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Full Casting Announced for NYCO Most Happy Fella, Starring Sorvino

By: Jan. 27, 2006
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Full casting is now set for the upcoming New York City Opera revival of The Most Happy Fella, which will be presented from March 4th through 25th, with an opening night set for March 7th

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Joining the previously-announced Paul Sorvino (The Baker's Wife, many films) as Tony will be Lisa Vroman (The Phantom of the Opera) as Rosabella, Ivan Jernandez as Joe, and Leah Hocking (Hairspray) as Cleo, as well as Karen Murphy (Marie); Paul Castree (Jake), Andrew Drost (Ciccio), Eddie Korbich (Doctor), John Scherer (Herman), Matthew Surapine (Giuseppe), Bill Ryall (Cashier/Postman), Matt Bailey (Clem), Ryan Silverman (Al) and Bruce Winant (Pasquale). The Most Happy Fella will play in repertory with Lysistrata and La Boheme at NYCO.

A blend of opera, operetta and musical comedy with music, lyrics and book by Frank Loesser, the show is based on the play They Knew What They Wanted by Sidney Howard. In the show, which will be directed at NYCO by Philip William McKinley, Tony, an Italian-born winemaker who resides in California's Nappa Valley, espouses a lovely mail order bride (who he calls Rosabella) after sending her a photo of the younger and better-looking foreman Joe. Not unexpectedly, Rosabella begins to develop feelings for the latter man.

With more casting to be announced, The Most Happy Fella will also feature choreography by Peggy Hickey, sets by Michael Anania, costumes by Ann Hould Ward, and lighting by Robert Wietzel.

The original production of The Most Happy Fella opened on May 3rd, 1956 to run for 676 performances; it received six Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical. The show starred Robert Weede, Art Lund, Susan Johnson and Jo Sullivan, who would become the wife of Loesser. The show has had three revivals. The most recent was a 1992 production starring Spiro Malas, Sophie Hayden, Liz Larsen and others.

On the March 4th matinee, the role of Tony will be played by T. Doyle Leverett.

To order tickets or for more information, call 212-721-6500 or visit www.nycopera.com.



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