Broadway-Bound CAN-CAN Begins Tonight at Paper Mill

Paper Mill Playhouse will open its 2014-2015 season with a Broadway-bound, world-class revival of Can-Can starring Kate Baldwin as Pistache and Jason Danieley as Aristide. This fresh new production features direction by David Lee (Frasier, Cheers) and choreography by Patti Colombo (Paper Mill's Peter Pan, On the Town, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers). The show features a book by Abe Burrows (Guys and Dolls, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying) and a re-crafted script by Joel Fields (Ugly Betty, The Americans) and David Lee.

Can-Can's score features some of Cole Porter's timeless classics including "I Love Paris," "C'est Magnifique," "It's All Right With Me" and more. Paper Mill Playhouse is launching this Broadway-bound production of Cole Porter's classic musical with producing partner Jonathan Burrows. Can-Can will play the Millburn, New Jersey, theater from tonight, October 1 through October 26, 2014. The official press opening night is Sunday, October 5, at 7:00pm.

Pistache, a Parisian café owner, decides to feature the scandalous dance the Can-Can, but will her defiance of the law end her business and her love life? Can-Can was first presented at Broadway's Shubert Theatre in 1953 by legendary producers Cy Feuer and Ernest H. Martin. The musical made an overnight sensation of Gwen Verdon. A 1960 film adaptation starred Shirley MacLaine, Frank Sinatra, Maurice Chevalier and Louis Jourdan.

Tickets are on sale now and range from $28 to $99. Tickets may be purchased by calling 973.376.4343, at the Paper Mill Playhouse Box Office at 22 Brookside Drive in Millburn, or online at www.PaperMill.org.

Can-Can will star Tony Award nominee Kate Baldwin as Pistache and Broadway veteran Jason Danieley as Aristide. Ms. Baldwin returns to Paper Mill following her critically acclaimed performances in Hello, Dolly!, Guys and Dolls and Miss Saigon. Most recently Baldwin starred on Broadway in Big Fish as Sandra Bloom. She also appeared on Broadway in Finian's Rainbow, Wonderful Town, Thoroughly Modern Millie and The Full Monty. Ms. Baldwin received a Tony Award nomination, an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination and a Drama Desk nomination for her performance as Sharon McLonergan in the revival of Finian's Rainbow. Her television credits include Law & Order: SVU and Stephen Sondheim's Passion for PBS.

Jason Danieley recently appeared on three different PBS broadcasts: Live from Lincoln Center with the NY Philharmonic in Carousel (Enoch Snow),Ring Them Bells, a celebration of Kander and Ebb, as well as NJTV's American Songbook at NJPAC (the last two with his wife, Marin Mazzie). Broadway roles include Next to Normal (also with Mazzie), Curtains (Outer Critics Circle nomination), The Full Monty (also on the West End) and Candide(Theatre World Award and Drama Desk nomination). Danieley has been a part of the world premieres of Floyd Collins, Dream True, The Highest Yellow,Beauty and Secondhand Lions. This summer he appears in Kander and Ebb and Terrence McNally's The Visit at Williamstown Theatre Festival.

Michael Berresse (Hilaire Jussac) returns to Paper Mill Playhouse, where he last appeared as Diesel in West Side Story. Berresse was seen on Broadway in A Chorus Line, Light in the Piazza, Kiss Me, Kate (Tony Award nomination), Fascinating Rhythm, Carousel and more. His film and television credits include The Bourne Legacy, State of Play, AI, Jeffrey, The Next Step, Crossbones and Law & Order.

Greg Hildreth (Boris Adzinidzinadze) performed in the Broadway and off-Broadway productions of Peter and the Starcatcher and Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. Hildreth originated the role of Jean-Michel in Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella on Broadway. Michael Kostroff (Jean-Louis) appeared on HBO's hit television series The Wire and on The Disney Channel's Sonny with a Chance. Before performing on Broadway in The Nance, Kostroff was seen at Paper Mill Playhouse in LES MISERABLES and Lend Me a Tenor as well as the US tours of Les Miserables and The Producers. Mark Price (Hercule) was featured on Broadway in Mary Poppins,All Shook Up, Wonderful Town, Dance of the Vampires and others. Price was seen at Paper Mill Playhouse in Lend Me a Tenor.

Justin Robertson reprises the role of Étienne, which he played in Pasadena Playhouse's production of ­Can-Can. Robertson appeared in Music Theatre of Wichita's productions of The Little Mermaid, My Fair Lady and Man of La Mancha. Megan Sikora (Claudine) was last seen at Paper Mill Playhouse as Ado Annie inOklahoma. Her Broadway credits include How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Promises, Promises, Curtains, Wicked and others.

