and spokesperson for the Alzheimer's Association and CaringKind, and a board member and fan of Orchestra of St. Luke's.

Ramin Karimloo

(Pirate King). Tony Award and Olivier Award nominated Ramin Karimloo is currently starring as Nick Arnstein in Funny Girl on Broadway. Prior to Funny Girl, Ramin starred for 2 seasons on the long running tv show "Holby City" on BBC1. Broadway: Jean Valjean in Les Misérables (Tony Award nomination, Theatre World award winner); Gleb Vaganov in Anastasia; Archibald Craven in The Secret Garden (Lincoln Center). West End: The Phantom of the Opera (Phantom), Les Misérables (Valjean), Love Never Dies (Phantom), Miss Saigon (Chris), Murder Ballad. London concerts: Sunset Boulevard (Joe Gillis), Rumi: The Musical. Film/TV: "Holby City" (BBC1), "Jesus: His Life" (History Channel), Nativity Rocks (Mirrorball Films), Life's Too Short (BBC), "Blue Bloods" (CBS), The Spa (Tiger Aspect Productions), The Phantom of the Opera; Royal Albert Hall: 25th Anniversary, Les Misérables in Concert: 25th Anniversary. Ramin has toured the world performing concerts both as a solo artist and with his band, released various solo albums, created a leisure wear line 8xcommunity.com and an app Ramin.fan.direct for exclusive content. Ramin resides in the UK with his wife and two sons and splits his time between London and New York. @raminkarimloo.

Lilli Cooper

(Ruth) Broadway: POTUS: Or Behind Every Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying To Keep Him Alive (Chris),Tootsie (Julie) TONY Nomination, Spongebob Squarepants (Sandy), Wicked (Elphaba) Spring Awakening (Martha) (original cast). Theater favorites: Mack & Mabel (Encores) Tick, Tick...Boom! (Keen Company) Sundown, Yellow Moon (The WP), The Wildness (Ars Nova), Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 (American Repertory Theater), The Threepenny Opera (Atlantic Theater). Television: Fraggle Rock:Back To The Rock, NCIS New Orleans, Dynasty, Bull, Instinct, Elementary, The Code, and The Good Fight. LaGuardia Arts High School, Vassar alum. And most gratefully, Bodie's Mom. lillicooper.com @lilcoopz.

Colton Ryan

(Frederic) can currently be seen starring opposite Elle Fanning in Hulu's Limited Series "The Girl From Plainville." The series premiered at SXSW this past March and Colton's performance received rave reviews. As Indiewire writes, "It's Colton Ryan, though, who balances out Fanning's performance." and Slash Film writing that "As Conrad, Ryan nails the aggressive loneliness that forever threatens to destroy his character." Colton most recently appeared as Connor in the feature film Dear Evan Hansen alongside Amy Adams, Julianne Moore, and Ben Platt. Other film credits include the role of Bruce in Alan Ball's Uncle Frank, which premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival, and the role of Brad alongside Margaret Qualley in Rhys Ernst's Adam. In television, Colton starred as Samuel in the Apple TV Series "Little Voice," executive produced by JJ Abrams, Sara Bareilles, Jessie Nelson, and Ben Stephenson. Colton has also appeared in a recur on Showtime's "Homeland," and guest roles in "The Americans" and "Law & Order: SVU." On stage, Colton received the 2019 Theatre World Award for Outstanding Debut Performance for his role of Gene Laine in Conor McPherson's Girl From The North Country. The play premiered at The Public Theatre before its Broadway debut at the Belasco Theatre in 2020. Other theatre credits include Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway, and off-Broadway runs of Alice By Heart (MCC Theatre., dir. Jessie Nelson) and The White Card (A.R.T., dir. Diane Paulus).

Samantha Williams

(Mabel) recently originated the starring role of 'Alice' in the new musical Life After at The Goodman Theatre in Chicago. She starred as 'Emmie Thibodeaux' in Roundabout's acclaimed Broadway revival of Caroline, or Change. Samantha made her Broadway debut in the smash hit musical Dear Evan Hansen playing 'Alana Beck'. She graduated from Pace University in 2020, where she received her BFA in Musical Theater.

Eddie Cooper

(Police/Pirates) NY- Anyone Can Whistle with MasterVoices's at Carnegie Hall. Classic Stage Company: Assassins, The Cradle Will Rock and The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui all directed by John Doyle. Encores! Off Center: Promenade, Assassins, God Bless You Mr. Rosewater and, Little Shop of Horrors. Atlantic Theater Company: This Ain't No Disco. Hartford Stage: Kiss My Aztec, Two River: All-male A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum. TV: Russian Doll, Delco Proper, Forever, Mozart In The Jungle, Banshee, The Night Of and Better Nate than Ever. Proud graduate of Laguardia High School and Ithaca College. @MrEddieCooper.

