Sally Struthers and More to Lead Irving Berlin's WHITE CHRISTMAS at The Music Hall

The Music Hall and the Ogunquit Playhouse have announce the stars of the beloved Irving Berlin classic White Christmas at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, November 29 - December 17.

The musical features Emmy-winning, Sally Struthers as Martha Watson. Kate Loprest and Vanessa Sonon return as the beloved Haynes sisters.

They are joined by Broadway veterans David Elder as Bob Wallace, and Jacob ben Widmar as Phil Davis, who will be making their debuts in this heartwarming musical adaptation with book by David Ives and Paul Blake and featuring seventeen Irving Berlin songs including "Blue Skies," "Sisters," "Count Your Blessings," and the perennial favorite, "White Christmas."

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

David Elder (Bob Wallace) Broadway: Curtains (Bobby Pepper, Al Hirschfeld Theater), 42nd Street Revival (Outer Critics Circle and Astaire Award Nominations, Billy Lawlor, The Ford Center), Kiss Me Kate (Bill Calhoun/ Lucentio, Al Hirschfeld Theater), Titanic, the Musical (Frederick Fleet, the Lookout, Lunt Fontaine Theater), Once Upon a Mattress starring Sarah Jessica Parker (Sir Harry us, Broadhurst Theater), Damn Yankees starring Jerry Lewis (Bomber on Broadway, Joe Hardy on the National Tour, Marriott Marquis Theater), Beauty and the Beast (Salt, Beast u/s, The Palace Theater), Guys and Dolls starring Nathan Lane and Faith Prince (Guy, Crapshoot specialty, Martin Beck Theater). Film/TV: Across the Universe (Julie Taymor dir.), Cradle Will Rock (Tim Robbins dir.), Jeffrey (Christopher Ashley dir.), and Guiding Light. David is proud to direct and star in Broadway Comes to Greeneville (TN) each spring to benefit the Niswonger Children's Hospital in Johnson City, TN.

Kate Loprest (Betty Haynes) Kate got her Christmas wish to be back at OP with this incredible cast and crew after playing Betty in White Christmas in 2015. Broadway: First Date (Allison, OBC), Hairspray (Amber), Xanadu, Wonderland, Drowsy Chaperone. Tour: Wicked (Glinda u/s, Chicago), Little House on the Prairie (Nellie Oleson). Recent: Company (Susan, Barrington Stage Company), Bright Star (Lucy, Old Globe), Aida (Amneris, Music Theatre Wichita), Showboat (Ellie, Washington National and Dallas Opera). TV: Boardwalk Empire (Corrine), I Love You...But I Lied, Running Wilde. Many thanks to Brad and Anthony! Kate is the host and creator of Living Small TV.

Jacob ben Widmar (Phil Davis) Broadway/ NYC: New York Spectacular (Mad Hatter) directed/choreographed by Emmy winner Mia Michaels, Book of Mormon (u/s Elder McKinley); Xanadu (u/s Whoopi Goldberg), Irving Berlin's White Christmas (u/s Mike Nulty), No, No, Nanette (Encores!). Regional: 42nd Street (Billy Lawlor, North Shore Music Theatre) and recently originated the role of Will Scarlett in Douglas Carter Beane's broadway bound musical Hood. Originated the role of Bobby Sherin in Mr. Miller Does Her Thing written and directed by Tony and Pulitzer Prize winner James Lapine. Other credits include Paper Mill Playhouse, Goodspeed, Sacramento Music Circus, and originating the role of Teddy in Dancing in the Dark at Old Globe Theatre. Original White Christmas companies of Los Angeles, Detroit, and Broadway.

