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Gigi, Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe's beloved Oscar and Tony Award-winning musical comedy, celebrates its opening tonight, April 8, at the Neil Simon Theatre (250 West 52nd Street). Scroll down to learn more about the company, and watch highlights from the show below!
Gigi stars Vanessa Hudgens, who makes her Broadway debut in the title role, Tony Award-winner Victoria Clark (The Light in the Piazza, Sister Act, Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella) as Mamita, Corey Cott (Newsies) as Gaston Lachaille, three-time Tony Award-nominee Dee Hoty (The Will Rogers Follies, The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public, Footloose) as Aunt Alicia, two-time Tony Award-nominee Howard McGillin (The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Anything Goes) as Honoré Lachaille and Steffanie Leigh (Mary Poppins) as Liane d'Exelmans.
The production also features Cameron Adams, Kathryn Boswell, Max Clayton, Madeleine Doherty, Ashley Blair Fitzgerald, Hannah Florence, Alison Jantzie, Brian Ogilvie, James Patterson, Justin Prescott, Jeffrey C. Sousa, Manny Stark, Tanairi Sade Vazquez, Richard White, Amos Wolff and Ashley Yeater.
Gigi, with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe, features a new book adaptation by Heidi Thomas (BBC/PBS's "Call the Midwife") and is choreographed by Emmy Award-winner Joshua Bergasse (On the Town, "Smash") and directed by Eric Schaeffer (Follies, Million Dollar Quartet).
Gigi includes such numbers as "Thank Heaven for Little Girls," "I Remember It Well", "The Night They Invented Champagne" and the Oscar-winning title song, "Gigi". Gigi also won the Tony Award for Best Score in 1974, and the new production includes four of the songs that the team of Lerner & Loewe wrote for the stage version, including "Paris is Paris Again," "I Never Want to Go Home Again," "The Contract," and "In this Wide, Wide World".
VANESSA HUDGENS
Gigi
A California native, Vanessa Hudgens began her career in musical theatre at the age of eight, performing in productions of Evita, Carousel,The Wizard of Oz, The King & I, The Music Man, Cinderella and Damn Yankees. She made her feature film debut in Catherine Hardwick'sThirteen, starring Holly Hunter and Evan Rachel Wood, and co-starred in the action film, Thunderbirds. She is best known for her role as Gabriella Montez in Disney Channel's breakaway hit, "High School Musical" and its follow up films, "High School Musical 2" and the theatrical release, High School Musical 3: Senior Year. She followed her "High School Musical" success with the critically acclaimed Bandslam, as well asBeastly and Journey 2: The Mysterious Island. Recent credits include Frozen Ground, directed by Scott Walker, Spring Breakers, opposite James Franco and Selena Gomez and directed by Harmony Korine, and Gimme Shelter, directed by Ron Krauss. In 2010, she won the ShoWest Award for "Female Star of Tomorrow" and the Trendsetter Award at the 2014 Young Hollywood Awards.
COREY COTT
Gaston Lachaille
Immediately following graduation from Carnegie Mellon School of Drama, Corey made his Broadway debut starring as Jack Kelly in Newsies. His other stage credits include university productions of Suddenly Last Summer, Assassins, Sweeney Todd and A Midsummer Night's Dream. TV: Recent guest star on "Madam Secretary" and a recurring role in the upcoming TNT drama "Public Morals". A native of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, Corey made his solo concert debut last year at the Kennedy Center as part of the ASCAP Centennial Celebration. Endless love to wife Meg, family, teachers, friends, Jason Gutman at the Gersh Agency and manager Geoff Soffer. Romans 14:7-9.
VICTORIA CLARK
Mamita Alvarez
Victoria Clark won the Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for her performance as Margaret Johnson in The Light in the Piazza. Additional Broadway credits include Sister Act (Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle nominations), Cinderella (Tony and Outer Critics Circle nominations), The Snow Geese at Manhattan Theatre Club, Titanic, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (with Matthew Broderick), Urinetown, Cabaret, Guys and Dolls (Dir. Jerry Zaks), A Grand Night for Singing, and Sunday in the Park with George. She starred in the Encores! Productions of Follies, Juno, and Bye Bye Birdie. Off-Broadway, Ms. Clark earned a Drama Desk nomination for When The Rain Stops Falling, and starred in A Prayer for My Enemy, The Marriage of Bette and Boo, The Agony and the Agony, and Marathon Dancing. Ms. Clark starred as Sally Durant Plummer in Follies (Ahmanson Theatre, LA). Film: Harvest, The Happening, Tickling Leo, Main Street,Cradle Will Rock, and Archaeology of a Woman. Ms. Clark has performed with orchestras all over the country including the New York Philharmonic and the San Francisco Orchestra and enjoyed playing Carnegie Hall several times, as Katisha in The Mikado, Ma Joad in The Grapes of Wrath, and Not The Messiah with Eric Idle. Victoria is currently the Artist in Residence for musical theater at Pace School of Performing Arts and directed The Light in the Piazza there this past fall. She served on the faculty at Yale University, and has taught master classes all over the world. She has directed productions for The Philadelphia Opera, Texas Opera Theater, and Goodspeed Opera House. Board member: New York City Center and Kurt Weill Foundation. Most recently seen as Carrie Mathison's mother Ellen on Showtime's Homeland. All these roles pale when compared to her favorite: Proud mama of Thomas Luke.