The ensemble includes:

Mike Baerga was seen in the Houston Grand Opera's production of Aida and in New York University's production of Wonderland. Chloe Sian Campbell appeared in the national tour of In The Heights, the UK tour of Our House and in the West End production of Mary Poppins. Jace Coronado made his Broadway debut inWest Side Story. Coronado toured in productions of Guys and Dolls and West Side Story.

Desireé Davar appeared in Paper Mill Playhouse's revival of Kiss Me, Kate. Davar played Anita in the West Side Story world tour before joining the Broadway company. Sarah DeBiase performed in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular and in Khovanshchina at the Metropolitan Opera.

Taurean Everett performed in the first national tour of Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Everett appeared in Paper Mill Playhouse's productions of Damn Yankees, Curtains and Peter Pan. Sarah Marie Jenkins is a Paper Mill Playhouse alumna who performed in Peter Pan, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and the world premiere of Honeymoon in Vegas. Jenkins was also seen in touring productions of Legally Blonde, Peter Pan, Swing! and Guys and Dolls. Evan Kasprzak originated the role of Elmer in Newsies at Paper Mill Playhouse and on Broadway. Kasprzak is a tap and theater jazz dancer, best known for finishing third on Fox's So You Think You Can Dance.

Jenny Laroche performed as a Rockette in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular in New York City and across the country. Laroche also had a recurring role on the hit NBC musical drama series Smash. Kate Marilley returns to Paper Mill Playhouse, where she appeared in productions of Kiss Me, Kate and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Marilley was seen in the Billy Elliot national tour.

Michael McArthur carried the banner in Newsies at Paper Mill Playhouse. McArthur performed in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular and on NBC's Smash.Sarah Meahl appeared in several Muny productions including Nunsense, Spamalot, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid and others. Meahl was in Paper Mill Playhouse's production of Thoroughly Modern Millie. Peter Nelson performed in the Broadway companies of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella and Chicago.

Tally Sessions was seen on the Paper Mill Playhouse stage in South Pacific and Little Shop of Horrors. Sessions recently appeared on Broadway in Big Fish. Molly Tynes made her Broadway debut in the revival of Pippin. At Paper Mill Playhouse, Tynes performed in Curtains and On the Town. Ryan Worsing appeared in Paper Mill Playhouse's productions of Hello, Dolly! and Kiss Me, Kate. On Broadway, Worsing was seen in Chicago, White Christmas and Shrek.

Joel Fields (Co-author) After premiering at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, Fields's romantic comedy How I Fell in Love received its New York debut at the Abingdon Theatre in 2011. He received the Abingdon's 2009 Christopher Brian Wolk Award for excellence in playwriting. Fields has served as writer-producer for numerous television series including Ugly Betty, Raising the Bar, Over There, and as writer/executive producer on FX's series The Americans.

David Lee (Director/Co-author) is a nine-time Emmy Award-winning director, producer and writer. Lee directed Can-Can at Pasadena Playhouse. He also directed productions of Light Up the Sky, Do I Hear A Waltz?, 110 in the Shade, Diva, How I Fell In Love (Williamstown Theatre Festival), On the 20th Century,Assassins, Company, A New Brain, Applause, Working, Zorba, Elegies (Reprise!), staged readings of The New Hope Memorial (Mark Taper Lab) and They Knew What They Wanted (Roundabout). Lee is the co-creator of Wings and Frasier, which he also wrote, produced and directed. He served as writer/producer for The Jeffersons and Cheers and directed Everybody Loves Raymond. In addition to 18 Emmy nominations, he is the recipient of the Directors Guild Award, Golden Globe, Producers Guild Award, GLAAD Media Award, British Comedy Award, Television Critics Association Award (three times), the Humanitas Prize (twice) and the Peabody.

Patti Colombo (Choreographer) received an Emmy nomination and an American Choreographer's Award for Peter Pan starring Cathy Rigby that aired on A&E. Colombo also choreographed Peter Pan at Paper Mill Playhouse and on Broadway. She choreographed the national tours of Doctor Dolittle with Tommy Tune andSeussical with Cathy Rigby. In addition to Peter Pan, Colombo choreographed On the Town and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers at Paper Mill Playhouse.Colombo directed the UK production of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Ms. Colombo choreographed the inaugural galas for both Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Some of her television work includes choreographing over 100 episodes of the Emmy Award-winning Adventures in Wonderland for The Disney Channel.

