Julie Andrews-Helmed THE GREAT AMERICAN MOUSICAL to Feature Emily Skinner, Paul Carlin and More at Goodspeed

Two time Tony Award-winning Goodspeed Musicals has just announced the cast of the new musical The Great American Mousical,  to be directed by Julie Andrews. This developmental production will run November 8 - December 2, 2012 at The Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, Connecticut. The Great American Mousical will be sponsored by Essex Meadows.

Below the bright lights of Broadway, in the depths of the historic Sovereign Theatre, an acting troupe of mice rehearse their new musical.  When the theatre is threatened by demolition and their diva Adelaide disappears, it will take all paws on deck to fulfill the time-honored tradition: the show must go on! Filled with singing, dancing, and show biz lore, The Great American Mousical is a sharp and witty tribute to life in the theatre and celebrates the two most glorious words in the English language: musical comedy!

The diva Adelaide will be played by Emily Skinner whose Broadway credits include Billy Elliott: The Musical, Dinner at Eight,The Full Monty, James Joyce’s The Dead, Side Show and Jekyll & Hyde. Harold will be played by Paul Carlin who recently appeared as Mr. Babcock in Goodspeed’s spring hit Mame. His other Goodspeed credits include 1776, The Boy Friend, Where’s Charley? and On the Twentieth Century.

           Broadway veteran Larry Cahn will play Emil. Mr. Cahn’s credits include The Graduate, Epic Proportions, Guys and Dolls, Anything Goes and The Music Man. Toby will be played by Laura Jordan who appeared in Broadway’s Cry-Baby and In My Life.

           Pippin will be played by Noah E. Galvin and Curly will be played by Christian Delcroix who was recently seen in the Tony Award-winning revivals of Follies and South Pacific. Mr. Delcroix was last seen at the Goodspeed Opera House in Where’s Charley?.Alessa Neeck who appeared in Broadway’s Irving Berlin’s White Christmas will play Wendy. Rose will be played by Allie Schauer who appeared in The Norma Terris productions of Hello! My Baby and Radio Girl.

           Sky will be played by Jeremiah James. Hysterium will be played by Caesar Samayoa whose Broadway credits include Sister Act,The Pee-Wee Herman Show and Hot Feet. Broadway’s David Beach, seen in Mamma Mia!, Urinetown and Moon Over Buffalo, will play Henry.

           The ensemble includes Matthew Bauman (Goodspeed’s Hello! My Baby), Holly Ann Butler (Broadway’s How To Succeed… andGrease), Juliane Godfrey, Sean McGibbon and Richard Riaz Yoder who wowed Goodspeed audiences in My One And Only and Radio Girl. Mr. Riaz Yoder performed on Broadway in Irving Berlin’s White Christmas.

           Under the direction of theatre icon Julie Andrews, The Great American Mousical features a fantastically funny new score with Music by Zina Goldrich and Lyrics by Marcy Heisler, a savvy Book by Tony nominee Hunter Bell and Choreography by Tony winnerChristopher Gattelli. Sets and Costumes will be designed by Oscar, Emmy and Tony-Award winner Tony Walton. Lighting Design will be by renowned Broadway and West End designer Richard Pilbrow.  Sound design will be by Jay Hilton.  [Editors:  See Fact Sheet for complete bios.]

           The Great American Mousical will be produced for Goodspeed Musicals by Michael P. Price.

           The Norma Terris Theatre is located at 33 North Main Street in Chester which was voted “Best Small Town in Connecticut” by Connecticut Magazine. Tickets are available through the Box Office (860.873.8668), open seven days a week, or on-line at www.goodspeed.org.  For show highlights, exclusive photos, special events, and more visit us at goodspeed.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

           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 productions at The Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, Conn., which was opened in 1984 for the development of new musicals.  The first 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 Musical Theatre.  Goodspeed Musicals gratefully acknowledges the support of the Official Audio Sponsor Sennheiser Electronic Corporation. Goodspeed Musicals is supported in part by the Department of Economic and Community Development with support from the Connecticut Office of the Arts.