Bristol Riverside Theatre to Close 2015-16 Season with MAN OF LA MANCHA

Bristol Riverside Theatre concludes its 2015-2016 season daring audiences to "dream the impossible dream" with the ever-popular musical Man of La Mancha running May 10-June 5. With music by Mitch Leigh, lyrics by Joe Darion, and book by Dale Wasserman, the production is directed by Keith Baker and features the triumphant return of Gypsy star Robert Newman, joined by Sharon Alexander, Julian Brightman, Lauren Cupples, Robert Farruggia, Tamra Hayden, Christopher Roche, Danny Rutigliano, Dwayne Alistair Thomas, and Danny Vaccaro. The cast is supplemented by the ensemble of Rajeer Alford, Daniel Bontempo, Elena Camp, Will Connell, Stephan Dagrosa, John DiFerdinando, Adam Hoyak, Kevin Murray, and Victor Rodriguez.

Previews begin Tuesday, May 10 with opening night on Thursday, May 12. Performances run Tuesday through Sunday until June 5. Tickets start at $43, with discounts for students, groups and military personnel. Tickets are available by visiting brtstage.org or calling the BRT Box Office at 215-785-0100. Bristol Riverside Theatre is located at 120 Radcliffe Street in Bristol, PA.

Inspired by one of the greatest novels of all time, Man of La Mancha features Miguel de Cervantes and his faithful servant, who channel the power of storytelling to recount the legend of knight errant Don Quixote and his trusty sidekick Sancho as they embark on a journey full of laughter, love and unruly windmills. A celebrated Broadway hit and winner of five Tony Awards, Man of La Mancha's stirring score includes the touching ode to romance, "Dulcinea," and the idealistic, "Impossible Dream".

Keith Baker (Director) has directed more than 40 productions for BRT including Rumors this season, Lost in Yonkers and Ragtime (nominated for nine Barrymore Awards) last season, Gypsy starring Tovah Feldshuh, Chicago (nominated for six Barrymore Awards), The Balkan Women (winner of a Barrymore Award for Outstanding New Play), The Dresser (nominated for a Barrymore Award for Best Director of a Play) and Dear World (nominated for three Barrymore Awards). As an actor he starred in BRT's 2012-2013 season productions of Deathtrap and Inherit the Wind and also appeared in productions of Barrymore, A Raw Space, Old Wicked Songs, Defiance, Proof, Hamlet, A Little Night Music, Arsenic and Old Lace, and A Moon for the Misbegotten. Baker has been nominated eleven times for the prestigious Carbonell Awards, for which he was twice the recipient for Best Actor. Prior to coming to BRT, Baker was Artistic Director for the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival and the Florida Repertory Theatre. Baker appeared earlier this season in Mountain: The Journey of Justice Douglas and The Language Archive.

Sharon Alexander (Housekeeper) is a popular presence at BRT, having appeared in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Alive and Well, Zorba, Inspecting Carol, She Loves Me, and Evita. She has also been seen at Walnut Street Theatre in And Then There Were None and Good People, and at Arden Theatre Company in A Little Night Music and Merrily We Roll Along.

Julian Brightman (Barber) has appeared on Broadway and the national tours of Hello, Dolly! and Peter Pan. Regionally he has been a guest at Bickford Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Pittsburgh CLO, and Ford Theatre. Local audiences may recognize him from Cole Porter's The Pirate and Me & Mrs. Jones, both at Prince Music Theatre and Annie 2 at Walnut Street Theatre.

Lauren Cupples (Antonia) returns to BRT where she has appeared in The Pirates of Penzance. She has been featured at Arden Theatre Company in A Little Night Music and Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival in Sweeney Todd and South Pacific and starred in several productions at Media Theatre including LES MISERABLES, The Addams Family, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Robert Farruggia (Padre) was most recently seen at BRT in An American Christmas Songbook. Other regional credits include Forever Plaid at the Bickford Theatre, Fame at the Macau International Music Festival, and Sweeney Todd at the Fulton Theatre. He was a semifinalist in last year's Lotte Lenya Competition run by the Kurt Weill Foundation. He has also co-written the new musical On the Air which was recently presented at the York Theatre Company directed by Tony nominee Hunter Foster.

