Photo Flash: Sam Harris in THE FIRST WIVES CLUB

The First Wives Club - A New Musical has extend its run by an additional week due to popular demand. The Broadway-bound musical features a book by Tony Award winner Rupert Holmes and a score by Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland. Directed by Francesca Zambello with choreography by Lisa Stevens and music direction by Ron Melrose, The First Wives Club will now run through Aug. 30.

The First Wives Club, originally set to end its run on Aug. 23, must close on Aug. 30 to accommodate the much-anticipated world premiere of Sammy, a new musical based on the life of Sammy Davis, Jr. with book, music and lyrics by two-time Oscar and Grammy winner Leslie Bricusse. Sammy will run in the Old Globe Theatre Sept. 19 - Nov. 8.

Sam Harris' recent role on the CBS comedy, The Class, is the latest incarnation of a career than has spanned more than two decades and run the gamut from singer/songwriter to stage, film, television actor to writer, producer, director. The actor plays "Duane" in The First Wives Club and sent us these new production photos to share with all of you, stay tuned for more 'WIVES' video updates from the talented Mr. Harris right here on BWW!

Born in Oklahoma, Sam performed in his first play when he was five and left home at 15 to pursue his career, learning the ropes through regional and repertory theatre. He finished high school through correspondence courses and attended UCLA.

Sam Harris played "every dump and dive in LA" and created his first solo stint, Out of Control, which caught the attention of talent scouts from a television talent show. Sam then became a household name on Star Search in its premiere season. Twenty five million viewers tuned in week after week to see his pop, gospel and theatre brand of emotionally charged performances, finally winning the grand prize and the hearts of America. His phenomenal "overnight" rise catapulted him into the recording industry, where he sold over a million copies of his first CDs. Concert tours, including a performance at Carnegie Hall, followed, and soon he was in every magazine and talk show.

Broadway called and Sam received a Drama Desk nomination for his role in Tommy Tune's Grease. He then toured in the Broadway National tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Sam next starred in Cy Coleman's The Life, for which he received the Drama-League Award as well as Tony, Outer Critic's Circle and Drama Desk nominations. He was also seen to much acclaim in the Broadway mega hit, The Producers. He has also written sit-coms, musicals and television specials and recently released his 8th CD and is performing in the CBS show, Rules of Engagement.

The First Wives Club is a funny, moving and empowering new musical based on the smash-hit movie comedy and Olivia Goldsmith's bestselling novel. Former college friends reunite at middle-age and soon discover they share the same unhappy story - their ungrateful husbands careened into midlife by dumping them for younger women. Inspired by their renewed friendship, the three women band together and take back their lives in style.

The cast features Broadway veterans Sheryl Lee Ralph (Dreamgirls, Thoroughly Modern Millie) as Elyse, Barbara Walsh (Company, Hairspray) as Brenda, Karen Ziemba (Contact, Curtains) as Annie, John Dossett (Gypsy) as Aaron, Kevyn Morrow (Dreamgirls) as Bill, Brad Oscar (The Producers) as Morty, Sara Chase as Trophy Wife and Sam Harris (The Life) as Duane.

The creative team includes Peter J. Davison (scenic design), Paul Tazewell (costume design), Mark McCullough (lighting design), Jon Weston (sound design), Harold Wheeler (orchestrator) and John Gentry Tennyson (conductor).

TICKETS to The First Wives Club can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE or by visiting the box office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park. Performances began on July 17 and continue through Aug. 30. Ticket prices range from $66 to $92.

Performance times: Previews: Wednesday, July 29 at 7:00 p.m. and Thursday, July 30 at 8:00 p.m. Regular Performances: Tuesday and Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m., and Sunday evenings at 7:00 p.m. Discounts are available for full-time students, patrons 29 years of age and under, seniors and groups of 10 or more.

The Old Globe is located in San Diego's Balboa Park at 1363 Old Globe Way. There are numerous free parking lots available throughout the park. Valet parking is also available ($10). For additional parking information visit www.BalboaPark.org.

CALENDAR: Shakespeare Festival: Twelfth Night, Cyrano de Bergerac and Coriolanus (in repertory thru 9/27), Summer Shakespeare Intensive: Pericles, The Prince of Tyre (8/17), Sammy (9/19-11/8), The Savannah Disputation (9/26-11/1), Whisper House (1/13-2/21).

The Tony Award-winning Old Globe is one of the country's leading professional regional theaters and has stood as San Diego's flagship arts institution for 74 years. Under the direction of Executive Producer Louis G. Spisto, The Old Globe produces a year-round season of 15 productions of classic, contemporary and new works on its three Balboa Park stages: the 580-seat Old Globe Theatre, the 250-seat Arena Stage at the San Diego Museum of Art's James S. Copley Auditorium (an interim second stage during construction of the new 280-seat Conrad Prebys Theatre Center) and the 612-seat outdoor Lowell Davies Festival Theatre, home of its internationally renowned Shakespeare Festival. More than 250,000 people attend Globe productions annually and participate in the theater's education programs and outreach services. Numerous Broadway-bound premieres and revivals, such as The Full Monty, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, A Catered Affair, and the annual holiday musical, Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas!, have been developed at The Old Globe and have gone on to enjoy highly successful runs in New York and at regional theaters across the country.

Photos by Craig Schwartz

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