SCANDALOUS to Begin Broadway Performances 10/13; Carolee Carmello Stars

As announced on the Thursday, July 19 edition of NBC "Today," this fall, two-time Tony Award nominee Carolee Carmello (Parade, Mamma Mia!, Sister Act) will star in the new Broadway musical SCANDALOUS: The Life and Trials of Aimee Semple McPherson.

With book and lyrics by Kathie Lee Gifford and music by David Pomeranz and David Friedman, SCANDALOUS begins performances at Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre (250 W. 52nd St.) on Saturday, October 13, 2012.

Opening Night is set for Thursday, November 15 (6:30 p.m.).

Directed by David Armstrong, SCANDALOUS is based on the life of Aimee Semple McPherson (1890-1944), the world's first media superstar evangelist -- a woman whose passion for saving souls equaled her passion for making sensational headlines and attracting overflow crowds of thousands throughout the world. Time Magazine named Aimee Semple McPherson one the most influential people of the twentieth century.

Set in 1920's Los Angeles, holiness collides with Hollywood in this extraordinary tale of one remarkable woman's charismatic rise to fame amidst scandalous love affairs and growing controversy, inevitably ending in her much-publicized fall from grace.

SCANDALOUS marks Carolee Carmello's 12th Broadway show. Ms. Carmello's recent Broadway credits include Mother Superior in Sister Act; Alice Beineke in The Addams Family (Drama Desk nomination); Donna Sheridan in the long-running hit Mamma Mia!; Penelope Pennywise in Urinetown and Lilli Vanessi in the revival of Kiss Me, Kate; in addition to her Tony-nominated performances as Gabrielle in Lestat and Lucille Frank in Parade.

Additional casting will be announced soon.

With choreography by Lorin Latarro (Fanny at City Center) and musical direction by Joel Fram, SCANDALOUS features scenic design by Walt Spangler (Desire Under the Elms), costume design by Gregory A. Poplyk (Broadway debut), lighting design by Tony Award winner Natasha Katz (Once, Aida), sound design by Ken Travis (Newsies, Memphis) and orchestrations by Tony Award winner Bruce Coughlin (The Light in the Piazza).

SCANDALOUS: The Life and Trials of Aimee Semple McPherson is produced by Dick and Betsy DeVos, Foursquare Foundation and Jeffrey Finn, Executive Producer, in association with The 5th Avenue Theatre (David Armstrong, Executive Producer and Artistic Director; Bernadine Griffin, Managing Director; Bill Berry, Producing Director).

Visit SCANDALOUS online at www.ScandalousOnBroadway.com.