Will Swenson to Replace Will Chase in LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE at Second Stage

Tony Award nominee Will Swenson (Priscilla: Queen of the Desert; Hair) will play the role of Richard Hoover in the upcoming off-Broadway musical comedy, Little Miss Sunshine, with book and direction by Tony Award-Winner James Lapine and music and lyrics by Tony Award Winner William Finn. Mr. Swenson replaces the previously announced Will Chase.

LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE kicks off Second Stage Theatre's 35th anniversary season with previews beginning October 15th and opening in mid-November at Second Stage Theatre (307 West 43rd street). For subscription or ticket information, please call the Second Stage Box Office at 212-246-4422 or visit the company's website, www.2ST.com.

Will Swenson was most recently was seen in the MTC hit Murder Ballad. Prior Broadway: Priscilla: Queen of the Desert (Drama League Nomination). Prior to that, Will received a Tony and a Drama Desk Award nomination for his performance as Berger in the Broadway revival of Hair. He also played the role in London's West End. Other Broadway credits include: 110 in the Shade, Lestat, and Brooklyn: the Musical. Off -Broadway: Rock of Ages, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Adrift in Macao, The Slugbearers of Kayrol Island, and Camelot with the New York Philharmonic. Tours include Miss Saigon, We Will Rock You and Fame! Film and Television credits: Gods Behaving Badly, The Switch, and the upcoming This is Where I Leave You, "The Good Wife," "Law & Order," "6 Degrees." Will is also a filmmaker. His first film Sons of Provo about a clueless Mormon boy band, which he directed, co-wrote and starred in, won several film festivals.

Will Swenson (Richard Hoover) joins the Little Miss Sunshine company, which includes Tony Award-nominee Stephanie J. Block as Sheryl Hoover, nine-year old Hannah Rose Nordberg as Olive Hoover, Tony Award-Nominee RORY O'MALLEY (The Book of Mormon, Second Stage Theatre's Nobody Loves You) as Frank Hoover, David Rasche (Second Stage Theatre Uptown's Warrior Class) as Grandpa Hoover, and Logan Rowland (The Addams Family) as Dwayne Hoover. The company also includes Josh Lamon (Hair, Elf), Jennifer Sanchez (West Side Story) and Wesley Taylor ("Smash," Rock of Ages).

On life's twisty road, sometimes you need to pull over and change direction. When the coveted title of "Little Miss Sunshine" is unexpectedly within her reach, young Olive Hoover convinces her family to make the 800 mile trek to the pre-teen pageant of her dreams. Along the way, a series of mishaps threatens to derail the group's quest for the crown, until they realize a young girl's far-fetched goal may actually hold the key to the family's happiness. From the Tony Award-winning team of James Lapine and William Finn comes Little Miss Sunshine, a new musical comedy about one modern family's unexpected route to brighter days. Little Miss Sunshine is based on the film, Little Miss Sunshine, written by Michael Arndt.

James Lapine and William Finn's previous collaborations include the Tony-winning hits Falsettos and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. William Finn is also the composer of In Trousers, Romance in Hard Times, and A New Brain. James Lapine is the book writer/director of the musicals Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, and Passion, among others.

LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE will feature scenic design by Beowulf Boritt, costume design by Jennifer Caprio, lighting design by Ken Billington, and sound design by Jon Weston. Choreography will be by Michele Lynch. The music director will be Vadim Feichtner.