Todd Buonopane & Sherri L. Edelen to Star in CAKE OFF at Signature Theatre

Signature Theatre has announced the cast and creative team for the world premiere production of Cake Off, a new musical by Sheri Wilner (Kingdom City), Julia Jordan (Murder Ballad) and Adam Gwon (Signature's The Boy Detective Fails). Directed by Signature's Director of New Works Joe Calarco (Signature's Gypsy, Shakespeare's R&J) this hilarious new musical is a battle-of-the-sexes set at the 50th Annual Millberry Cake-Off competition. Cake Off runs September 29 - November 22 in the ARK Theatre.

"I've been fortunate enough to work with Julia Jordan and Adam Gwon numerous times and have known Sheri Wilner for many years, so I couldn't be more excited for this collaboration," said director Joe Calarco. "Cake Off is hilarious and also fearless in its exploration of gender politics."

Cake Off is presented as part of the Women's Voices Theater Festival, which is dedicated to featuring new work by female playwrights and highlighting the scope of plays being written by women. Signature is proud to be an originating theater sponsoring the two-month festival, which boasts participation from more than 50 theaters throughout the Nation's Capital region.

"As one of the originators of this important festival, Signature is producing three projects with women writers this season - and we're especially excited to be producing one of the few musicals in the festival with Cake Off," said Signature Theatre Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer. "We're all committed to this cause and I couldn't be more proud of the effort at Signature Theatre and in this city to bring female voices to the stage."

The production will star Todd Buonopane (Broadway's Cinderella, Chicago) as Paul, Sherri L. Edelen (Signature's Gypsy, Hairspray) as Rita, Jamie Smithson (Arena Stage's Fiddler on the Roof) as Jack DeVault/Multi-Character Man and Ian Berlin (Signature's Elmer Gantry) as Wyatt.

The creative team includes Musical Direction by Andrea Grody (The Public Theater's The Fortress of Solitude, The Tempest); Scenic Design by Jason Sherwood (Goodspeed's The Circus in Winter, Studio Theatre's Choir Boy); Costume Design by Frank Labovitz (Signature's Cabaret, Soon); Lighting Design by R. Lee Kennedy (Transport Group's Three Days to See, Almost Maine); Sound Design by Lane Elms (Signature's Cabaret, Simply Sondheim); Production Stage Manager Julie Meyers (Signature's Soon, Xanadu); and Production Assistant Jessica Skelton (Signature's Soon).

It's the 50th Annual Millberry Cake Off. The legendary jackpot: one million dollars for the best homemade sugary delight. After a chilly pre-heating, hardy contestants Paul and Rita don their aprons, strap on their oven mitts and square off. Armed with whisks, bowls, knives and eggs, the two engage in an increasingly ludicrous all-out brawl - and only one can remain standing when the timer dings.

Cake Off is based on an original play by Sheri Wilner. The New York Times called Wilner's play a "laugh-out-loud satire on gender roles...barbed, witty, thoughtful, giggle and snort inducing."

Performances run Tuesday through Sunday evenings, with matinees on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets start at $40. Single tickets are available in person at the Signature Box Office at 4200 Campbell Avenue in Shirlington, by calling the Signature Theatre Box Office (703) 820-9771, and online at www.sigtheatre.org.

This production's Pride performances are scheduled for October 16 and November 6. Discussion performances are scheduled for October 14, October 27 and November 4. Open Caption performances are November 15 at 2:00PM and November 17 at 7:30PM.

Sign up now for priority ticket offers at www.sigtheatre.org

Ian Berlin (Wyatt) SIGNATURE: Elmer Gantry (Young Man). DC AREA: Kennedy Center: Camelot (Tom of Warwick); Arena Stage: The Music Man (Winthrop Paroo); Olney Theatre Center: The King and I (Louis Leonowens), Carousel (Starkeeper); Imagination Stage: James and the Giant Peach (James). EDUCATION: Maret School, French Woods Festival of the Performing Arts, Imagination Stage, Levine Music.

Todd Buonopane (Paul) BROADWAY: Jean-Michel in Cinderella, Amos in Chicago (also National tour, Dubai & Seoul), Roger in Grease, many characters in ...Spelling Bee. OFF-BROADWAY: The Butter and Egg Man, Henry and Mudge, Don't Quit Your Night Job. REGIONAL: Pasadena: Sleepless In Seattle; 5th Avenue: Guys & Dolls; Papermill: Happy Days; Goodspeed: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn; Prince: Gemini; Barrington: Carousel. TV: Jeffrey Wienerslav on 30 Rock, Grey's Anatomy, Law & Order: CI, Paragon School For Girls. FILM: The Break-Up Girl, A Kiss For Jed, Girls Will Be Girls 2. CABARET: One man show, Lying in the Driveway and Other Stories. EDUCATION: BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Michigan. @toddbuonopane

Sherri L. Edelen (Rita) SIGNATURE: Gypsy (Helen Hayes nomination), Xanadu, Hairspray, Walter Cronkite is Dead., Sweeney Todd, LES MISERABLES (Helen Hayes Award). DC AREA: Kennedy Center/Sondheim Celebration: Sunday in the Park with George, Merrily We Roll Along; Shakespeare Theatre: Design for Living; Olney Theatre Center: How to Succeed...; Folger Theatre: Romeo and Juliet; Round House Theatre: The World Goes 'Round, The Diary of Anne Frank; Arena Stage: Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Cabaret (Helen Hayes nomination), My Fair Lady; Creative Cauldron: The Taming of the Shrew. REGIONAL: NY Fringe Festival: Citizen Ruth; Fusion Theatre Company: Outside Mullingar; Arden Theatre: Our Town; Caroline, or Change (Barrymore nomination); Philadelphia Theatre Co.: The Light in the Piazza (Barrymore Award), Elegies (Barrymore nomination).

Jamie Smithson (Jack DeVault/Multi-Character Man) DC/BALTIMORE: Arena Stage: Fiddler on the Roof (Avram); No Rules Theater: Boeing Boeing (Robert), In Love and Warcraft (Man), Sketch! (Ensemble); Everyman Theater: Crimes of the Heart (Barnette); Imagination Stage: Double Trouble (Arnold), Seussical: The Musical (Cat in the Hat). REGIONAL: The Acting Company / Guthrie Theater: Romeo and Juliet (Paris), A Comedy of Errors (Pinch/Nell/Duke); Guthrie Lab: An Evening of Short Plays; Mile Square Theater; Sandlot Ball (Josh), Scapin (Sylvestre); Crescent Stage: Art (Serge), The Understudy (Harry), Lobby Hero (Jeff); The Village Repertory Theater: A Flea in her Ear (Chandebise/Poche), Urinetown : The Musical (Bobby Strong); Charleston Stage: Pippin (Pippin). EDUCATION: MFA from Rutgers University, Mason Gross School of the Arts.

To post a comment, you must register and login.