Casting is now set for the La Jolla Playhouse premiere of the musical Zhivago, based on the epic Boris Pasternak novel. The show will run from May 9th through June 24th at the San Diego company's Mandell Weiss Theatre.
Directed by Tony Award-winner Des MacAnuff (
Jersey Boys), the show will feature Ivan Hernandez (NYCO's
The Most Happy Fella) in the title role, Jessica Burrows (
Dr. Zhivago workshop at La Jolla) as Lara,
Tom Hewitt (
Dracula, The Rocky Horror Show) as Viktor, and
Jason Danieley (
The Full Monty, Candide) as Pasha.
Dominic Bogart, Sandy Campbell, Ryan Drummond, Mark Emerson, David C.
Foster, Jason Heil,
Melissa Hoff, Mackenzie Holmes, Christopher Kale
Jones, Rebecca Kaasa, Melina Kalomas, Dennis Kelly, David McDonald,
Spencer Moses, Eduardo Placer,
Graham Rowat, Maureen Silliman, Tina
Stafford,
Rena Strober,
Nick Ullett, Bibi Valderrama, and Melissa Van
Der Schyff will also be featured in the production.
Based on Pasternak's 1958 Nobel Prize-winning novel Doctor Zhivago, the musical tells the tale of a surgeon/poet's love for the beautiful Laura as the
two experience the turmoil of the Russian Revolution. With a book by
Michael Weller (Moonchildren), music by Lucy Simon (The Secret Garden) and lyrics by Michael Korie (Grey Gardens),
the show was also developed at La Jolla last season.
Doctor Zhivago also inspired a 1965 film directed by David Lean. Starring Omar Sharif and Julie Christie, it won five Oscars.The La Jolla will also present an updated Broadway-bound revival of The Wiz, as well as Aaron Sorkin's The Farnsworth Invention, a new production of Mother Courage, Geoff Sobelle and Trey Lyford's all wear bowlers and the world premiere of Zorro in Hell during its 2006-2007 season.For more information, visit www.lajollaplayhouse.com.
