Ensemble Casting Complete for Martin Short:Fame Becomes Me, Show Opens August 10th on Broadway

Casting has been completed for the new Broadway-bound musical Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me. Joining the Tony award-winning star are Brooks Ashmanskas, Mary Birdsong, Capathia Jenkins and Nicole Parker.

Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me is produced by Becker Zeiger Entertainment, Harbor Entertainment and Roy Furman. Conceived by Martin Short, Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, it features a book by Martin Short and Daniel Goldfarb (Modern Orthodox), music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman (Hairspray). Directed by Wittman, the show will open at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre (242 West 45th Street) on Thursday, August 10, 2006, with previews beginning Saturday evening, July 22.

The versatile troupe of four singer/actors plays countless different roles along side Short guiding the audience through an improbable musical version of his life story.

Fame Becomes Me begins with Short and company singing the exuberant "Party with Marty," launching what he intends to be a celebration of his "fabulous, perfect life." Very quickly, it becomes clear the audience - addicted to Oprah and "Behind the Music" - expects scandal and angst from their star. Lacking any in his own life, Short frantically modifies his life story as he and the cast tell it, adding the requisite struggle, pain and psychobabble to fabricate an increasingly hilarious alternative autobiography.

Pre-Broadway, the show will play engagements at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco April 25 - May 21, Toronto's Canon Theatre May 27 - July 2 and in Chicago at the LaSalle Bank Theatre (formerly the Shubert) July 5 - 16.

THE CAST

Brooks Ashmanskas has appeared on Broadway in Gypsy, The Producers and alongside Martin Short in the revival of Little Me.

Mary Birdsong has been seen on film, in regional theatre and on numerous television shows such as "Reno 911," "Ed," "The Daily Show" and "Welcome to New York."

Capathia Jenkins appeared on Broadway in Caroline, Or Change; The Look of Love and The Civil War.

Nicole Parker currently stars on the sketch comedy television show "Mad TV" on the FOX network. Fame Becomes Me marks her Broadway debut.