HOWARD MCGILLIN
Honore Lachaille
Broadway: The Phantom Of The Opera, Kiss of the Spider Woman, She Loves Me, The Secret Garden, Anything Goes (Tony, Drama Desk Award nominations), The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Tony, Drama Desk nominations; Theatre World Award), Sunday in the Park with George. London: Mack and Mabel, Anything Goes. Off-Broadway: It's a Wonderful Life, I Remember Mama, High Spirits, As Thousands Cheer, La Boheme (Drama Desk Award nomination). National Tour: Peter Pan. Regional: Damn Yankees, It Shoulda Been You (George Street Playhouse), The 39 Steps (Cape Playhouse), Stephen Sondheim's Bounce (Goodman Theatre, Chicago and Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C. - Helen Hayes Award nomination). Films: South Park: Bigger, Longer, Uncut; The Swan Princess. Concerts: Ragtime, Stephen Sondheim'sFollies. Solo CD: Howard McGillin: Where Time Stands Still, available online.
DEE HOTY
Aunt Alicia
Dee Hoty earned three Tony nominations for starring roles in Footloose, The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public and The Will Rogers Follies. She starred on Broadway and in eight major U.S. cities (including at the National) as Donna in Mamma Mia! More Broadway: Bye Bye Birdie(Roundabout), City of Angels (Outer Critics nomination), Me and My Girl, Big River, The Five O'Clock Girl and Shakespeare's Cabaret. Other highlights: Diana Vreeland in Full Gallop, Polly in Other Desert Cities, tours of 9 to 5 (Violet), Barnum (opposite Stacy Keach), Doctor Dolittle(opposite Tommy Tune), Phyllis in Follies (Paper Mill Playhouse, cast recording), Kay Thompson in Stormy Weather (Barrymore Award, L.A. Ovation Award nomination). Film and TV: "Elementary," "Smash," "Law and Order(s)," soaps, commercials, voiceovers, recordings, cabaret work. Most recently, Dee created the role of Eve Walker in Rich Girl at the George Street Playhouse and the Cleveland Play House, as well as Dr. Alexandra Bloomfield in The Preacher and the Shrink at the Beckett Theatre in NYC. She has discovered that coaching and giving Master Classes bring her the joy of 'paying it forward.' She is an Otterbein College graduate / Honorary Doctorate and a proud Equity member.
STEFFANIE LEIGH
Liane d'Exelmans
Broadway/National Tour: Mary Poppins (Mary Poppins); NYC/Regional: Dani Girl (Exit Pursued by a Bear), Venus in Fur (Singapore Repertory Theatre), Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris (Alliance Theatre), Into the Woods, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera). TV: "The Good Wife," "Members Only." Film: Progress (And Unrelated Things), They're Out of the Business. BFA Acting/Musical Theatre: Carnegie Mellon.
CAMERON ADAMS
Ensemble
Broadway: The Music Man (Zaneeta), Oklahoma!, Hairspray (u/s Amber), Cry-Baby (u/s Allison), Shrek, Promises, Promises (Miss Della Hoya), How To Succeed... (u/s Rosemary), Nice Work If You Can Get It (u/s Billie and Jeannie). Off-Broadway/Regional: Follies, Little Me both at NYCC Encores!, Inventing Mary Martin at The York Theater, The Unsinkable Molly Brown (Maureen) at The DCPA. TV: NBC "The Sound of Music Live!", ABC/Disney's "The Music Man" (Zaneeta). Love to my family and my Jeremy.
KATHRYN BOSWELL
(Swing)
Ecstatic to be a part of this special show! Recent credits: First Daughter Suite (Sundance Institute), Play It By Heart (Human Race Theatre Company), Les Miserables (Music Theatre of Wichita). Proud CCM Bearcat. Endless love and thanks to my incredible fam, friends, CGF, the whole Gigi team, and Matt. Choose L'amour.
