Beth Glover, Mark Zimmerman and More Featured in Goodspeed's GOOD NEWS! - Full Cast Announced!

Goodspeed Musicals kicks off its 50th Anniversary Season with a new production of the classic musical Good News!. This high spirited musical comedy will run from April 12 - June 22 at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Conn. Good News! will be sponsored by Liberty Bank and Updike, Kelley & Spellacy. [Official Press Opening will be May 1, 2013]

Rah! Rah! Rah! Youthful energy abounds in this signature Goodspeed musical filled with Roaring 20s nostalgia, plenty of laughter and rousing dance numbers. Anticipation builds on the Tait College campus as game day approaches but the football hero must first pass a big exam in order to play. When he unexpectedly falls for his tutor, romance blooms and hijinks ensue. With songs like "You're the Cream in My Coffee," "The Varsity Drag," and "Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherries," it's fun for everyone!

Music and lyrics for Good News! are written by Ray Henderson, B.G. DeSylva and Lew Brown and the book is by Laurence Schwab, Frank Mandel and B.G. DeSylva. This production is newly adapted by Jeremy Desmon, an award-winning musical theatre bookwriter. Mr. Desmon's musical, The Girl in the Frame , seen in over a dozen productions, including one at Goodspeed's Norma Terris Theatre in 2005, earned him the prestigious Edward Kleban Prize as America's Most Promising Musical Theatre Bookwriter. His musical Pump Up The Volume, an adaptation of the 1990 film, has been developed at Goodspeed Musicals and The Human Race Theatre.

Good News! will also feature new dance arrangements by Broadway, television and film composer/arranger David Krane. Mr. Krane has composed dance music and arrangements for 29 Broadway shows, including 110 in the Shade, La Cage aux Folles, Cabaret, Man of La Mancha, Oklahoma! (Hugh Jackman), Kiss of the Spider Woman (Chita Rivera), The Music Man, Big (Susan Stroman), Ragtime, Victor/Victoria (Julie Andrews), and Damn Yankees. Mr. Krane also provided orchestrations for Goodspeed's The Great American Backstage Musical and High Button Shoes.

Leading the cast as Professor Kenyon will be Beth Glover of Goodspeed's High Button Shoes and Red, Hot & Blue joined by Mark Zimmerman of Broadway's West Side Story, A Catered Affair, The Rainmaker, Brigadoon, and Shenandoah and Goodspeed's Paper Moon who will play as Coach Bill Johnson

The fresh faced team of actors includes Ross Lekites as Tom Marlowe and Chelsea Morgan Stock as Connie Lane. Ms. Stock appeared in Broadway's Baby, It's You; Sister Act; and The Little Mermaid as well as Goodspeed's Annie Get Your Gun. Max Perlman of Broadway's Kiss Me, Kate and Jekyll & Hyde will play Pooch Kearney. Barry Shafrin will play Bobby Randall, Tessa Faye will play Babe O'Day, and Myles J. McHale will play Beef Saunders. Pat will be played by Lindsay O'Neil who appeared in Broadway's A Christmas Story.

The ensemble includes Juliane Godfrey (Goodspeed's The Great American Mousical at The Norma Terris Theatre), Graham Keen as Sylvester, Kate Marilley (Goodspeed's Amazing Grace at The Norma Terris Theatre, Half a Sixpence, and L'il Abner), Drew Nellessen, Andrew Roubal, John Scacchetti (Broadway's Gypsy and 42nd Street and Goodspeed's How to Succeed...), Lauren Sprague, Vaden Thurgood, Jessi Trauth, and Zurin Villanueva. The swings are Jessica Jaros and Lucas Thompson.

Good News! will be directed and choreographed by Vince Pesce who choreographed Goodspeed's Mame and directed/choreographed Something's Afoot. Mr. Pesce was Associate Choreographer of Broadway's Anything Goes, The Pajama Game, Wonderful Town and Little Shop of Horrors.

Scenic designs will be by Court Watson who served as Assistant Scenic Designer for Broadway's High Fidelity, Lestat, and Little Women and Set Designer for Meet John Doe at The Norma Terris Theatre. Costumes will be designed by Tracy Christensen who designed last season's Something's Afoot and City of Angels for Goodspeed. Ms. Christensen's numerous Broadway credits include Costume Designer for Souvenir and Associate Costume Designer for A Little Night Music, Shrek The Musical, The Little Mermaid, Fiddler on the Roof, and Beauty and the Beast. Lighting design will be by Charlie Morrison who served as Lighting Designer for Goodspeed's Mame, 42nd Street and Flight of the Lawnchair Man at The Norma Terris Theatre. Sound design will be by Jay Hilton who is in his 28th season at Goodspeed.

The Music Director for Good News! will be Michael O'Flaherty who is in his 22nd season as Goodspeed's Resident Music Director. William J. Thomas will be assistant music director. Orchestrations will be provided by Dan DeLange, who has created the orchestrations for numerous Goodspeed productions.

Good News! is produced for Goodspeed Musicals by Michael P. Price.

Good News! will run April 12 through June 22, 2012 [Official Press Opening May 1, 2013]. Curtain times are Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Thursday at 7:30 p.m. (with select performances at 2:00 p.m.), Friday at 8:00 p.m., Saturday at 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. (with select performances at 6:30 p.m.).

Tickets are available through the Box Office (860.873.8668), open seven days a week, or on-line at goodspeed.org. For show highlights, exclusive photos, special events and more visit us at goodspeed.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

To post a comment, you must register and login.