Gambatese, Earley et al. to Lead Goodspeed's ANNIE GET YOUR GUN, 4/16-6/27

Goodspeed Musicals, the only two time Tony Award winning theatre in the country, is fired up to announce the cast of Irving Berlin's Annie Get Your Gun. This wild west musical from the director who brought you Goodspeed's 1776 and Camelot will run from April 16 - June 27 at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Conn.

Saddle up for a Wild West adventure! Ride along with Annie Oakley, a backwoods gal with a sure-shot and quick wit, as she challenges dashing marksman Frank Butler to be the star of Buffalo Bill's traveling show. Sparks fly faster than bullets as the competition and romance heat up. Featuring some of Broadway's greatest songs: "There's No Business Like Show Business," "Anything You Can Do," " I Got The Sun In The Morning," and "You Can't Get A Man With A Gun." This Irving Berlin classic hits the bulls-eye every time!

Annie Get Your Gun features Music and Lyrics by Irving Berlin and Original Book by Herbert Fields and Dorothy Fields as revised by Peter Stone.

Broadway sensation Jenn Gambatese will return to Goodspeed Musicals as sharp-shooter Annie Oakley. Previously Ms. Gambatese performed in The Norma Terris production of All Shook Up. Her Broadway credits include Tarzan, All Shook Up, A Year With Frog and Toad, Hairspray and Footloose.

Leading man Frank Butler will be played by Broadway's Kevin Earley. Mr. Earley's Broadway
credits include A Tale of Two Cities, Thoroughly Modern Millie and Les Misérables.

Buffalo Bill Cody will be played by David McDonald whose Broadway credits include the revival of Bye, Bye, Birdie; Mamma Mia; Side Show and Les Misérables. Dolly Tate will be played by Rebecca Watson who performed in Goodspeed Musicals' 1776 and Me & My Girl.

The role of Tommy Keeler will be played by Andrew Cao.

Chelsea Morgan Stock from Broadway's The Little Mermaid will play Winnie Tate. James Beaman
will play Charlie Davenport, and Michael Nichols will play Chief Sitting Bull. Mr. Nichols' Broadway
credits include November and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

Three Connecticut natives will join the cast; Joy Rachel Del Valle of Farmington will play Jessie, Marissa Smoker of Branford will play Nellie and Griffin Birney, also of Branford, will play Little Jake.

The ensemble will include Brandon Andrus from Goodspeed's Camelot, Sean Coughlin, Orville Mendoza from Broadway's Pacific Overtures and Pilar Millhollen from Broadway's Chicago. Bill Nabel, whose Broadway credits include Beauty and the Beast, Ain't Broadway Grand, The Most Happy Fella, Sweeney Todd and the original casts of 42nd Street and A Chorus Line, returns to Goodspeed where he previously performed in The Most Happy Fella and Hit the Deck.

Other members of the ensemble include Con O'Shea-Creal, Natalie Ryder, and Goodspeed favorite
Dorothy Stanley. At Goodspeed Ms. Stanley delighted audiences in 42nd Street, High Button Shoes, Singin' in the Rain, and George M!. Her extensive Broadway credits include Gypsy with Patti LuPone, Sweeney Todd, La Cage aux Folles, 42nd Street, Follies and Show Boat.

Joining them will be Molly Tynes from Goodspeed's Pippin, Amos Wolff and AaRon Young. The swings will be Noah Aberlin, Hartleigh Buwick and Jake Poulios.

Annie Get Your Gun will be directed by Rob Ruggiero whose work has been seen in award-winning
regional theatres around the country. Mr. Ruggiero returns to Goodspeed where he directed 1776, Big River and last year's sensation Camelot. His off-Broadway and tour credits include All Under Heaven and the world premieres of Ella and Make Me A Song, all of which he both conceived and directed. His newest production, Looped starring Valerie Harper, is currently running on Broadway.
Choreographer for this production will be Noah Racey who thrilled Goodspeed audiences as Charley Wykeham in Where's Charley? . Mr. Racey served as Associate Choreographer of the Broadway sensation Thoroughly Modern Millie. Other Broadway credits include Curtains, Never Gonna Dance, and Follies.

Returning to Goodspeed Musicals is the design team that brought you last season's hit Camelot,
2008's Big River and the inspiring 1776. Scenic designs will be by Michael Schweikardt whose designs have been seen off-Broadway in Golden Boy, Waiting for Lefty, and The Seagull, among others. Costumes will be designed by Alejo Vietti who also designed the 2006 production of Meet John Doe at The Norma Terris Theatre. Lighting design will be by John Lasiter who designed the Broadway production of A Grand Night for Singing and the off-Broadway productions of The Seagull, Common Vision, and Make Me A Song.

Goodspeed Musicals was formed in 1959 to restore the 19th century Goodspeed Opera House and reactivated it as a professional theatre in 1963. Under the direction of Michael P. Price since 1968, Goodspeed has achieved international acclaim as the Home of Musical Theatre. Dedicated to the preservation and advancement of musical theatre and the development of new works to add to the repertoire, Goodspeed pioneered the practice of rethinking, restoring, and revitalizing America's musical theatre heritage. Goodspeed is at the forefront of shaping the future of musical theatre. At The Norma Terris Theatre, located in Chester, Connecticut, Goodspeed develops new musicals and nurtures emerging artists. Inaugurated in 1984, The Norma Terris Theatre has launched over 50 musicals into the Theatre World, including 25 world premieres, giving writers the opportunity to develop their material through actual production. Each April through December season, Goodspeed produces three musicals at the Opera House in East Haddam, and specializes in producing and developing new musicals at The Norma Terris Theatre. Nineteen Goodspeed productions have transferred to Broadway, receiving more than a dozen Tony Awards.

For more information visit www.goodspeed.org.