Goodspeed Musicals, the only two time Tony Award winning theatre in the country, announces the cast of HALF A SIXPENCE, a delightful musical comedy which promises to be fun for the whole family. HALF A SIXPENCE will run July 11 through September 19, 2008, at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Connecticut.
HALF A SIXPENCE, the summer production at the Goodspeed Opera House, is a bouncy, romantic musical that will leave you laughing and wanting more. Enjoy the antics of young Arthur Kipps - a Cockney shop clerk who inherits a fortune, flirts with "society," loses his money and winds up happier without it. Chock full of lively dancing and memorable tunes: "Party's on the House," " If the Rain's Got to Fall," "Flash Bang Wallop," and more. Perfect for the entire family, it's sure to be the biggest bloomin' hit of the summer!
HALF A SIXPENCE, known for its show-stopping production numbers, features Music and Lyrics by David Heneker and Book by Beverley Cross. The musical is based on the novel "Kipps" by H.G. Wells. Following its successful London run at the Cambridge Theatre from 1963 to 1965, Half a Sixpence premiered on Broadway on April 25, 1965, at the Broadhurst Theatre, where it ran for 512 performances.
Making his Goodspeed Musicals debut is
Jon Peterson who will be playing the lovable Arthur Kipps. Mr. Peterson appeared on Broadway as the Emcee in Cabaret. In addition to his regional credits Peterson has numerous National Tour and West End credits including The Sound of Music with
Petula Clarke,
A Chorus Line, Dames at Sea, and Cats. Mr. Peterson was nominated for a Drama Desk Award in 2006 for his performance in George M. Cohan Tonight!.
Sara Gettelfinger, whose Broadway credits include Seussical, Nine, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels will play Ann. Helen will be played by
Julia Osborne who returns to Goodspeed where audiences may remember her as Edith in Pirates of Penzance, a role she reprised at Paper Mill Playhouse.
Jeff Skowron will make his Goodspeed Musicals debut as Chitterlow. Mr. Skowron's Broadway credits include Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas, High Society,
The Lion King, and Beauty and the Beast.
James Judy, who played Finian in Goodspeed Musicals' Finian's Rainbow, will play Mr. Shalford. Judy's Broadway credits include Into the Woods and The Scarlet Pimpernel. Goodspeed audience favorite
Donna English returns to delight as the privileged Mrs. Walsingham. Ms. English's Goodspeed Opera House credits include On The Town, On the Twentieth Century and They All Laughed, and Princesses and The Gig at The Norma Terris Theatre.
Carrington Vilmont, who has played numerous roles in the Broadway production of
The Phantom of the Opera, will make his Goodspeed debut as Young Walsingham.
Members of the ensemble are
Adriene Couvillion, who was last seen in Goodspeed's Li'l Abner, as Laura; Desireé Davar; Danny Gardner, who returns to Goodspeed Musicals where he previously performed in
High Button Shoes and Singin' in the Rain, as Sid;
Wes Hart as Pearce;
Cameron Henderson as Buggins;
Elise Kinnon, who is currently appearing in the Goodspeed Musicals production of
Happy Days: A New Musical;
Peter Leskowicz;
Kate Marilley who last performed on the Opera House stage in L'il Abner ; Caroline Massagee; Cheryl McMahon, who returns to Goodspeed having entertained audiences last summer in High Button Shoes, as Mrs. Botting;
Rod Roberts as Carshot; and
Eric Shorey. The male swing will be Colby Q. Lindeman who performed in Goodspeed Musicals' 2007 season production High Button Shoes and the female swing will be Katie Warner Johnson.
Goodspeed's Half a Sixpence will be directed by
Gordon Greenberg of Goodspeed's
Happy Days: A New Musical, Pirates of Penzance, and last year's hit production of
Happy Days at the Norma Terris Theatre. Mr. Greenberg's other Goodspeed credits include
The Baker's Wife and O. Henry's Lovers. Greenberg directed the current off-Broadway revival of Jacques Brel... (Zipper Theatre), Theory of Three (NY Stage and Film), Immaculate Misconception (Hampstead New End Theatre, London), and the National Tour of Peter Pan. The choreographer will be
Patti Colombo who choreographed the Goodspeed Musicals audience favorite Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Ms. Colombo choreographed the Broadway revival of Peter Pan and the Seussical National Tour. Sets will be designed by
Rob Bissinger whose Broadway credits include Assistant Scenic design for
Legally Blonde,
Hairspray and Thoroughly Modern Millie and Associate Scenic design for All Shook Up. Mr. Bissinger returns to Goodspeed Musicals where he previously designed Pirates of Penzance in 2006. Costumes will be designed by David C. Woolard. His work includes the costume designs for Goodspeed Musicals'
Happy Days, Pirates of Penzance, The 60's Project, Redhead, and All Shook Up (Goodspeed Musicals and Broadway). Mr. Woolard's designs for Broadway include The Who's Tommy, revivals of Damn Yankees and Bells Are Ringing, and the recent
The Farnsworth Invention. Lighting Design will be by
Jeff Croiter whose previous designs for Goodspeed include
Happy Days, Pirates of Penzance, and
The Baker's Wife.
Music Direction will be by Michael O'Flaherty. He is in his 17th season as Goodspeed's Resident Music Director. F. Wade Russo of Goodspeed's The Boy Friend, Mack & Mabel, Call Me Madam, Singin' in the Rain and Associate Conductor and keyboardist for Broadway's By Jeeves, is Assistant Music Director. Orchestrations will be by Dan DeLange, who provided the orchestrations for Goodspeed Musicals' The Boy Friend, Red Hot and Blue, Call Me Madam, Babes in Arms, Singin' in the Rain, and High Button Shoes. The Dance Arrangments will be by Gregory M. Brown. Half a Sixpence is produced for Goodspeed Musicals by Michael P. Price.
HALF A SIXPENCE will run July 11 through September 19, 2008 [Official Press Opening August 6, 2008]. Curtain times are Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Thursday at 7:30 p.m. (with select performances at 2:00 p.m.), Friday at 8:00 p.m., Saturday at 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. (with select performances at 6:30 p.m.).Tickets are on sale now through the Goodspeed Box Office at 860.873.8668 or online at
www.goodspeed.org.
Dedicated to the preservation and advancement of musical theatre, Goodspeed Musicals produces three musicals each season at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Conn., and additional musicals at The Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, Conn., which was opened in 1984 for the development of new musicals. The only regional theatre to receive two Tony Awards (for outstanding achievement), Goodspeed also maintains The Scherer Library of Musical Theatre and The Max Showalter Center for Education in the Musical Theater. Goodspeed gratefully acknowledges the support of American Airlines, official airline of Goodspeed Musicals; additional support from Blum Shapiro; Hoffman Lexus; Mohegan Sun; Henkel Adhesives Technologies; Updike, Kelly & Spellacy P.C.; and the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism.
