STAGE TUBE: Behind the Scenes - SENSE & SENSIBILITY's Creative Team Talks Denver Debut and Broadway Aims

The Denver Center Theatre Company's (DCTC) world premiere production of SENSE & SENSIBILITY THE MUSICAL, with book and lyrics by Jeffrey Haddow and music by Neal Hampton, is currently being staged by Director and Choreographer Marcia Milgrom Dodge, whose recent Broadway revival of Ragtime received seven Tony Award nominations. SENSE & SENSIBILITY THE MUSICAL receives its world premiere production now through May 26, 2013.

On ths week's "In Focus with Eden Lane", host Eden follows up with the show's creators -- Neal Hampton (music), Jeffrey Haddow (book / lyrics), and Marcia Milgrom Dodge (director & Tony-nominee for RAGTIME). Click below to watch the interviews!

In this grand musical adaptation of Jane Austen's enthralling novel, audiences are drawn into the tempestuous world of the Dashwood sisters. Starring in the pivotal sister roles will be Stephanie Rothenberg as Elinor and Mary Michael Patterson as Marianne. Ms. Rothenberg made her Broadway debut last season as Rosemary opposite Nick Jonas in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying and then starred as Princess Anne in the Guthrie Theater's world premiere musical, Roman Holiday. Ms. Patterson had her Broadway debut in the Roundabout Theatre Company's Tony-winning revival of Anything Goes.

The sisters' romantic entanglements will be portrayed by three of Broadway's most dashing leading men. Nick Verina, seen as Young Ben in the recent Broadway revival of Follies with Bernadette Peters, will take on the role of love-struck Edward; Jeremiah James, who starred as Billy Bigelow in the West End revival of Carousel and as Curly in the first national tour of Oklahoma!, will portray the cad Willoughby; and Robert Petkoff, Broadway's recent Lord Evelyn Oakleigh opposite Sutton Foster in Anything Goes, will be the upstanding Colonel Brandon. Denver audiences might remember Petkoff from the Denver Center Theatre Company's world premiere of Sir Peter Hall's Tantalus (2000).

Additional Broadway talent joining the cast includes Ed Dixon (Anything Goes, Sunday in the Park with George, Mary Poppins, How the Grinch Stole Christmas) as Sir John; Ruth Gottschall (Mary Poppins, The Music Man, Funny Thing...Forum) as Mrs. Jennings, and Joanna Glushak (Sunday in the Park with George, Urinetown, LES MISERABLES) as Mrs. Dashwood/Mrs. Ferrars.

The ensemble includes Andrew Kober, Preston Dyar, Josh Walden, Stacie Bono, Liz Pearce, Kate Fisher, Jessica Hershberg, Steven Strafford, Jason Watson and Daniella Dalli.

The production boasts a formidable production team, including Set Designer Allen Moyer, Tony nominee for Grey Gardens; Costume Designer ESosa, 2012 Tony nominee for The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess and "Project Runway" finalist; acclaimed Lighting Designer James F. Ingalls; Sound Design by Craig Breitenbach (world premiere of The Laramie Project); Music Supervisor David Loud, whose recent Broadway productions include The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess and The Scottsboro Boys; Music Director and Conductor Paul Masse, whose Broadway credits include The Scottsboro Boys, as well as Curtains, Chicago, Avenue Q, 42nd Street, and Gypsy, and Orchestrations are by Kim Scharnberg and Neal Hampton.

Producing Artistic Director Kent Thompson selected SENSE & SENSIBILITY THE MUSICAL after it became a runaway hit at the 2012 Colorado New Play Summit. SENSE & SENSIBILITY THE MUSICAL is based on the novel by Jane Austen. Book and lyrics by Jeffrey Haddow, Music by Neal Hampton. Directed and choreographed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge.

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