Goodspeed Musicals Announces 'Half A Sixpence'

Goodspeed Musicals, the only two time Tony Award winning theatre in the country, announces 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.

Goodspeed's Half a Sixpence will be directed by Gordon Greenberg (Goodspeed's Happy Days: A New Musical, and Pirates of Penzance) and choreographed by Patti Colombo (Goodspeed Musicals audience favorite Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.) Costumes will be designed by David C. Woolard. Lighting Design will be by Jeff Croiter. Music Direction will be by Michael O'Flaherty. He is in his 17th season as Goodspeed's Resident Music Director.   F. Wade Russo is Assistant Music Director. Orchestrations will be by Dan DeLange, The Dance Arrangments will be by Gregory M. Brown. Half a Sixpence is produced for Goodspeed Musicals by Michael P. Price.

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. Sara Gettelfinger, whose Broadway credits include Seussical, Nine, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels will play Ann.  Helen will be played by Julia Osborne. 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 will make his Goodspeed debut as Young Walsingham.

Members of the ensemble are Adriene Couvillion, Desireé Davar, Danny Gardner, Wes Hart, Cameron Henderson, Elise Kinnon, Peter Leskowicz, Kate Marilley, Caroline Massagee, Cheryl McMahon, Rod Roberts, and Eric Shorey. The male swing will be Colby Q. Lindeman and the female swing will be Katie Warner Johnson.

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.