Kerry Butler Joins THE BEST MAN; Casting Now Complete

Producers Jeffrey Richards, Jerry Frankel and INFINITY Stages announced today that Tony Award nominee Kerry Butler (Xanadu) has joined the cast of the 2012 Broadway revival of Gore Vidal's THE BEST MAN in the role of Mabel Cantwell, a role that Edie Adams played in the film adaptation and later by Christine Ebersole in the 2000 Broadway revival. The addition of Butler marks the completion of principal casting for this star-studded theatrical event.

Butler received a 2008 Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical for playing Kira/Clio in Xanadu. Other Broadway credits include Blood Brothers, Les Miserables, Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, (Outer Critics Circle Award nomination), Penny Pingleton in Hairspray (Clarence Derwent Award, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle nominations), Sherrie in Rock of Ages, and most recently Brenda in Catch Me If You Can (Drama Desk nomination).

Among her television and film credits are: "Blue Bloods," "Rescue Me," "30 Rock," "Cupid," "Lipstick Jungle," "Borough of Kings," "Campfire Stories," "One Life to Live," "Second Honeymoon," "Sesame Street," "Hometown," "Another World," "Twins," as well as several live performances on national television shows.

She has worked Off Broadway and regionally in Bat Boy: The Musical, The Opposite of Sex (Williamstown Theater Festival), Miracle Brothers (Vineyard Theater), The I Word (Ensemble Studio Theater), The Folsom Head (Currican Theater), Prodigal (York Theater) and numerous readings and workshops of new musicals.

John Gromada, who is currently represented on Broadway by Seminar and The Road to Mecca, was honored with the 2010 Drama Desk Award for "the breadth of vision, which inspired the exceptional direction, performances, sets, lighting, costumes, music and sound that made [The Orphans' Home Cycle] the theatrical event of the season," will compose original music as well as sound design. He joins an already impressive, award winning creative team including director Michael Wilson (Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award for Horton Foote's The Orphans' Home Cycle), Tony Award winning designers Derek McLane (set designer) and Ken Posner (lighting designer), and this year's Theatre Hall of Fame inductee, the legendary Ann Roth (costume designer).

Gore Vidal's THE BEST MAN will begin rehearsals on Monday, January 30th, 2012 with the first preview performance on Tuesday, March 6th, 2012. An official opening is set for Sunday, April 1st, 2012 at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre (236 West 45th Street).

Gore Vidal's THE BEST MAN is coming to Broadway in an all-star theatrical event with two time Tony Award winner James Earl Jones, Tony and Emmy Award winner John Larroquette, Emmy and Golden Globe winner Candice Bergen, Emmy Award winner Eric McCormack, Tony Award winner Jefferson Mays, Drama Desk Award winner Michael McKean and five time Tony Award winner Angela Lansbury.

A play about power, ambition, political secrets, ruthlessness and the race for the presidency, Gore Vidal's THE BEST MAN is set at the national convention where two candidates are vying for their party's nomination during the primary season. It's an inside look at the dirt-digging, double-dealing, triple-crossing chicanery of presidential electioneering and what could be more fun in a presidential campaign season than these theatrical fireworks.

This marks the first major revival of Gore Vidal's THE BEST MAN since it received a Tony Award nomination and won the Drama Desk Award and Outer Critics Circle Award in 2000.

Please visit www.thebestmanonbroadway.com for information.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/WM Photos