Vanessa Sonon (Judy Haynes) is thrilled to return to the Ogunquit Playhouse and the role of Judy in White Christmas. Broadway: Anything Goes, Erma (u/s), Spamalot, Lady of the Lake (u/s), 42nd St, Peggy Sawyer (u/s). First National Tours: Anything Goes, Erma, Spamalot, 42nd St, and Anytime Annie. One of her favorite regional roles played is Judy in White Christmas, where she's been seen in productions all over the country. Recently she was seen as Woman#2 in My Way, A Frank Sinatra Review, Ivoryton Playhouse. Other Regional: Polly Baker in Crazy for You, Val in A Chorus Line, Cassie (us), Dee Lee in Smokey Joes Cafe, Gertie Cummings in Oklahoma and Ginger Rogers in Backwards in High Heels.

Sally Struthers (Martha Watson) is a two-time Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award winner for her performance in the groundbreaking TV series All in the Family. She starred in the Fox television series 9 to 5 and her own CBS series Gloria. She also recurred on the CBS comedy Still Standing and the CW network's highly acclaimed Gilmore Girls. She joined the Gilmore cast for Netflix's four movie limited revival, which premiered in the fall of 2016. She recently guest starred in the acclaimed IFC comedy series Maron. Ms. Struthers' television movies include: A Gun in the House, And Your Name is Jonah, The Great Houdinis, Hey, I'm Alive, In The Best Interest of the Children, Deadly Silence, My Husband is Missing, and Intimate Strangers. Sally co-starred in two legendary motion pictures in the 70's: Five Easy Pieces with Jack Nicholson and The Getaway with Steve McQueen and Ali McGraw. Sally's first two Broadway forays were in Wally's Café with Rita Moreno and Jimmy Coco and Neil Simon's female version of the Odd Couple with Brenda Vaccaro. For three years she starred as "Miss Mamie Lynch" on Broadway and on tour in the Tommy Tune production of Grease. In the 20th Anniversary National Tour of Annie, Sally played the coveted role of "Miss Hannigan." Sally was named Best Actress by the Los Angeles Artistic Director Theatre Awards for her role as "Louise Seger" in the musical, Always, Patsy Cline, a true story based on the relationship between Seger and Cline. She won the Ovation Award as Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance as "Agnes Gooch" in the Los Angeles production of Mame, and won a second Ovation Award for Cinderella. She also won a plaque for "Best Actress" in her 7th Grade Class Play. Additional starring theatre roles include regional productions of Hello, Dolly!, Anything Goes, The Fifth of July, Cat On a Hot Tin Roof, The Full Monty, Fiddler on the Roof, Chicago, All Shook Up, Drowsy Chaperone, Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, 9 TO 5, Legally Blonde, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Witches of Eastwick, and Nice Work if You Can Get It. For thirty-five years, Sally worked to help the hungry and uneducated children everywhere, and visited these children in many developing countries.

Irving Berlin's White Christmas, the Musical is part of Vintage Christmas in Portsmouth, a month-long celebration of the season that is presented by The Music Hall and the Strawbery Banke Museum. For more information see www.vintagechristmasnh.org.

The Ogunquit Playhouse, a 501c3 not-for-profit organization listed on the National Historic Register, is located on Route One in Ogunquit, Maine and produces the finest Broadway musicals each season with performances Tuesday through Sunday, from mid-May through October, with a holiday show at the Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH each December. Follow the Ogunquit Playhouse on Twitter (@OgunquitPH) and on Facebook (facebook.com/OgunquitPlayhouse) for behind-the-scenes info, photos and fun throughout the year. For a complete list of show times, pricing and more information about the season, visit www.ogunquitplayhouse.org.

The Music Hall is a performing arts center featuring curated entertainment from around the world in two theaters in its downtown Portsmouth, New Hampshire campus - one, a landmark 1878 Victorian theater, designated an American Treasure for the Arts by the National Park Service's Save America's Treasures Program, the other the intimate Music Hall Loft around the corner, recently named "best performing arts venue" by Yankee Magazine and the recipient of the NH AIA award for design excellence. Visit www.TheMusicHall.org for more information.

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