Cicily Daniels

(Stanley Daughter) Cicily Daniels originally hails from Potomac, Maryland. Credits include Broadway: Once on this Island (Revival), Disney's The Little Mermaid, All Shook Up & Rent; National Tour: A Night with Janis, The

Gershwin's Porgy & Bess; TV & Film: Dear Edward, Mozart in the Jungle, Ugly Betty, Across the Universe. Most recently, Cicily starred in the world premiere of American Prophet as Betsey Bailey/Elizabeth Keckley at Arena Stage. She thanks her agents at Clear Talent Group & her family for their unending support.

JŌVAN DANSBERRY

(Police/Pirates) is originally from St. Louis, MO. Broadway: King Kong (King's Company, OBC). The Metropolitan Opera: Fire Shut Up in My Bones, Porgy and Bess, La Traviata. Film/TV/Live Performance: The Tony Awards, "Saturday Night Live!," "The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon," "Dancing With The Stars," "POSE," "The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade," Hulu's "Up Here," HERMES, and Swarovski. Theatre: Bob Fosse's Dancin' (Old Globe), I Married An Angel (City Center Encores!), Memphis (Riverside Theatre), Hairspray (Dallas Theater Center). Education: Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, CA. Follow: @jovan_dansberry.

Alex Dorf

(Police/Pirates) is honored to be included in this benefit performance of Pirates of Penzance. A graduate of Penn State's Musical Theatre program, Alex's credits include Jersey Boys at New World Stages, and the Broadway National Tours of Cats and A Bronx Tale. He is represented by the Collective Talent Agency. Alex would like to thank Warren and his family back in Lancaster, PA.

Rick Faugno

(Police/Pirates). Rick has performed across the country, at every major theater, from Carnegie Hall to the Kennedy Center, from the Chicago theater to San Francisco's Curran. He was last seen on Broadway in Kiss Me Kate, his 7th Broadway show, for which he was nominated for a Chita Rivera Award. He is also the recipient of a Fred Astaire Award for Roundabout's On The 20th Century, and a Best Singer Award for the role of Frankie Valli, in the original Las Vegas production of Jersey Boys. He recently completed a workshop production of Susan Stroman's new Broadway-bound musical. Rick has been seen on TV in: FBI, The Newsroom, The Following, America's Got Talent, Conan O'Brien and more. He also received the Best Performance award, at the Orlando Film Festival, for his role in the film Virgin Alexander. He is also a choreographer: this year choreographing Grease! at Cape Playhouse, a piece for Maine State Ballet and setting numbers for dance competitions. Rick is also a master musical theater teacher at numerous colleges and studios. He taught at the prestigious Interlochen Center for the Arts this summer and he will be returning there this fall to choreograph their production musical. Rick also performs his one man show on cruise ships and at various cabaret venues. Follow him on Instagram and check him out on YouTube.

Leslie Donna Flesner

(Stanley Daughter) is currently playing Polly in the revival of Funny Girl. Other Broadway credits include: Tootsie, An American in Paris, Honeymoon in Vegas, Cinderella, Chaplin, Follies, Finian's Rainbow, and Hello, Dolly! starring Bette Midler. New York credits include the City Center Encores! productions of Mack & Mable, Finian's Rainbow, and Fanny. You've seen her on TV in Boardwalk Empire and The Knick. Regionally, Leslie played Tulip in the Goodman's War Paint, Dorcus in The Muny's Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, and the deliciously dim-witted Hedy LaRue in Maltz Jupiter Theatre's production of How to Succeed... Leslie holds a BFA from Florida State and is a passionate educator and co-founder of Broadway Imagined. Love to Justin. @lesfles

Curtis Holland

(Police/Pirates): Broadway: The Music Man; Mean Girls; Shuffle Along. Television/Film: Halston; The Bad Guys; "So You Think You Can Dance" (Season 10).

MADISON McBRIDE

(Edith Stanley/Ensemble Woman) is thrilled to be making her New York City debut! She is a proud alumna of the University of Michigan Musical Theatre Class of 2021. Previous credits include Bhangin' It (La Jolla Playhouse), Beauty and the Beast (Ann Arbor in Concert) and Godspell (UofM). Special thanks to HCKR, Jim Carnahan, and the entire Pirates of Penzance team! She'd like to thank her friends and family for their endless love and support! @madison_mcb.

Ryan Worsing

(Police/Pirates) is thrilled to celebrate Roundabout Theatre Company with Pirates. Broadway credits include The Music Man, The Cher Show, Hello Dolly!, Finding Neverland, Chicago, White Christmas, and Shrek. His off-Broadway and regional credits include Sweet Charity (The New Group), The Nutty Professor (Nashville TPAC), Paper Mill Playhouse, Sacramento Music Circus, and Kansas City Starlight.

