Wolfe, Birdsong Lead ARMISTEAD MAUPIN’S TALES OF THE CITY

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) announces that Tony Award winner and A.C.T. favorite Judy Kaye (Mamma Mia!, Ragtime, Phantom of the Opera, On the Twentieth Century on Broadway; Sweeney Todd and Souvenir at A.C.T.) will be taking on the iconic role of Anna Madrigal in the world premiere production of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City. The cast brings together revered performers with decades of experience with some of the freshest faces from the national and Broadway acting scenes. The performers who will bring Maupin's beloved characters to life include award-winning comedienne Mary Birdsong (Reno 911! on Comedy Central; Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me and Hairspray on Broadway) as Mona Ramsey; A.C.T. core Acting Company member and Tony Award-nominated actor Manoel Felciano (Sweeney Todd on Broadway; Rock 'n' Roll and John Doyle's The Caucasian Chalk Circle at A.C.T.) as Norman Neal Williams; celebrated actor Richard Poe (Cry-Baby and Present Laughter on Broadway), who got his professional start at A.C.T. in the 1960s, as Edgar Halcyon; Matthew Saldivar (Grease and The Wedding Singer on Broadway) as Brian Hawkins; award-winning actor Wesley Taylor (Rock of Ages and The Addams Family on Broadway) as Michael "Mouse" Tolliver; and Betsy Wolfe (Everyday Rapture and Into the Woods on Broadway), who has been with the musical since its inception four years ago, as Mary Ann Singleton. Rounding out the cast are Josh Breckenridge (Scottsboro Boys on Broadway) as Jon Fielding; Diane J. Findlay as Mother Mucca; Bay Area actor Alex Hsu as Lionel; Kathleen Monteleone (the national tour of Legally Blonde: The Musical) as DeDe Halcyon-Day; and Andrew Samonsky (South Pacific on Broadway) as Beauchamp Day. The ensemble includes Keith A. Bearden, Kristoffer Cusick, Kimberly Jensen, Stuart Marland, Pamela Myers, Julie Reiber, and Josh Walden.

The already-extended world premiere production of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City has been extended an additional week through July 10. Based on Armistead Maupin's popular series of newspaper columns and novels, Tales of the City was adapted into an award-winning television production on PBS, but this will be the first time it has been put onstage. The all-star creative team includes Tony Award-winning writer Jeff Whitty (Avenue Q), who is writing the book; Jake Shears and John Garden of the glam-rock band Scissor Sisters, who are writing the music and lyrics; choreographer Larry Keigwin; and Tony Award-nominated director Jason Moore (Avenue Q and Shrek: The Musical). Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City plays May 18-July 10, 2011, at the American Conservatory Theater (415 Geary Street, San Francisco). Press night is Tuesday, May 31, 2011, at 8 p.m. Tickets are available by calling the A.C.T. Box Office at 415.749.2228 or at www.act-sf.org.

For exclusive first looks, ticket info, and special offers, join Tale Chasers, A.C.T.'s email fan club, by visiting www.act-sf.org/TaleChasers.

A.C.T.'s Opening Night Gala celebrating Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City will take place Wednesday, June 1, 2011. Presented by AT&T, the gala, a benefit for A.C.T.'s conservatory and educational programs, is expected to be the event of the San Francisco season. Beginning with a black tie cocktail reception and gala dinner by McCalls Catering in a tented Union Square (designed by Stanlee Gatti), the event continues with the world premiere production at the American Conservatory Theater, followed by a disco afterparty with the cast at Ruby Skye nightclub. The Opening Night Gala is chaired by A.C.T. Trustee Marilee K. Gardner and Barbary Lane Committee Chairs JaMel Perkins and Roselyne C. Swig. Honorary chairs include Olympia Dukakis and Laura Linney, who both starred in the television miniseries adaptation of Tales of the City on PBS, and author Armistead Maupin. A limited number of tickets are still available. For more information and to reserve tickets, go to www.act-sf.org/gala.

A.C.T.'s production of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City is presented by AT&T and sponsored by American Airlines, The Fairmont San Francisco, Foggy Bridge Winery, the Koret Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Kenneth Rainin Foundation. The world premiere production is made possible by donors to The Tales of the City Circle, including commissioning sponsors Priscilla and Keith Geeslin, Ambassador James C. Hormel and Mr. Michael P. Nguyen, Nancy Livingston and Fred Levin, The Shenson Foundation, Kathleen Scutchfield, and Jeff and Laurie Ubben; production sponsors Ray and Dagmar Dolby, Burt and Deedee McMurtry, and Susan A. Van Wagner; music sponsors Lesley Clement, Michael G. Dovey, Lorenzo Thione and David Palmer, Jack and Susy Wadsworth, and Carlie Wilmans; and choreography sponsors Stephen Belford and Bobby Minkler, Marilee K. Gardner, Jo S. Hurley, Byron R. Meyer, Mr. Milton J. Mosk and Mr. Thomas E. Foutch, David and Carla Riemer, Laila Tarraf, Larry and Robyn Varellas, and Nola Yee. A.C.T. would also like to acknowledge its 2010-11 season company sponsors: Priscilla and Keith Geeslin; Ambassador James C. Hormel and Mr. Michael P. Nguyen; Nancy Livingston and Fred Levin, The Shenson Foundation; Burt and Deedee McMurtry; Patti and Rusty Rueff; Kathleen Scutchfield; Mary and Steven Swig; Jeff and Laurie Ubben; and Susan A. Van Wagner. Development of Armistead Maupin's Tales of the City was supported by the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center during a residency at the National Music Theater Conference of 2009.

 

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