O'Malley, Opel, Etc. Set for CA Musical Theatre in '06-'07

Rob Orbach, Adrian Zmed, Kerry O'Malley and Nancy Opel are among the Broadway talents set for the 2006-2007 season of California Musical Theatre, located in Sacramento.

Fiddler on the Roof will open the season on July 7 with Ron Orbach (Dance of the Vampires, Laughter on the 23rd Floor) as Tevye, the tradition-bound Jewish milkman, frustrated by his daughters' choices of suitors. The cast will also include Valerie Perri (Evita tour) as Golde, Helen Geller as Yente, and Barry Pearl (Bye, Bye Birdie and Oliver! on Broadway, Grease film) as Lazar Wolf . The production will be guided by director Glenn Casale, choreographer Bob Richard and musical director Dennis Castellano. The show closes July 16.

The cast of Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida will be led by Montego Glover (Aida in Boston and Wichita) as the title character, a kidnapped Nubian princess who falls in love with Radames, an Egyptian Captain played by Michael Hunsaker (national tours of Chess and Ragtime) The Pharaoh's daughter Amners will be played by Kelli Provart (Aida on Broadway and on tour). Adrian Zmed (Grease, Blood Brothers, "T.J. Hooker") will play Egyptian warlord Zoser. Sacramento actor James Wheatley will play the Nubian king Amonasro. Gary John La Rosa will direct Aida. Todd Underwood will choreograph, and David Andrews Rogers will be the musical director. Aida will run July 18 - 23.

Kerry O'Malley (Into the Woods, Annie Get Your Gun) will lead the cast of South Pacific as Ensign Nellie Forbush, July 25 - 30. The mysterious Frenchman Emile de Becque will be played by opera performer Samuel L. Smith. Armelia McQueen (Ain't Misbehavin') will play island trader Bloody Mary. The cast will also include Robert Creighton (Broadway's Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) as Luther Billis and Will Ray as Lt. Joe Cable. Leland Ball will direct. Marcia Milgrom Dodge will choreograph and the musical director will be Jim May.

Tony-nominee Nancy Opel (Fiddler on the Roof, Urinetown) will star as Desiree Armfeldt in A Little Night Music, August 1 - 6. Paul Schoeffler (Sweet Charity, Peter Pan) will play Fredrik, one of two rivals for Desiree's attentions. Desiree's other paramour Carl-Magnus will be played by Music Circus regular Christopher Carl. The cast will also include Carolann Sanita as Anne, Elizabeth Ward Land as Charlotte, Jim Poulos (Broadway's Rent) as Henrik, and Melissa Dye (Broadway's Grease and Into the Woods) as Petra. The Music Circus premiere of A Little Night Music will be directed by Stafford Arima, who was nominated for an Olivier Award for directing the London premiere of Ragtime and who is currently represented in New York by the off-Broadway hit Altar Boyz. Patti Wilcox will choreograph, and Darren Cohen will be the musical director.

Music Circus regular Sarah Tattersall returns to Sacramento August 8 - 13 as Marian in The Music Man, a role she previously played in 2001. Playing opposite her as Harold Hill will be Broadway veteran John Hillner (Crazy for You, Mamma Mia!). The cast will also include Patrick Quinn (A Class Act, The Sound of Music) as the malaprop-prone Mayor Shinn. Leland Ball will direct The Music Man, with Bob Richard as choreographer and Dennis Castellano as musical director.

Singer/dancer/comedian James Brennan (Crazy for You, Me and My Girl) will star as Pseudolus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, August 15 - 20. The manic Hysterium will be played by animated song-and-dance man John Scherer. Broadway regulars Jessica Sheridan (Les Misérables) and Walter Hudson (The Pirates of Penzance) will play tough-as-nails Domina and her long-suffering hubbby Senex, Ashleigh Davidson as the innocent Philia. Marcia Milgrom Dodge will return to Forum. D.J. Salisbury will choreograph. Steven Smith will be the musical director.

The season will close with an extended run of Smokey Joe's Cafe, August 22 - 31. The rock 'n' roll revue features Leiber and Stoller songs like "Hound Dog," "Yakety Yak," "On Broadway" and "Stand By Me." Three cast members will be returning from the hit 2002 production: Deb Lyons (who also appeared on Broadway and in London), Devin Richards (another Broadway alumnus) and Darryl JoVan Williams (the national tour of Smokey Joe's). Joining the cast will Inga Ballard, Ron Kellum (Chicago), Angela Gaylor (La Cage aux Folles), Montego Glover, Harrison White from the London production of Smokey Joe's, and Kasey Marino. The show will be directed by Barry Ivan with Todd Underwood choreographing and Darren Cohen as the musical director.

Single tickets for the 2006 Music Circus season are now on sale at the Wells Fargo Pavilion, 1419 H Street or by phone at (916) 557-1999. Tickets can also be ordered online (and full cast lists can be viewed) at www.SacramentoMusicCircus.com. Tickets are $37 - $49. Seven-show subscriptions are still available at the Wells Fargo Pavilion Box Office. For discounts for groups of 12 or more, call (916) 557-1198.