Rupert Holmes

(Adaptation) was the first person to singly win Tony awards for book, music, and lyrics for The Mystery of Edwin Drood, which also won the Tony for Best Musical. The Drama Desk awarded the identical honors plus Best Orchestration to Holmes. He is a recent recipient of the Albert Bergeret Living Legend award from The New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players, ASCAP's George M. Cohan Award, and an honorary doctorate from The Manhattan School of Music. ADDITIONAL BROADWAY: Accomplice (Edgar Award, Mystery Writers of America); Say Goodnight Gracie (Tony Nomination, Best Play); Curtains (Drama Desk award, Best Book, Tony nominations Best Book, Best Add'l Lyrics); A Time to Kill; Roundabout Theatre's The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2013 Tony nomination, Best Revival); Solitary Confinement REGIONAL: more than a score of LORT musicals, dramas and comedies, most recently The Nutty Professor (libretto by Holmes, music by Marvin Hamlisch); Picture of Dorian Gray (music and libretto by Holmes, The British Museum). Created and wrote all 56 episodes of acclaimed AMC period dramedy "Remember WENN"; contributor to Golden Globe-winning score of A Star is Born; wrote, arranged and conducted platinum recordings by Barbra Streisand. His pop songs recorded by countless vocalists from Barry Manilow and Dionne Warwick to Dolly Parton and Renée Fleming, along with his own Billboard chart-topping hits. He dedicates his work on Pirates to his younger brother Richard, a fixture of The Met and NYGASP, who as a boy steeped his older brother in the entire Gilbert and Sullivan canon

Scott Ellis

(Director). Broadway credits include: Take Me Out; Tootsie (2019 Tony Award nomination), Kiss Me, Kate; She Loves Me (2016 Tony Award nomination); On the Twentieth Century; You Can't Take It With You (Tony nomination); The Elephant Man; The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Tony nomination); Harvey; Curtains (Tony nomination); The Little Dog Laughed (Drama League Award nomination); Twelve Angry Men (Tony nomination); The Man Who Had All the Luck; The Rainmaker; 1776 (Drama Desk Award and Tony nominations); Picnic (Outer Critics Circle Award nomination); Company; A Month in the Country; and Steel Pier (Tony nomination). Off-Broadway credits include Dada Woof Papa Hot; The Unavoidable Disappearance of Tom Durnin; Gruesome Playground Injuries; Streamers; Good Boys and True; Entertaining Mr. Sloane; Flora, the Red Menace (Drama Desk nomination); And the World Goes 'Round (Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards), and The Waverly Gallery. His television credits include: "Julia", "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel", CBS' new show "East New York", "The Closer", "Weeds" (executive producer), "30 Rock" (Emmy Award nomination for Best Director), "Modern Family". Mr. Ellis is Deputy Associate Director of the Roundabout Theatre Company.

Warren Carlyle

(Choreography). Tony Award, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle Award winner and 4 time Tony award nominee for both directing and choreography. Broadway: The Music Man, Kiss Me Kate, After Midnight (Tony Award winner), Hello Dolly, Chaplin, Finians Rainbow, She Loves Me, On The Twentieth Century, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Hugh Jackman Back on Broadway, A Tale of Two Cities, A Christmas Story, Follies. Upcoming: Harmony (directing and choreography). Other: Hugh Jackmans 2019 World Tour; New York City Ballet; The Rockettes, Carnegie Hall, 6 Seasons on "SYTYCD" on Fox.

TICKET INFORMATION:

UNDERWRITER PACKAGES

Gold Sponsor Package at $50,000 ($47,180 tax-deductible) - Includes twelve premium house seats in center orchestra; listing as an Underwriter on all posters, programs and press materials above show title; invitation to pre-show cocktail reception; invitation to the post-show party; a complimentary cocktail at intermission; tickets personally hand-delivered to your door in advance of the event; limited edition, framed show poster signed by the company.

Silver Sponsor Package at $25,000 ($23,560 tax-deductible) - Includes six premium house seats in center orchestra; listing as an Underwriter on all posters, programs and press materials below show title; invitation to pre-show cocktail reception; invitation to the post-show party; a complimentary cocktail at intermission; limited edition, framed show poster signed by the company.

To learn more about Underwriter Packages, please contact Natalie Rohr at 212-719-9393 ext. 369; natalier@roundabouttheatre.org.

BENEFIT TICKETS

Producer Ticket(s) at $5,000 ($4,900 tax-deductible) - Includes premium house seat in center orchestra; complimentary cocktail at intermission; invitation to attend post-show party; limited edition, framed show poster signed by the company.

Benefactor Ticket(s) at $2,500 ($2,430 tax-deductible) - Includes premium house seat in center orchestra; complimentary cocktail at intermission; invitation to attend post-show party.

VIP Ticket(s) at $1,000 ($930 tax-deductible) - Includes premium house seat in orchestra; complimentary cocktail at intermission; invitation to attend post-show party.

STANDARD TICKETS

Premium Ticket(s) at $500 ($500 tax-deductible) - Includes orchestra/front mezzanine seat

Prime Ticket(s) at $250 ($250 tax-deductible) - Includes rear orchestra/mid mezzanine seat

General Ticket(s) at $150 ($150 tax-deductible) - Includes rear mezzanine seat

Select orchestra and mezzanine tickets ($150-$500) are also available to the general public by calling Roundabout Audience Services at (212) 719-1300 or online at www.roundabouttheatre.org/pirates.