Musical Theatre West Brings Rodgers and Hammerstein's CAROUSEL To the Carpenter Performing Arts Center

Musical Theatre West presents Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical masterpiece Carousel March 24 - April 9 at the Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach. Voted "the greatest musical of the twentieth century" by TIME magazine, Carousel explores the timeless message of message of love, hope, forgiveness, and redemption.

A dazzling spectacle of music, dance, and spirit, MTW's production features a full orchestra, performing some of the most powerful music ever written for the stage, including the immortal "You'll Never Walk Alone," "If I Loved You" and the joyful "June Is Bustin' Out All Over." Tickets are now on sale by calling (562) 856-1999, ext. 4, online atwww.musical.org, or at the MTW Ticket Office. Tickets start at $20.

Carnival barker Billy Bigelow (Doug Carpenter) captivates and marries naïve millworker Julie Jordan (Amanda Leigh Jerry), but all too soon they fall on hard times and unbearable loss. Yet the power of love perseveres. The spiritually uplifting story of one man's redemption and the tragedy of feelings left unspoken, Carousel, is the second musical by the legendary team of Richard Rodgers (music) and Oscar Hammerstein II (book and lyrics). The 1945 work was adapted from Ferenc Molnár's 1909 play Liliom, and is acknowledged as Richard Rodgers' favorite of all his musicals.

Doug Carpenter (Billy Bigelow) was most recently seen on Broadway as Nick in Beautiful, and in the National Tour of Dirty Dancing. Other credits include Lt. Cable in South Pacific (Papermill Playhouse); Joey in The Most Happy Fella (Goodspeed, Dallas Lyric); Lancelot in Camelot (Pasadena Playhouse); Curly in Oklahoma (Penn Shakes, FCLO); Tony in West Side Story (FCLO); and Mr. Darcy in Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice (NYMF), Carpenter was recognized by the LADCC his role as Skip in Life Could Be a Dream, which he also performed at the New York Music Festival.

A graduate of the prestigious Carnegie Mellon University, Amanda Leigh Jerry (Julie Jordan) earned accolades for her Off-Broadway performance in Gertrude Stein: SAINTS! Television audiences will remember her as Dara Gurman in the MTV seriesSweet/Vicious on MTV. Her portrayal of Julie Jordan marks her debut with MTW.

Sarah Uriarte Berry (Nettie) made her Broadway debut as Eponine in LES MISERABLES in 1993, and returned to the role in 1997. Berry also stared on Broadway as Belle in Beauty and the Beast in 1995 and again in 2006 and created the role of Franca in The Light in the Piazza in 2005, for which she was nominated for the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards as "Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical." Additional credits include the title role in Cinderella alongside Eartha Kitt for the New York City Opera; the national tours of Sunset Boulevard as Betty Schaefer alongside Petula Clark, and Carousel, in which she portrayed Julie Jordan. Her regional theatre credits include A Little Night Music as Anne at the Kennedy Center, The Sound of Music at the Helen Hayes Theatre Company, Thoroughly Modern Millie at the LaJolla Playhouse, and starring as Sharon in the Paper Mill Playhouse production of Master Class.

Jeff Skowron (Jigger) was last seen at MTW as Edward Bloom in Big Fish, and was recently seen on the big screen, costarring as Dorfman opposite Billy Bob Thornton and Kathy Bates in Bad Santa 2. His Broadway credits include How the Grinch Stole Christmas(Grinch), The Lion King (Ed/Timon/Zazu), Beauty and the Beast (Lefou), High Society (Stanley), Enron (Trader), and the workshop ofThe Boy from Oz (Chris Bell, opposite Hugh Jackman). Southern California audiences enjoyed his Ovation Award-winning performance as Leo Frank in Parade as well as his numerous Ovation Award-nominated performances as Leo Bloom in The Producers; Mr. Collins in Pride and Prejudice; and Thenardier in Les Miserables, and his turn as the Baker in The Wallis Annenberg production of Into the Woods, for which he was nominated for an LA Drama Critics Circle Award.

Rounding out the cast is Amanda Hootman as Carrie, Justin Cowden as Enoch Snow, Kevin McMahon as the Starkeeper/Dr. Seldon, Erica Hanrahan-Ball as Mrs. Mullin, Sean Smith as David Bascombe, and 10th grader Allyson San Roman as Louise (see Calendar Listing for full cast).

The original production of Carousel arrived on Broadway in 1945 (prior to the existence of the Tony Awards), and earned the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award for "Best Musical" and the Donaldson Awards for "Best Play" "Best Book, Lyric, and Score;" "Best Choreography" for Agnes DeMille and numerous other honors. In 1957, the first revival arrived on Broadway, followed by productions in 1992 in London (winning the four Olivier Awards including "Best Revival"). The triumphant return to Broadway in 1994 starring Audra McDonald earned five Tony Awards, including "Best Revival of a Musical;" three Drama Desk Awards and two Theatre World Awards.

MTW's production of Carousel is under the direction of Joe Langworth and musical direction of Dennis Castellano, with choreography by Daniel Smith. The show is made possible by the generosity of Season Honorary Producers Ackerman Family/Evalyn M. Bauer Foundation, Ken & Dottie Reiner, Don & Marlene Temple, and Kathy Baker Campbell and KC Wilson; Associate Producers Dr. David Federick & Jasmine P. Calzada, George and Gloria Deukmejian,and Joan Wells; and Honorary Producers Lynn and Frank Wagner. MTW's youth outreach programs are supported by The Education and Outreach Sponsors The Arts Council for Long Beach and The Don Knabe Fund for Artistic Excellence; and Youth Performance Underwriters include Don Black & Judy McNulty Black, Dr. Ronald & Sylvia Hartman, Stan Cohen, and Dr. Myron Bloom. Paul Garman serves as Musical Theatre West's Executive Director and Producer. Carouselis presented through special arrangement with the Rodgers and Hammerstein Organization.

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