Theatre Aspen Announces Casting for 2017 Summer Season, Featuring HAIRSPRAY and More

Theatre Aspen announced casting for the organization's upcoming season of summer shows, which includes Hairspray, Sex with Strangers and The World According to Snoopy.

Previews begin on June 24th, and the repertory season will officially open June 27th with the eight-time Tony Award-winning musical Hairspray. The book is by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan with music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman. Mark Martino returns to Theatre Aspen once more to direct this family-friendly show. Taylor Hartsfield plays Tracy Turnblad, and the Turnblad parents are portrayed by Patrick Richwood (Wilbur) and Kevin Carolan (Edna). Elise Kinnon, who appeared in previous seasons (Mamma Mia! and Cabaret) returns as Velma Von Tussel. They are joined onstage by Tamara DElla Anderson (Motormouth Mabel), Denis Lambert (Corny Collins), Annabel O'Hagan (Amber), Abigail Isom (Penny), Christian Probst (Link), Stephen Scott Wormley (Seaweed), Carlita Victoria (Little Inez), Taylor O'Toole, Gianna Yanelli, Gabriel Bernal, Kayla Ryan Walsh, Rachel Webb, Karma Jenkins, Keith Gruber, Isaiah Reynolds, Michael Gorman, and Wesley J. Barnes.

Sex with Strangers by Laura Eason, stars Jessica Robblee (Olivia) and Patrick Ball (Ethan). Serious attraction sparks in this two-person drama by Christy Montour-Larson that explores the contextual divide between age, gender, and the difficulty of reinventing oneself when the past is only a click away. Sex with Strangers is recommended for audiences aged 14 and older.

Kaitlin Hopkins directs The World According to Snoopy, a newly revised musical featuring Charles Schulz's iconic characters. Gabriel Bernal stars as Snoopy, and the Peanuts gang is played by Keith Gruber (Charlie Brown), Wesley J. Barnes (Woodstock), Gianna Yanelli (Sally), Taylor O'Toole (Lucy), Christian Probst (Linus), and Abigail Isom (Peppermint Patty). Music by Larry Grossman, lyrics by Hal Hackady, and the 2015 revision by Kaitlin Hopkins, Adam Cates, and Larry Grossman provides a fun family show for audiences aged 4 and up.

The repertory season runs June 27th through August 19th. The third annual Aspen Theatre Festival, featuring new plays and musicals being developed for the stage, will run September 8thth through September 16th. This season, the minds behind MAD Magazine and Second City will develop THE MAD SHOW!. Writer Rich Talarico (Key & Peele) will team up with a top flight of comic and musical talent to create a one-of-a-kind show.

Theatre Aspen was the most-awarded theatre in Colorado, winning 8 Henry Awards for the 2015 season, including Outstanding Season for a Theatre Company, Outstanding Production of a Musical (Cabaret), and several awards for the actors and creative teams.

All productions take place in the Hurst Theatre in Rio Grande Park and are underwritten by season sponsors ANB Bank and Nancy Wall and Chuck Wall, with the generous support of Barbara and Franklin Carson, Jessica and John Fullerton, Darlynn and Tom Fellman, Brenda and Jim Grusecki, Soledad and Bob Hurst, Sandy and Kenny Tate, Douglas Elliman Real Estate, Melanie Sturm and Marc Zachary, Terri and Tony Caine, the City of Aspen, Colorado Creative Industries, Les Dames d'Aspen, The Thrift Shop of Aspen and The Aspen Club and Spa.

For further information contact Theatre Aspen at 970-925-9313 or visit www.theatreaspen.org.

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