Jeffry Denman Takes First Bows in Off-Broadway's CAGNEY Tonight

Cagney, the new hit musical about Hollywood's tough guy in tap shoes, welcomes Broadway's Jeffry Denman (Irving Berlin's White Christmas, The Producers) to the company. Starting tonight, October 14, Denman assumes the roles of Bob Hope (and others) when Jeremy Benton, who originated the role, takes a temporary leave of absence from the production through the year's end.

Jeffry Denman is best known for starring in the original company of Irving Berlin's White Christmas for which he was nominated for a Fred & Adele Astaire Award. He was Munkustrap in the final cast of Cats (original Broadway production) and was featured in the original company of The Producers which led him to pen the memoir, A Year with The Producers. Other Broadway and New York performing credits include: Face the Music and Of Thee I Sing at Encores!, Yank!At the York Theatre (Drama Desk nomination - Best Featured Actor in a Musical), and Dreamand How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying on Broadway. Jeffrey Denman serves as Artistic Director of Denman Theatre & Dance Company.

"I'm incredibly honored and excited to be joining the company of Cagney," says Denman. "It's been a passion project for Robert Creighton for as long as I've known him and the success the show is enjoying is so encouraging. I've got talented, Jeremy Benton-sized shoes to try and fill but I'm excited to get onstage with this stellar cast."

Denman joins Cagney company members Robert Creighton (The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Anything Goes) as the legendary James Cagney, Danette Holden (Broadway's Annie, Shrek the Musical), Josh Walden (Broadway's Ragtime, La Cage aux Folles, A Chorus Line), Ellen Zolezzi (Seussical), and Bruce Sabath (Broadway's Company).

Not even five and half feet tall, James Cagney's oversized talent catapulted him from scrappy Irish kid on the streets of New York to Hollywood legend on "the top of the world." A Vaudeville hoofer turned actor, Cagney made a splash on Broadway before Hollywood called and made him one of the Silver Screen's most iconic tough guys in legendary films including The Public Enemy, The G Men and White Heat. But it was his turn as song and dance man George M. Cohan in Yankee Doodle Dandy that earned him the Academy Award and forever cemented his place as one of America's most beloved movie legends alongside the likes of Clark Gable, Charlie Chaplin, Marlon Brando, Jimmy Stewart and Fred Astaire.

Directed by Bill Castellino (Grumpy Old Men, Jolson), and choreography by Tony Award nominee Joshua Bergasse (On the Town, Gigi), Cagney features a book by Peter Cooley (I'll Be Back Before Midnight) and score that blends original music by Robert Creighton and Christopher McGovern (Lizzie Borden) with classic George M. Cohan favorites, including "Give My Regards To Broadway," "Grand Old Flag," and Yankee Doodle Dandy."

Cagney features a scenic design by James Morgan, costume design by Martha Bromelmeier, lighting design by Michael Gilliam, sound design by Janie Bullard, projection design by Mark Pirolo, music coordination by Larry Lelli, fight direction by ChristIan Kelly-Sordelet and Rick Sordelet, casting by Carol Hanzel, and general management by Brierpatch Productions.

Cagney is produced by Riki Kane Larimer (Fiddler on the Roof, Tappin' Thru Life, On The Town, Gigi), in association with Jamie deRoy, Sharon Azrieli, Joe Cecala, Barbara Freitag,Joel B. Grossman, Joe Sirola, Mary Cossette, Emily Conner, Leonard Landau, 8350 Productions LLC, and In Fine Company.

Cagney, the Original New York Cast Recording, is currently on the Broadway Records label online and exclusively at The Westside Theatre prior to an in-store release on October 14th. The album is produced by Michael Croiter and Matt Perri.