STEVE ORICH (Music Director, Arranger, Orchestrator). Broadway: Jersey Boys (Tony nomination, best orchestrations). Off Broadway: Snoopy,Personals, A Good Swift Kick. Tours: Annie, Godspell, A Class Act. Regional: Musical director and orchestrator for multiple shows at Pasadena Playhouse, Geffen Playhouse, Mark Taper Forum, Hollywood Bowl, La Jolla Playhouse, TheatreWorks, Goodman Theatre, Goodspeed, Asolo Rep, Dorset Theatre Festival, Northlight, Pioneer Theatre. TV: Composer, arranger, and conductor for documentaries, sitcoms, movies, and specials. Recordings: 20 albums, including the Grammy-winning Jersey Boys cast album. His orchestrations have been performed by the National Symphony, the Boston Pops, at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, the White House, and around the world.

The Can-Can design team includes:

Rob Bissinger (Scenic Design) returns to Paper Mill Playhouse to design his fifth production. His past Paper Mill Playhouse design credits include Damn Yankees, The Full Monty, Meet Me in St. Louis and Pirates! Bissinger was an art director for large-scale projects such as the Venetian Phantom Theatre in Las Vegas and the Opening Ceremony for the 2014 Winter Olympics (Emmy nomination). He was associate designer for several Broadway productions including Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark and All Shook Up. Audiences nationally and internationally have seen his designs for countless touring productions including 3 Mo' Tenors, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Disney's Believe and most recently, Mythbusters: Behind the Myths.

Ann Hould-Ward (Costume Design) received the 1994 Tony Award for Best Costume Design for Beauty and the Beast. Some of her costume designs for Broadway include Sunday in the Park with George (Tony and Drama Desk nominations; Maharam Award for Outstanding Costume Design), A Catered Affair (Drama Desk Award nomination), Harrigan and Hart (Maharam nomination) and Into the Woods (Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critic's Circle nominations; Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award).

Michael Gilliam (Lighting Design) provided lighting design for the Broadway productions of Bonnie and Clyde, Brooklyn and Big River. Gilliam also designed Paper Mill Playhouse's production of Blue.

Randy Hansen (Sound Design) is Paper Mill Playhouse's resident sound designer. He is audio consultant and sound designer for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and the Indianapolis Symphony, and he completed the sound installation at the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine. Numerous television broadcasts includeBroadway on Broadway, Victoria's Secret Christmas specials and the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Rob Greene and J. Jared Janas (Hair, Wig & Makeup Design) have worked on many Broadway shows including Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill, Motown, The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess and Next to Normal. At Paper Mill Playhouse Greene and Janas designed wigs for Curtains and Peter Pan.

Tim Weske (Fight Director) is a weapons specialist with an extensive list of film, television and theater credits. Some of the celebrities Weske trained include Sandra Bullock, Anne Hathaway, Brad Pitt, Natalie Portman and others.

Tara Rubin Casting (Casting) is a New York City-based company whose select Broadway and Off Broadway credits include Aladdin, LES MISERABLES, Here Lies Love and Phantom of the Opera in addition to Yale Repertory, Westport Country Playhouse and many other regional companies.

Jonathan Burrows (Producer) began his professional career as an assistant stage director at the New York City Opera in 1966 with Plácido Domingo in Carmen andMadama Butterfly, Beverly Sills in The Tales Of Hoffman and many more. Two years later he was producing theatre in New York including Athol Fugard's Hello & Goodbye directed by George C. Scott, starring Martin Sheen & Coleen Dewhurst; Contributions starring Claudia McNeil; the national tour of The Mad Show; andFire on Broadway in 1969. When he turned his attention to film, he started as an assistant director for David Lean on Ryan's Daughter (MGM, 1970). After joining the executive training program at Columbia Pictures, he worked as a production executive and in other capacities on 17 major films including A Delicate Balancewith Katharine Hepburn, The Iceman Cometh with Lee Marvin and Jeff Bridges, Rhinoceros with Zero Mostel, The Homecoming with Ian Holm, and The Man In the Glass Booth with Maximilian Schell. Burrows served as a producer for Texasville (Columbia, 1990) and Fletch (Universal, 1984).

Gary Mickelson (Production Stage Manager) recently stage managed South Pacific at Paper Mill Playhouse. On Broadway, Mr. Mickelson stage managed First Date, Memphis, Gypsy, Company, Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life, The Lion in Winter and Victor/Victoria.