Tony Nominee Emily Skinner Stars in Virginia Rep's MAME, Beginning Tonight

Virginia Repertory Theatre announces the opening of the award-winning musical, Mame, at the Sara Belle and Neil November Theatre, 114 West Broad Street on Friday, November 21 with a preview tonight, November 20. The show runs through January 11, 2014. Mame is based on the novel, Auntie Mame, by Patrick Dennis with a book by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee and unforgettable music and lyrics by Jerry Herman. The show originally opened on Broadway in 1966 and starred Angela Lansbury and Beatrice Arthur.

Set in New York during the Great Depression, this lavish musical tells the story of Mame Dennis, an extravagant bon vivant whose life is turned upside down when the son of her late brother comes to live with her. Mame tries her best to keep up her usual fabulous flair while responsibly raising her new son. With a cast of 31 and a live band, Mame is one of the largest shows in the 2014/15 Season at Virginia Rep.

Director and Choreographer, Patti D'Beck credits as associate choreographer, supervisor, dance captain, and actor is a long-time veteran of Broadway. Her include original productions of Applause (Lauren Bacall), A Chorus Line, Pippin (Ben Vereen), Evita, Annie Get Your Gun (Bernadette Peters), and Grease! She choreographed the 1977 Tony Awards for Rosie O'Donnell. D'Beck has worked with Broadway director/ choreographers including Bob Fosse, and Michael Bennett. She has directed/choreographed many stars including Brooke Shields, Reba McEntire, Keith Carradine, Mickey Rooney, Lucy Lawless, and Liza Minnelli. At Virginia Rep, D'Beck directed/choreographed Guys and Dolls, Thoroughly Modern Millie, White Christmas, and The Producers.

Music Director, John Winn tours Asia, Russia, Turkey and Mexico leading his jazz quartet as singer/saxophonist and performs frequently in pit orchestras for touring Broadway productions in Richmond and Norfolk. Currently he teaches music at St. Christopher's School.

Virginia Rep is thrilled to welcome Tony Nominee Emily Skinner in the lead role of Mame. Skinner has unequivocally established herself as one of Broadway's most engaging and versatile performers. A native of Richmond, Skinner is an alumna of SPARC and started her professional career on the Richmond stages of TheatreVirginia, Theatre IV, and Swift Creek Mill Theatre. She was the first American chosen for the starring role of Mrs. Wilkinson in the acclaimed musical Billy Elliott. Skinner was nominated for a Tony Award (with Alice Ripley) and received a Drama League Award for her performance as Daisy Hilton Side Show. Other original Broadway cast credits include Jekyll and Hyde, James Joyce's The Dead (opposite Christopher Walken), The Full Monty, Dinner at Eight (Outer Critics Circle Nomination), as well as The Actors Fund productions of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas and Dreamgirls.

Recent starring roles include the Off-Broadway new musical Inventing Mary Martin and Adelaide in the world premiere of The Great American Mousical at Goodspeed's Norma Terris Theatre under the direction of Dame Julie Andrews. Carnegie Hall appearances include singing with The New York Pops and the New York debut of Richard Thomas' infamous Jerry Springer The Opera (with Harvey Keitel). Off-Broadway theatres include the Manhattan Theatre Club, WPA Theatre, Paramount Theater at Madison Square Gardens, York Theatre, Playwrights Horizons and the Roundabout Theatre. Regionally, she has appeared in numerous leading roles at The Kennedy Center, Signature Theatre, Long Wharf Theatre, Hangar Theatre, Old Globe Theatre, Ford's Theatre, McCarter Theatre, St. Louis MUNY, Goodspeed, Bucks County Playhouse, Lyric Theater of Oklahoma, TheatreVirginia and others. Skinner has a self- titled solo CD as well as several cast recordings and audio books.

Desiree Roots Centeio will play Mame's bosom buddy, Vera Charles. Centeio was recently seen at Virginia Rep in the summer-hit musical, The Color Purple, in the role of Sofia. Other credits include The Music Man at Virginia Rep and Dessa Rose at Firehouse Theatre Project. She is the recipient of the Theresa Pollack Award for vocal excellence in the arts. Her first Jazz CD, Don't Ever Stop Dreaming, debuts this month.

Jody Ashworth will return to the stage as Beau. He was last seen in The Producers (RTCC Award), Sound of Music and Guys and Dolls at Virginia Rep. Audra Honaker will play Agnes Gooch. Recent Virginia Rep credits include Shrek, Fiddler on the Roof, and Charlotte's Web.

Young Patrick will be played by 6th grader, Brandon McKinney. Brandon made his Virginia Rep debut as Winthrop in The Music Man. Alexander Sapp will play the role of older Patrick. Sapp was last seen in Tartuffe at Virginia Rep, Good People for Cadence Theatre in partnership with Virginia Rep and Richard III for Henley Street/Richmond Shakespeare.

Set designer Ron Keller (The Color Purple, To Kill A Mockingbird, White Christmas at Virginia Rep), lighting designer, Lynn M. Hartman (Other Desert Cities, Tartuffe, The Music Man, To Kill A Mockingbird for Virginia Rep), and veteran costume designer, Sue Griffin (The Color Purple, Tartuffe, Fiddler on the Roof), round out the artistic team.

For tickets, contact the box office at 804-282-2620 or online at www.virginiarep.org. Full Price Tickets: $48 - $60. Discounted Group Rates and Rush tickets available. U-Tix for college and high school students $15. Available by phone or in person day of show only. Student ID required.

The Sara Belle and Neil November Theatre is equipped with a new state-of the-art induction loop hearing system that is compatible with all telecoil-equipped hearing aids and cochlear implants. A handheld receiver and headphone system is also available free of charge for anyone who is hearing impaired.

Valet is available at all performances except the Preview for $8. Free self-park is available at all performances within two blocks of the theatre.

Evening performances at 8:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, 7:00 p.m. pm on select Wednesdays and all Thursdays. Matinee performances at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday and select Wednesdays and Saturdays. Student Matinees - Middle and high school matinees will take place on December 11 and 12 at 10:30 a.m. Tickets are $14. Shows include talkback with cast members.

About Virginia Repertory Theatre - Virginia Repertory Theatre, located in Richmond, VA, combines the talents and strengths of two nonprofit companies that shared facilities, resources, and management teams for over a decade. Now the heritages of Barksdale Theatre (founded in 1953) and Theatre IV (founded in 1975) live on in their new form, as Central Virginia's leading professional theater company. Virginia Rep presents national caliber productions of the great dramas, comedies, and musicals as well as classics, contemporary works, and world premieres, always seeking to demonstrate the unique power of theater to engage, enthrall, educate, and inspire. Productions are staged at four distinct venues: the Sara Belle and Neil November Theatre and Theatre Gym at the downtown Virginia Rep Center, Virginia Rep's Children's Theatre located at Willow Lawn, and at Hanover Tavern, home to Virginia Rep's Barksdale Season.

Pictured: Desiree Roots Centeio as Vera, Brandon McKinney as Patrick, and Emily Skinner as Mame. Photo by Jay Paul.

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