Drury Lane Oakbrook opens 'Sweet Charity'

Kyle DeSantis, Executive Producer
Gary Griffin, Producer
William Osetek, Artistic Director
 
Sweet Charity, the Tony Award winning musical packed with lively choreography previews March 13, opens March 20 and runs through May 18 at Drury Lane Theatre Oakbrook Terrace, 100 Drury Lane, Oakbrook Terrace, IL. The wildly successful musical, which opened to rave reviews on Broadway in 1965, features dialogue from the ever funny Neil Simon. Cy Coleman has captured the rhythms and sounds of New York with his music just as Dorothy Fields found the vernacular and fun of New Yorkers with her lyrics. Sweet Charity is based on Federico Fellini's screenplay for the 1957 film Nights of Cabiria. Jim Corti will direct and Mitzi Hamilton will choreograph this production with Summer Smart starring as "Charity." Smart has most recently been seen as "Nessarose" in the Chicago production of Wicked.
 
Sweet Charity is a tender, poignant and humorous look at the misadventures, in the ways of love encountered by the gullible and guileless lady known as Charity Hope Valentine. Charity is a dance hall hostess who always gives her heart, and her dreams, to the wrong man.  With well-intentioned advice from her girlfriends and co-workers at the Fandango Ballroom, Charity bumbles her way through many amorous mishaps.
 
Her world is the all too real world of Times Square, an amazing set designed by the award winning Brian Sydney Bembridge, populated by the most charming group of characters played by an all-star Chicago cast. Sweet Charity features show stopping numbers including such favorites as "Big Spender", "There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This" and "If They Could See Me Now".
 
The original Broadway production was nominated for 12 Tony Awards in 1966 and Bob Fosse took home the award for Best Choreography. The 1986 revival garnered four more Tony Awards for Best Revival, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Costumes.
 

Joining Summer Smart as "Charity" in Sweet Charity are Nicholas Foster as "Oscar," Molly Curry as "Ursula," Ericka Mac as "Helene" and Vanessa Panerosa as "Nickie."
 
The performance schedule is as follows:  Wednesdays at 1:30 p.m., Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. and 8 p.m., Fridays at 8:30 p.m., Saturdays at 5 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. and 6 p.m.  Season subscriptions start as low as $95 for 5 shows. Show prices range from $22 to $41.50 (depending on the day of the week); Lunch or Dinner and Theatre Packages are available. Inquire at box office or website for details and prices. For reservations, phone (630) 530-0111 or call TicketMaster at 312-599-1212. You may also visit www.ticketmaster.com or www.drurylaneoakbrook.com.