Laura Michelle Kelly and Forrest McClendon to Star in CRT's Cabaret

Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) announces casting for the second production of the 2019 Nutmeg Summer Series: "Cabaret," the Tony-Award-winning musical centering around a German nightclub against the backdrop of the Nazis' rise to power. The cast will be led by Olivier Award-winner Laura Michelle Kelly (Broadway's "Mary Poppins," "Finding Neverland") as Sally Bowles and Tony Award-nominee Forrest McClendon ("The Scottsboro Boys") as the Emcee. They will be joined by three-time Tony Award-nominee Dee Hoty (Broadway's "The Will Rogers Follies," "Footloose") and Jonathan Brody (Broadway's "Spamalot," "A Bronx Tale"). As previously announced, Peter Flynn will direct with choreography by Christopher d'Amboise. Subscriptions and single tickets are on sale at crt.uconn.edu or 860-486-2113.

Willkommen to Cabaret! In a Berlin nightclub, as the 1920s draw to a close, a garish Master of Ceremonies welcomes the audience and assures them they will forget all their troubles at the Cabaret. A young American writer, Cliff Bradshaw, tentatively begins a torrid romance with the English lounge singer Sally Bowles. With the Emcee's bawdy songs as wry commentary, CABARET explores the dark, heady and tumultuous life of Berlin's natives and expatriates as Germany slowly yields to the emerging Third Reich. As powerful today as when it opened on Broadway and garnered 8 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Join CRT in the legendary Kit Kat Klub for this smart, sexy musical featuring the enduring songs "Cabaret," "Maybe This Time" and "Don't Tell Mama." "Cabaret" has a book by Joe Masteroff and is based on the play by John Van Druten and stories by Christopher Isherwood. The music is by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb.

Laura Michelle Kelly will make her CRT debut starring in the iconic role of Sally Bowles.

Kelly is an Olivier Award-winning actress for her performance as the title role in the world premiere of Disney's "Mary Poppins." Recent credits include performing her solo concerts around the world, including at "Muny Magic at the Sheldon" and Cadogan Hall, and the US National Tour of The King and I. Other Broadway/New York credits: Originating the role of Silvia at A.R.T and Broadway's "Finding Neverland," "Me And My Girl" at Encores! New York City Center, reprising her role in "Mary Poppins" on Broadway and the 2004 Broadway revival of "Fiddler on the Roof."

Forrest McClendon stars as the Emcee. McClendon is a Tony Award-nominee for his Broadway debut as Mr. Tambo in "The Scottsboro Boys," first created at the Vineyard and Guthrie Theaters. Post-Broadway, he received a Barrymore Award for his reprisal of the role at the Philadelphia Theatre Company. He also starred in the London premiere at the Garrick Theatre, which received the London Evening Standard Award for Best Musical, and is featured on the Off-Broadway and West End recordings. He previously appeared onstage at Connecticut Repertory Theatre in "A Civil War Christmas: An American Musical Celebration" in 2018 and "Peter and the Starcatcher" in 2016.

Dee Hoty is featured as Fraulein Schneider. Hoty is a three-time Tony Award-nominee for her roles as Betty Blake in "The Will Rogers Follies," Mona Stangley in "The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public" and Vi Moore in "Footloose." She later reprised her role for the First National Tour of "The Will Rogers Follies," for which she received a Joseph Jefferson Award. Other Broadway credits include "Gigi," "City of Angels" and "Me and My Girl." She also starred opposite Tommy Tune in the recent National Tour of "Doctor Dolittle," and has appeared on TV in "Law and Order," "Law and Order: Criminal Intent" and "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel." Hoty will be making her CRT debut.

Jonathan Brody is featured as Herr Schultz. Brody has appeared on Broadway in "A Bronx Tale", "Amazing Grace," "Spamalot," "Titanic," and "Sally Marr...and Her Escorts." Other credits include the National Tours of "Spamalot" and "Mary Poppins." Regional: "Animal Crackers", "Hamlet", "Hound of the Baskervilles" and others. TV credits include "Blacklist", "The Knick" and "Boardwalk Empire." Brody will be making his CRT debut.

The creative team includes Peter Flynn (Director), Christopher d'Amboise (Choreographer), Ken Clifton (Music Director), Terrence Mann (Associate Director), Alexander Woodward (Scenic Design), Timothy Reed (Lighting Design), Fan Zhang (Costume Design), Michael Vincent Skinner (Sound Design) and Tom Kosis (Production Stage Manager). Casting is by McCorkle Casting.

Director Peter Flynn previously directed "Sweeney Todd: A Musical Thriller in Concert" for CRT in 2018 starring Terrence Mann, Liz Larsen, Andréa Burns and Ed Dixon. He recently directed "Smart Blonde" off-Broadway starring Andréa Burns and "Into the Woods" at Ford's Theatre. His New York credits include Actors' Fund concerts of "On the 20th Century," "Chess" with Josh Groban and "Funny Girl" with Bebe Neuwirth, Whoopi Goldberg and Andrea Martin. He has also performed on Broadway in "The Scarlet Pimpernel" and "Beauty and the Beast." Other credits include "Curvy Widow" off-Broadway, "Ragtime" for Ford's Theatre and "Kiss Me, Kate!" for the Maltz-Jupiter Theatre.

Christopher d'Amboise returns to CRT for the third season in a row. Last year d'Amboise choreographed "Jesus Christ Superstar". The previous year he directed and choreographed "Newsies" for which he received a CT Critics Circle Award nomination for Outstanding Choreography. As a performer, d'Amboise was a Principal dancer with the New York City Ballet, and earned a Tony Award nomination for "Song and Dance" co-starring with Bernadette Peters. He received a 2017 Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Choreography in 2017 and 2015.

The cast includes Forrest McClendon (Emcee), Laura Michelle Kelly (Sally Bowles), Rob Barnes (Clifford Bradshaw), Dee Hoty (Fraulein Schneider), Jonathan Brody (Herr Schultz), Leslie Blake Walker (Fraulein Kost/Kit Kat Girl), Aidan Marchetti (Ernst Ludwig), Thomas Bergamo (Hans/Male Ensemble), Jamie Colburn (Customs Official/Herman/Max/Male Ensemble), Mike Katz, RJ Higton (Male Ensemble), Maddie Dunn (Kit Kat Girl/Dance Captain), Torie D'Alessandro, Rebekah Santiago and Sydney Shepherd (Kit Kat Girls).

Evening performances start at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and at 8:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Matinee performances start at 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Subscription package options range from $56 to $78 with discounts available for seniors and students. Single tickets prices start at $48. Discounts are available for seniors and students.

The performance on Saturday, July 13 at 2 p.m. will be ASL interpreted.

Children must be at least 4 years old to attend CRT productions. For additional ticket information or to purchase tickets by phone, call (860) 486-2113. To purchase tickets online, visit www.crt.uconn.edu. All sales are final; no refunds. Play selections and performance dates are subject to change. Single tickets are now on sale.