MAX CLAYTON
Ensemble
Max is excited to be making his Kennedy Center debut! Regional: On The Town (Gabey, Marriott Theatre), Footloose (Ren, Kansas City Starlight), Oklahoma! (Slim, Lyric Opera of Chicago), The MUNY, Pittsburgh CLO, MTWichita, Palace Theatre. BFA, CCM. Endless love and thanks to the Gigi creative team, cast and crew, Mom, Dad, Missy, JennyBenny, the Claytons and Truncies, and CGF Talent. For Mimi and Boopa!
MADELEINE DOHERTY
Ensemble
Broadway: The Producers (Original Cast, Hold-Me-Touch-Me), A Christmas Carol (Original Cast), Sister Act (Original Cast, Sister Mary Theresa), Les Miserables (Mme. Thenardier, Dance Captain). Regional: Guthrie Theater, Goodspeed Opera House, Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, Sacramento Music Circus, Kansas City Starlight, North Shore Music Theater, Hollywood Bowl, York Theater Company and more. National Tours: Flashdance (Hannah), The Pirates Of Penzance (Edith), 25th Anniversary of Stop The World starring Anthony Newley, 101 Dalmatians, and 9 to 5. Madeleine just completed a workshop of an upcoming Broadway musical called Gotta Dance, directed by Jerry Mitchell and written by the late Marvin Hamlisch.
ASHLEY BLAIR FITZGERALD
Ensemble
From Ellicott City, MD, most recently performed in Smokey Joe's Cafe at Arena Stage. New York theater includes:The Radio City Christmas Spectacular and Company (New York Philharmonic). National Tours include: Come Fly Away (2013 Helen Hayes nominee, outstanding actress) A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Fosse. International credits include Come Fly Away, Trip of Love and Fosse. Television/Film credits: "Smash" (NBC Pilot), special guest appearances on the Tony Awards and Company. Over the past two years, Ashley has been reconstructing Bob Fosse's work for The Verdon Fosse Estate. Ashley sends love to her always supportive family.
HANNAH FLORENCE
Ensemble
Hannah is delighted to make her Kennedy Center debut in Gigi! Hannah was most recently seen as Meg Giry in The Phantom of the Opera 25th Anniversary North American Tour. Broadway/New York: Scandalous: The Life and Trials of Aimee Semple McPherson, Anna Nicole the Opera(NYC Opera/Brooklyn Academy of Music), It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman! (NY City Center Encores!). TV: "One Life to Live". Huge thanks to Tara Rubin Casting, Nicolosi & Co, Josh Bergasse. WBSS.
ALISON JANTZIE
Swing
On the Town (Marriott Theatre), Mary Poppins (MUNY), Fiorello! (Encores! at City Center), Aida (Starlight Theatre), Cats (Theatre Calgary),The Drowsy Chaperone (Manitoba Theatre Centre), High School Musical (Drayton Entertainment), as well as one season at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. Alison has also been a Rockette at Radio City Music Hall for three seasons.
BRIAN OGILVIE
Ensemble
Brian is so excited to make his Kennedy Center debut. He was a member of the Broadway company of Mary Poppins, where he was a dancing statue, dancing chimney sweep, dancing bunny and understudy for Bert and Robertson Ay. Other credits include the title character in Tarzan(Arvada), Zach in A Chorus Line (Maltz Jupiter), Eddie in Funny Girl (Vero Beach Riverside), Buzz in South Pacific (Paper Mill) and regional productions of Spamalot, The Drowsy Chaperone, Thoroughly Modern Millie and 42nd Street. Brian also appeared in HBO's "True Blood". All my love to my wife Dana and our beautiful son Shane.
JAMES PATTERSON
Ensemble
James has been seen on Broadway and in National Tours including Mary Poppins, The Drowsy Chaperone, Beauty and the Beast, Cats, State Fair and Off-Broadway in The Chocolate Show!, Sail Away, Stairway to Paradise and The Iron Curtain. Other recent favorites include Ragtime(Henry Ford/Milwaukee Rep), Chamberlain (Joshua Chamberlain/ MSMT), Le Comte Ory (The Metropolitan Opera), the tour of Backwards in High Heels, What a Glorious Feeling (Gene Kelly), 42nd Street (Sacramento), Bye Bye Birdie (Albert Peterson/North Shore) and Mame(Kennedy Center). Thanks to the great folks at Henderson/Hogan and my family, especially BJH...you are my heaven.
