Elaine Paige will return to Broadway joining Bernadette Peters,Jan Maxwell, Danny Burstein and Ron Raines in the Broadway transfer of the Kennedy Center's acclaimed production of James Goldman and Stephen Sondheim's FOLLIES, directed by Eric Schaeffer, with choreography by Warren Carlyle and music direction by James Moore.
FOLLIES will begin previews on Sunday, August 7, 2011 and opens on Monday, September 12, 2011 at the Marquis Theatre (1535 Broadway). Tickets went on sale today and are now available through www.Ticketmaster.com online or at 877-250-2929, and in person at the Marquis Theatre box office.
With a 28 piece orchestra, FOLLIES will feature a cast of 41 and star two-time Tony Award-winner
Bernadette Peters as Sally Durant Plummer, four-time Tony Award nominee
Jan Maxwell as
Phyllis Rogers Stone, two-time Tony Award nominee
Danny Burstein as Buddy Plummer, three-time Emmy Award nominee
Ron Raines as Benjamin Stone and Olivier Award-winner
Elaine Paige as Carlotta Campion. Other members of the Broadway company will be announced shortly.
Elaine Paige last appeared on Broadway as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard. "The First Lady of British Musical Theatre," Paige received international acclaim in 1978 creating the role of Eva Peron in Evita, and shortly afterwards Grizabella in Cats.
Elaine Paige is appearing with the support of
Actors' Equity Association. The producers gratefully acknowledge
Actors' Equity Association for its assistance to this production.
FOLLIES features scenic design by
Derek McLane, costume design by
Gregg Barnes, lighting design by
Natasha Katz, sound design by
Kai Harada and the original orchestrations by
Jonathan Tunick.
When former members of the "Weismann Follies" reunite on the eve of their theater's demolition, two couples remember their past and face the harsher realities of the present. Reminiscing of their younger selves and the years gone by, the crumbling theater brings back memories for both couples of good times and bad. FOLLIES echoes the songs, exuberance and romance of the vaudeville days between the two World Wars. The score features some of
Stephen Sondheim's best-known songs, including "Broadway Baby," "I'm Still Here," "Too Many Mornings," "Could I Leave You?" and "Losing My Mind."
FOLLIES - featuring a book by
James Goldman and a score by
Stephen Sondheim - was originally produced on Broadway by
Harold Prince with orchestrations by
Jonathan Tunick. It opened on April 4, 1971 at the Winter Garden Theatre where it ran for 522 performances and received seven Tony Awards, including Best Original Score. FOLLIES played a limited engagement at the Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater opening on May 7 and closing with sold-out houses on June 19, 2011.
FOLLIES will be produced on Broadway by
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts(David M. Rubenstein, Chairman; Michael M. Kaiser, President;
Max Woodward, Vice President).
Additional production information will be announced soon.