FINIAN'S RAINBOW, Starring Melissa Errico, Begins Tonight at Irish Rep

Irish Repertory Theatre presents FINIAN'S RAINBOW, directed and adapted by Charlotte Moore (Da). The production begins performances tonight, October 26, 2016 at Irish Rep Theatre (132 West 22nd Street) on the Francis J. Greenburger Mainstage and officially opens on November 6, 2016, running through December 18.

Joining previously announced Tony nominee Melissa Errico as Sharon will be William Bellamy as a Gospeleer, Kimberly Doreen Burns (Grease National Tour) as Lilly Mae, Dewey Caddell (This Life) as Senator, Peyton Crim ("A Crime to Remember") as Sheriff, Mark Evans (High School Musical, West End) as Og, Matt Gibson (Gypsy) as Buzz Collins, Angela Grovey (Leap of Faith) as Sallyann, Ken Jennings (Sweeney Todd) as Finian, Ramone Owens (Motown the Musical) as a Gospeleer, Kyle Taylor Parker (Kinky Boots) as a Gospeleer, Ryan Silverman (Passion) as Woody, and Lyrica Woodruff ("Switched at Birth") as Susan the Silent.

The groundbreaking 1947 musical FINIAN'S RAINBOW follows an Irishman who steals a feisty leprechaun's pot of gold and escapes with his daughter, Sharon, to Missitucky, a mythical region in the United States that is part of the Jim Crow South. The daughter and the sprite each find romance with others, but also encounter bigotry, economic disparity and cultural injustice. The score is spiked with such glorious show tunes as "Old Devil Moon," "How Are Things in Glocca Morra?" and "Look to the Rainbow," plus spicy comic and satiric songs such as "When I'm Not Near the Girl I Love," and "When the Idle Poor Become the Idle Rich."

FINIAN'S RAINBOW is directed by Charlotte Moore (Da) and choreographed by Barry McNabb (Transport, Finian's Rainbow). FINIAN'S RAINBOW features scenic design by James Morgan (Cagney), costume design by David Toser (Natural Affection), and lighting design by Mary Jo Dondlinger (New Girl in Town at Irish Rep). John Bell (Fiddler on the Roof) will serve as music supervisor, with Stephen Gabis (Heisenberg) as dialect coach.

The performance schedule for FINIAN'S RAINBOW is as follows: Wednesdays at 3pm and 8pm; Thursdays at 7pm; Fridays at 8pm; Saturdays at 3pm and 8pm; and Sundays at 3pm. Exceptions: there will be an additional performance on Tuesday, November 22 at 7pm. There will be no performance on Thursday, November 24 at 7pm.

Tickets to FINIAN'S RAINBOW range from $50.00-$70.00 and are on sale now through Irish Rep's box office by calling 212-727-2737, or online at www.irishrep.org.

Irish Repertory Theatre, co-founded by Producing Director Ciarán O'Reilly and Artistic Director Charlotte Moore, opened its doors in September 1988 with Sean O'Casey's The Plough and the Stars. The Irish Rep is currently the only year-round theatre company in New York City devoted to bringing Irish and Irish American works to the stage. Recognized with the Jujamcyn Theatres Award, a special Drama Desk Award for "Excellence in Presenting Distinguished Irish Drama," an Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Achievement, and the Lucille Lortel Award for "Outstanding Body of Work," the Irish Rep has celebrated the very best in Irish theatre for over twenty-five years, from the masters to the new generation of Irish and Irish American writers who are transforming the stage. Nearly 38,000 audience members annually attend productions at our theatre located in the heart of New York's Off Broadway community. Once here, they witness the Irish Rep's engaging perspective on the Irish and their unique contributions to the world of drama.