Tamra Hayden (Aldonza) appeared on Broadway as Cosette in LES MISERABLES and as Texas in Cabaret, and was featured in the national tours of Phantom of the Opera, Fiddler on the Roof, and LES MISERABLES . Regionally she has starred at Alabama Shakespeare Festival, San Jose Repertory Theatre, Seattle Repertory Theatre, and Ford Theater.

Robert Newman (Don Quixote) appeared as Herbie in BRT's hit production Gypsy, a role he reprised at Pittsburgh's CLO. He has also starred in Curtains at Paper Mill Playhouse, Fiddler on the Roof, Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, and Shenandoah, all at Barn Theatre, and Putting It Together at Delaware Theatre Company. TV audiences may recognize him for his 24 years on CBS' Guiding Light as Joshua Lewis, which earned him two Day Time Emmy nominations as Outstanding Leading Actor in a Drama Series. He has recently guest starred on Homeland, Criminal Minds, NCIS, and Law and Order: SVU. Film credits include Amazing Spider-Man 2, Dracano, and the short film Deadline, for which he earned the Best Actor award at the Los Angeles Independent Film Festival in 2014.

Christopher Marlowe Roche (Duke) was last seen at BRT and on the National Tour of The Little Prince. He has also performed at The Walnut Street, Freedom Theatre, Ego Po and Maukingbird Theatre in Philadelphia as well as The Kennedy Center, Arena Stage, Woolly Mammoth, Source, Studio and Theatre J, all in Washington DC. Roche is a founding member and Artistic Associate with the for/word company, where he originated the roles of Antoine de Saint Exupery in North and E.B. White in The Little Book. He is an Assistant Professor in The Department of Theatre and Dance and coordinator of the Musical Theatre program at Rowan University.

Danny Rutigliano (Sancho) has been seen on Broadway in Billy Elliot and The Lion King, which garnered him an Ovation Award as Best Featured Actor as well as in multiple productions at Center City Encores! Series including the title role of Fiorello! Off-Broadway credits include Hollywood Pinafore at York Theatre, Topper at Musical Theatre Works, Daydreams-The Music and Magic of Doris Day at Intar Theatre, and Godspell at La Mamma E.T.C.

Dwayne Alistair Thomas (Governor/Innkeeper) has appeared locally in Othello at Theatre in the X and Assassin at InterAct Theatre Company. Other regional credits include productions at LookingGlass Theatre and the Kennedy Center. On television he has guest starred in The Americans and Blue Bloods.

Danny Vaccaro (Pedro) has been seen at BRT in Rumors, Lost in Yonkers, Tuesdays with Morrie and Little Shop of Horrors. He appeared on Broadway in La Cage Aux Folles and starred in the national tour of The Diary of Anne Frank. Regional credits include several productions at Barter Theatre including leading roles in Sweeney Todd, Singin' in the Rain, and The Last Five Years, as well as productions at Goodman Theatre, Fulton Opera House and the Walnut Street Theatre.

Man of La Mancha brings together the creative teams of BRT veteran designers Roman Tatarowicz (set design), Linda Bee Stockton (costume design), Ryan O'Gara (lighting design), and Liz Atkinson (sound design), with musical direction by Darren Cohen and choreography by Stephen Casey.

Since 1986, BRT has brought consistently acclaimed professional theatre to Bucks County and maintains a long-term commitment to finding and developing new plays. The theatre is the recipient of 81 Barrymore Award nominations for Excellence in Theatre, given annually by Theatre Philadelphia. In addition to its mainstage productions, the theatre serves as a cultural hub for the community, with such programs as children's theatre, community concerts and exhibitions of local visual arts. Currently under the direction of Artistic Director Keith Baker, Founding Director Susan D. Atkinson, and Managing Director Jameson Gilpatrick, BRT is currently in its 29th season. For information, visit www.brtstage.org.

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