'GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE' to Bring Comedy to Starlight Theatre Next Month

The Tony Award winner for Best Musical in 2014, A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder, takes cheeky musical comedy to a whole new level when it takes the stage at Starlight Theatre on Aug. 9-14. The hilarious hit musical is Starlight's seventh show of the 2016 Broadway season - and the fifth national touring production to make its Kansas City premiere at the iconic outdoor theatre this summer!

Gentleman's Guide tells the uproarious story of Monty Navarro, a distant heir to a family fortune who sets out to jump the line of succession, by any means necessary. All the while, he has to juggle his mistress (she's after more than just love!), his fiancée (she's his cousin, but who's keeping track?) and the constant threat of landing behind bars. Of course, it will all be worth it if Monty can slay his way to his inheritance - and be done in time for tea!

The most celebrated musical of Broadway's 2013-14 season, Gentleman's Guide received 10 Tony Award nominations, eventually winning four awards: Best Musical, Direction of a Musical, Book of a Musical, and Best Costume Design. It also won Best Musical honors from the Drama League, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle, as well as a 2015 Grammy Award nomination for Best Musical Show Album.

"I'm proud that we've been able to bring so many new musical titles to Kansas City audiences this summer, and I think Gentleman's Guide will definitely be a favorite," Starlight president and CEO Rich Baker said. "It's a big musical theatre experience with a very mischievous sense of humor. The comedy is very tongue-in-cheek, yet confident and even dignified!"

The touring cast is led by Kevin Massey as Monty Navarro and John Rapson, who skillfully takes on the challenge of transforming himself into all eight members of the D'Ysquith Family. Massey performed in Gentleman's Guide on Broadway, as well as in Memphis, Tarzan and more. He was last seen at Starlight during the 2010 season when he performed with the national tour of Little House on the Prairie, The Musical, in which he originated the role of Almanzo. Rapson has appeared on Broadway and toured nationally in LES MISERABLES.

Also of note are two Gentleman's Guide cast members with ties to our region:

· Ensemble member Matt Leisy, who plays Tom Copley, moved to Kansas City during high school and graduated from The Pembroke Hill School where he was active in music, theatre, cross-country and tennis. During his time in Kansas City, Leisy performed at Quality Hill Playhouse, Theatre in the Park and Kansas City Civic Opera. He has performed Off-Broadway in The Fantasticks and Carousel.

· Hailing from Wichita, Kan., is Kristen Mengelkoch who plays Lady Eugenia. She attended East High School in Wichita and earned a bachelor's degree in theatre arts from Emporia State University. Among her professional credits are the Off-Broadway productions of NEWSical the Musical and Forbidden Broadway.

Gentleman's Guide opened at Broadway's Walter Kerr Theatre to overwhelming acclaim in November 2013 and ran through January 2016. The national tour playing at Starlight launched last September in Chicago and currently is scheduled through March 2017.

Gentleman's Guide features a book and lyrics by Robert L. Freedman and music and lyrics by Steven Lutvak. Direction is by Darko Tresnjak, with choreography by Peggy Hickey. The design team includes Alexander Dodge (Scenic Design), Linda Cho (Costume Design), Philip S. Rosenberg (Lighting Design), Dan Moses Schreier (Sound Design), Aaron Rhyne (Projections Design), Brian Strumwasser (Make-Up Design), and Charles LaPointe (Wig Design). Orchestrations are by Jonathan Tunick and Vocal Arrangements are by Dianne Adams McDowell and Steven Lutvak. Paul Staroba serves as Music Supervisor.

Tickets for A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder at Starlight Theatre are on sale now for $14 to $142. Tickets are available online at www.kcstarlight.com, by calling 816.363.STAR (7827) or at the Starlight ticket office at 4600 Starlight Road, Kansas City, MO 64132. Discount prices for groups of 15 or more are available by contacting group sales coordinator Staci Shelman at 816.997.1137 or groups@kcstarlight.com. For additional show information, visit www.AGentlemansGuideBroadway.com.

Starlight Theatre, a recent winner of the Venue Excellence Award from the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM), is the largest and oldest performing arts organization in Kansas City and the second-largest outdoor producing theatre in the country. Opened as a theater in 1950 and as a not-for-profit organization in 1951, Starlight presents and produces Broadway musicals and concerts. It also offers extensive community outreach and educational programming, including classes, scholarships and Starlight's Blue Star Awards, one of the largest high school musical theatre award programs in the nation.

Located on 16 acres in Swope Park, Starlight's venue includes rehearsal halls, gift store, club area for dining, concessions, gardens, fountains and a 10-story, climate-controlled stage. For more information, visit www.kcstarlight.com.

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