Directed by Thomas Sabella-Mills with musical direction by James Stenborg, the cast will feature Bill Coyne, Mary Stout, Roger Rifkin, Jessica Wagner, Jody Cook, Jennifer Winegardner, John Alban Coughlan, Oakley Boycott, Mike O'Carroll, Gary Littman, Dan Debenport, Lindsay Braverman, Savannah Frazier, Alison Maldonado, BJ Olson, David Raimo and Aaron Young. "Li'l Abner (Bill Coyne) is a naïve, simple-minded and sweet-natured hillbilly boy," press notes state, "who inherited his strength from his irascible Mammy (Mary Stout) - the highly principled 'sassiety' leader and bare knuckle 'champeen' of Dogpatch, and his brains from his less-than-brainy Pappy (Roger Rifkin). Abner's main goal in life is to evade the marital designs of Daisy Mae (Jessica Wagner), the virtuous, voluptuous, barefoot Dogpatch damsel. Marryin' Sam (Jody Cook) is a traveling preacher who specializes in $2 weddings. He cleans up once a year — during Sadie Hawkins Day season, when slow-footed bachelors are dragged to the altar by their prospective brides-to-be. Moonbeam McSwine (Jennifer Winegardner) is an unwashed but shapely goddess who prefers the company of pigs to suitors. Senator Jack S. (aka 'jackass') Phogbound (John Alban Coughlan) is a corrupt, conspiratorial blowhard. Stupefyin' Jones/Appassionata Von Climax (Oakley Boycott) – are a pair of sexually aggressive sirens who pursue Abner. General Bullmoose (Mike O'Carroll) is the epitome of a mercenary, cold-blooded capitalist tyrant. Earthquake McGoon (David Brent Howard) is 'the world's dirtiest wrassler,' and often attempts to escort Daisy Mae home. Evil-Eye Fleegle (Gary Littman) has terrifying skills that range from an ordinary 'whammy,' which could stop a charging bull to his dreaded 'triple whammy' which could melt a battleship. Dr. Rasmussen T. Finsdale (Dan Debenport) is the scientist in charge of turning Dogpatch into a nuclear testing site (after all it was declared the 'most unnecessary town' in the U.S.) Dogpatch founder Jubilation T. Cornpone would object to this as do Lindsay Braverman, Savannah Frazier, Alison Maldonado, BJ Olson, David Raimo, and Aaron Young."
The musical features a book by Norman Panama and Melvin Frank, music by Gene de Paul and lyrics by Johnny Mercer. Among the songs are "Namely You," "Jubilation T. Cornpone," "The Country's in the Very Best of Hands," "If I Had My Druthers" and "I'm Past My Prime."
Tickets are $25 available at the Box Office or by calling (212) 944-4162. The Lion Theater is on Theatre Row at 410 West 42nd Street.
