Skinner, Noll, Piro-Donovan Set for Witches of Eastwick

Emily Skinner, Christiane Noll and Jacquelyn Piro-Donovan will join the previously announced Marc Kudisch in Signature Theatre's American Premiere production of the musical The Witches from Eastwick, Variety reports.

Skinner will play Alexandra, with Noll as Jane and Donovan as Suki.  Kudisch (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Assassins) plays the devilish Darryl Van Horne.

The Witches of Eastwick, directed by Eric Schaeffer, will run June 5 – July 15, 2007 in The MAX, the 299-seat double-height black box space located in Signature's new two-theater complex in Arlington, VA, which opened in January.

Schaeffer originally developed The Witches of Eastwick, based on the novel by John Updike and the Warner Bros. motion picture, with book writer and lyricist John Dempsey, composer Dana P. Rowe, and producer Cameron Mackintosh — the same creative team behind the American premiere of The Fix presented at Signature in 1998.  Schaeffer directed The Witches of Eastwick world premiere in London's West End at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane and Prince of Wales theatres to great critical acclaim.

"In the tiny New England town of Eastwick, Rhode Island, three unhappy women innocently plot and conjure for their perfect man over a heady brew of brownies and weak martinis.  When their longings are made flesh in the arrival of one Darryl Van Horne, all hell breaks loose.  Quite literally.  The devilishly good Witches of Eastwick flies into Signature for its American premiere courtesy of the same creative team who brought us The Fix," state press materials.

Skinner, who recently played Miss Mona in the Actors' Fund concert of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, received a Tony Award nomination for her star-making performance as Daisy Hilton in Side Show. Other New York credits include Dinner at Eight, The Full Monty, James Joyce's The Dead, My Life with Albertine, and Jekyll & Hyde. She also toured in the Disney revue On the Record, and has appeared at the Kennedy Center in Mame, Company, Merrily We Roll Along and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. 

Noll made her Broadway debut as Emma Carew in Jekyll & Hyde. She later joined the Broadway company of It Ain't Nothin' But the Blues and starred in the City Center Encores! production of Out of This World. Noll appeared in the national tours of Grease!, Miss Saigon and City of Angels, and she has recorded three solo albums.  She was part of The Mambo Kings' out-of-town tryout, and was also recently seen in the York Theatre Company's A Fine and Private Place.

Piro-Donovan has appeared on Broadway as both Cosette and Fantine in Les Miserables and Ellen in Miss Saigon, as well as in national tours of Sunset Boulevard, Big, Miss Saigon, Les Miserables and The Secret Garden.  She also appeared at Encores! in Sweet Adeline, and Off-Broadway in such shows as Under the Bridge.  She has made many regional theatre appearances, including as Lizzie in Signature Theatre's 110 in the Shade.  She has also performed at Signature in the Poe-based musical Nevermore.

More casting will be announced shortly.

Now in its 17th season under Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer, Signature has been nominated for 209 Helen Hayes Awards for excellence in the professional theater (18 nominations in 2006) and has been honored with 50 Helen Hayes Awards.

Show times are:  Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:30 p.m., Thursday and Friday at 8:00 p.m., Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Tickets are $37 to $63 and are sold through Tickets.com (800) 955-5566 and online at www.signature-theatre.org starting October 31, 2007.  Discounts are available for students, seniors (60+), military and groups of ten or more.  The Signature Box Office is open Monday through Friday from 10:00am to 6:00pm, and during performances.

Photo of Emily Skinner by Genevieve Rafter Keddy