Lyric Stage Presents NIGHT OF THE HUNTER, 11/4-7

Lyric Stage, Dallas County's only locally produced professional musical theater company, presents THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER, October 29 - November 7 in the Irving Arts Center's Carpenter Performance Hall.  Performances are October 29, 30 and November 4, 5 & 6 @ 8:00 PM and October 31 and November 7 @ 2:30 PM.  Tickets are available online @ ww.lyricstage.org or by calling the box office @ 972-252-2787.   Ben Harper steals ten thousand dollars.  Just before being sent to prison he hides the money in his daughter's doll, setting in motion a thrilling, frightening, and heartfelt story.  For sharing Ben's prison cell is Harry Powell, aka The Preacher, who will do anything to get his hands on the stolen money. Anything, including murder.   In 1954, Davis Grubb's southern gothic tale THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER hit the New York Times Best Seller list and stayed there for severAl Weeks. The 1955 film version directed by Charles Laughton (his only time behind the camera) and starring Robert Mitchum and Shelley Winters has gone on to be named one of the 100 greatest films of the 20th Century.  Now Stephen Cole (book & lyrics) and Claibe Richardson (music) have adapted Grubb's novel into a musical thriller.  Lyric Stage is proud to present this great new American musical, winner of the prestigious Edward Kleban Award, with a full orchestra. Davis Gaines will star as The Preacher (Mitchum) opposite Theatre World Award winner Julie Johnson as Willa Harper (Winters).   Cheryl Denson will direct Lyric Stage's production with music direction by Scott A. Eckert.  Scenic Design is by Scott Osborne, Lighting Design is by Julie Simmons Moroney and Costume Design is by Drenda Lewis.

 Davis Gaines performed the title role in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera more than 2,000 times, for over five million people, during his run on Broadway, in Los Angeles and San Francisco, where he received the Bay Area Critics' Award for Best Actor.  Subsequently, he was chosen by Hal Prince and Lloyd Webber to play the leading role in the world premiere of Whistle Down the Wind in Washington, D.C. Other Broadway and national tour credits include Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera, Cornelius Hackl in Hello, Dolly! with Carol Channing, Camelot with Richard Burton and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas with Alexis Smith.  Davis made his New York City Opera debut in The New Moon and appeared in New York in concert versions of Sitting Pretty, The Cat and the Fiddle, Pippin and the Encores production of The Boys From Syracuse. He appeared in Damn Yankees as Joe Hardy directed by the legendary George Abbott and played Anthony Hope in the 20th anniversary concert productions of Sondheim's Sweeney Todd in Los Angeles, London, New York, San Francisco and at Ravinia Festival. Gaines has sung for five U.S. Presidents and with every major symphony orchestra in North America, including the New York Pops at Carnegie Hall and the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra at the Hollywood Bowl. He has also performed in cabaret at New York's Rainbow and Stars, Hollywood's Cinegrill and San Francisco's Plush Room. His voice can be heard on 30 cast recordings and compilation albums, as well as two solo CDs on LAP Records, Against the Tide and All My Tomorrows: Songs of Sammy Cahn. For more information, visit www.davisgaines.com.

 
Julie Johnson has been fortunate to enjoy a varied and exciting career spanning Broadway, Off-Broadway, regional theatre and concerts.  As Dolly in the Lyric Stage production of HELLO, DOLLY!, she received great critical and audience acclaim. Julie made her Carnegie Hall debut singing with the New York Pops Orchestra under the direction of Skitch Henderson in 2003.  She was honored to play Mrs. Lovett in Lyric Stage's concert presentation of SWEENEY TODD at The Morton Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas.  Julie also starred in Lyric Stage's world premiere of Larry Gatlin, Marcia Milgrom Dodge and Tony Dodge's new musical LOOK HOMEWARD, HONKY TONK ANGEL. She starred in the Off-Broadway premiere of ROADSIDE by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt, produced by Lyric Stage and The York Theatre Company.   Julie was born in Whitewright, Texas and received a Bachelors Degree from Austin College in Sherman, Texas.  Her career credits include:  Broadway-Hal Prince's CANDIDE; Off-Broadway-DAS BARBECU (Drama Desk Nominee, Theatre World Award), Angel in THE RINK (workshop); Regional;  Mrs. Potts in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST at Bass Hall in Ft. Worth,  Miss Mona in THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS at Bass  Hall,  Miss Trixie in PAPERMOON at the Goodspeed Opera House and Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia,  Mae West in DIRTY BLONDE at Theatre Three in Dallas,  The Mama in OPAL at George St. Playhouse and Lyric Stage, the Godmother in THE PLEXIGLASS SLIPPER at Lyric Stage plus leading roles in LUCKY GUY, HEARTBEATS, CHESS, BLITHE SPRIT, CRIMES OF THE HEART, NUNSENSE, BABY, WESTSIDE WALTZ, HAYFEVER and Magenta in THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW.  Julie's cds ALL GROWN UP...SO FAR  and MORE THAN HALF WAY are available through her website       www.juliejohnsonmusic.com.  Julie is the voice of Baby Bop on the BARNEY AND FRIENDS series. Movie credits include, PURE COUNTRY with George Strait,  THE APOSTLE with Robert Duvall. Julie has also appeared on episodes of AS THE WORLD TURNS.  Her finest production to date is her wonderful son, Trey!                                                                                                      
Tickets can be Ordered Online by Clicking Here or call the box office @ 972-252-2787.

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