James Seol Joins Off-Broadway's AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS

Producer Cedric Yau has announced that James Seol will step into the 17 roles originated by Jimmy Ray Bennett in Around the World in 80 Days, beginning Tuesday, September 17th. Bennett's last performance will be Sunday, September 15th­ at 7pm. Guy Lemonnier heads the cast as the phlegmatic Phileas Fogg, with Shirine Babb, Matt Lutz, and Gary Littman rounding out the ensemble cast. Rachel Klein directs.

Director Rachel Klein praises, "James Seol is an incredible, versatile actor who is also a complete joy to work with. I am thrilled to have him on board!" Producer Cedric Yau adds, "James Seol's hilarity and physicality are beyond compare. We knew instantly when we first saw him that audiences would fall in love with him and laugh their pants off. He is magic to eyes and ears."

Says Seol, "As an actor who happens to be of Korean descent, I'm especially excited about playing a bunch of different characters that I don't normally get the opportunity to play. An Irish pirate, a xenophobic American cowboy, a tap dancing ship engineer, among many others. Thankfully, the style of the show allows for a refreshingly inclusive cast. And it's really gratifying to be able to FINALLY use all the accents I worked on in acting school."

Around the World in 80 Days, which recently celebrated its 100th performance at The New Theater at 45th Street, has garnered rave reviews for this comedic play by Mark Brown based on the novel by Jules Verne.

James Seol (Captain Speedy and Others Roles) Broadway: A Naked Girl on the Appian Way (Roundabout Theatre Company). Off-Broadway: Ten (Second Generation), The Long Season(Workshop, The Public Theater). Regional: Thoroughly Modern Millie (Maltz Jupiter Theatre/Papermill Playhouse),Stuck Elevator (Workshop, American Conservatory Theatre), Mame (Goodspeed Musicals), Coriolanus(Shakespeare Santa Cruz), Timon of Athens, King Lear (The Shakespeare Theatre Company). Training: The Juilliard School Drama Division. Love and thanks to Mom, Dad, Paul, Jule, Kev, Dillen, Abby and Michael!

Combining "The Amazing Race" with The 39 Steps, Around the World in 80 Days is a hilarious, eye-popping tour de force inspired by the Jules Verne classic. Five actors comedically play 39 roles. Four continents & three oceans unfold from a Swiss Army knife of a set. A vaudeville script brought to life in New York's only purpose-built theater make for one unforgettable journey.

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