JUSTIN PRESCOTT
Ensemble
A native of Houston, TX, Justin received his BFA in Dance (Cum Laude) from SUNY Purchase College. Shortly thereafter, he made his Broadway debut in the energetic and revolutionary Broadway hit Fela! Other credits include Broadway/Off Broadway: After Midnight, Motown,Lost in the Stars (City Center Encores!). Tour: Fela!, Memphis. Regional: The Scottsboro Boys (Ahmanson Theater), TV: NBC's "Smash," New York Theatre Workshop: Bacha Bazi. Justin gives all thanks to his Creator and loving family!
JEFFREY C. SOUSA
Swing
From Waterbury, CT., Jeffrey is thrilled to be part of the cast of Gigi! Credits: (National Tour) Evita, West Side Story: Bolo, u/s Bernardo. Dance Companies: Armitage Gone! Dance, Pennsylvania Ballet, Life Dance Company-BFA University of the Arts - Thanks to MSA Agency, Tara Rubin Casting and love to my family and friends!
MANUEL STARK
Ensemble
Manuel is excited to be making his Kennedy Center debut with Gigi! TV: "Smash" (14 episodes). Broadway: West Side Story at the Palace Theatre (Chino). Off-Broadway: Venice at the Public Theater. Regional: Bull Durham at the Alliance Theatre, Footloose at Pittsburgh CLO (Ren), A Chorus Line at Paper Mill Playhouse (Paul); Aladdin at 5th Avenue Theatre (Prince Abdullah), West Side Story at Ogunquit Playhouse (Bernardo), Cats at Theatre Under the Stars (Coricopat). Encores! at City Center: Applause, It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman, Little Me,The Most Happy Fella and Irma la Douce. Much love to John for all his support!
TANAIRI SADE VAZQUEZ
Ensemble
Tanairi is excited to be performing at the Kennedy Center and to be part of this production of Gigi. Broadway credits: Wonderland, West Side Story 2009 Revival Cast (u/s Consuela). Tours: 1st National Tour of Come Fly Away 2011-2012, choreographed by Twyla Tharp (u/s Babe, Slim), Asian and European tour of West Side Story. Off Broadway: Christmas Spectacular at Radio City, Flashdance and Fly, Gigi and On Your Feet workshops, On the Town Dance Lab, The Capeman at the Delacorte Theater. Film/TV: "Orange is The New Black" (season 3) recurring role Annie Valdez, "America's Got Talent" Season 9 dancer/choir, "Smash" Season 2 dancer, Lucille Roberts Commercial, "Dancing with the Stars," "Good Morning America". So much love to my family and friends for their support and my agents!
RICHARD WHITE
Swing
Film: voice of the villain, Gaston, in Disney's Beauty and the Beast (Platinum record, Grammy Award and performance on the 64th Annual Academy Awards). Broadway: The Most Happy Fella (Joey), Jekyll and Hyde (Sir Danvers). Off-Broadway: Elizabeth and Essex; Topper. National Tour: Jekyll and Hyde, Urinetown, Camelot, The King and I. New York City Opera: Brigadoon, South Pacific, The Merry Widow,Desert Song. Paper Mill: Kopit/Yeston Phantom (RCA cast recording), Carousel, Show Boat. Olney: Man of La Mancha. American Conservatory Theater: Urinetown. Arena Stage: South Pacific. Guthrie and Goodspeed: 1776. Other regional roles: Starbuck in 110 in the Shade, Carl-Magnus in A Little Night Music, Fred Graham in Kiss Me Kate, Paul in Carnival, Curley in Oklahoma!, Count Danilo in The Merry Widow. Guest soloist: Florida and Los Angeles Philharmonics, Chicago, Cincinnati, Kalamazoo, Long Beach, Chattanooga, Indianapolis, Honolulu, Huntsville Symphonies. PBS Great Performances: Gaylord Ravenal in Show Boat, Robert Mission in The New Moon.
AMOS WOLFF
Ensemble
Amos is thrilled to be back at The Kennedy Center having performed there in 2011 in Follies and the Lincoln Center touring production ofSouth Pacific. Broadway/National Tours: Chicago, A Chorus Line. Other New York: Piece of My Heart (Signature), Guys and Dolls (Carnegie Hall), Little Me and Where's Charley? (Encores!), First Wives Club (NYC workshop). Amos holds a BFA in Musical Theater from The University of Michigan, Shakespeare Intensive Training through RADA, London and is a recent teacher-training-graduate from Laughing Lotus Yoga Studio in NYC. A million thanks to Eric, Jim and Josh for reuniting me with the good time guys.
ASHLEY YEATER
Ensemble
Ashley is thrilled to be back performing at the Kennedy Center. Broadway/NYC: Pippin, Big Fish, Follies, On The Town (Encores!), The Producers. National Tours: A Chorus Line, Chicago, The Producers. Love and thanks to my amazing parents, H/H, and Rikki for your constant support.
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