James Barbour Closes Geffen Playhouse's NIGHTMARE ALLEY Musical, 5/23

Broadway veteran James Barbour (A TALE OF TWO CITIES, ASSASSIN, URINETOWN) will end the world premiere musical Nightmare Alley opening at the Geffen Playhouse on May 23, 2010.

With music, books and lyrics by New York-based composer Jonathan Brielle and helmed by Geffen Playhouse Producing Director Gilbert Cates, Nightmare Alley is a dark musical set against the shadowy world of the traveling carnivals and tented churches that dominated the Dust Bowl era.

Based on the eponymous novel by William Lindsay Gresham (which was later turned into a film with Tyrone Power and Joan Blondell), Nightmare Alley plays upon fate, free-will and the consequences that await when you make the wrong choice.

James Barbour stars as Stan, the con turned carnie and back again, who falls in love with Molly, the dark darling of the traveling carnival (the role of Molly is yet to be cast and will be announced shortly). But there are many other side shows to this story: Zeena and Pete, the vaudeville stars now relegated to side show cons - played by Mary GorDon Murray (Broadway's FOOTLOOSE, INTO THE WOODS, COASTAL DISTURBANCES) and LA theater favorite Larry Cedar (The Colony's CELADINE, Reprise's SHE LOVES ME [Ovation Award Winner], HBO's "Deadwood"), respectively. The gruffly compassionate carnival boss Clem, played by musical theater maven Michael McCarty (Broadway's TO BE OR NOT TO BE, MARY POPPINS, OKLAHOMA); and, with fate and fortune at the center of this gritty tale, four uniquely charming tarot ladies - played by Melody Butiu, Leslie Stevens, Anise Ritchie and Alet Taylor -act as the musical's chorus.

"When I first read the novel, I was so struck by the question of how someone sinks so low as to become part of a carnival freak show that I felt the need to put this story to music," said creator Jonathan Brielle.

"After working closely with the Gresham estate and in recent years collaborating with Gil, I feel like we are truly ready to raise the big top and watch these fantastic characters come to life in all their revelry and tragedy on the Geffen stage."

Photo Credit: Linda Lenzi