Kritzer has been cast as Jane Hurley in the new Harvey Fierstein-John Bucchino musical A Catered Affair, which will open at a Jujamcyn theatre to be named in spring 2008. Tony winner John Doyle will direct the production, which will debut at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre before arriving on Broadway. Performances at the Old Globe will begin Sept. 20.
Kritzer joins a cast that includes the previously announced Faith Prince as Aggie Hurley, mother of the bride (Kritzer). Fierstein will play Aggie's brother Winston.
A Catered Affair is based on Paddy Chayefsky's original teleplay and the Turner Entertainment film that was written by Gore Vidal.
The musical — with a book by Fierstein and a score by Bucchino — is set in 1953 Bronx. Press notes describe A Catered Affair thusly: "Funny, heartbreaking and oh so human, this musical play reveals relationships strained to their limits when a couple must decide whether to spend their life savings on a family business or to launch their only daughter's marriage with a lavish catered affair."
Jujamcyn Theaters, Harvey Entertainment/Ron Fierstein, Richie Jackson and Daryl Roth will produce the new musical. Leslie Kritzer currently plays Serena in the new Broadway musical Legally Blonde. She has also been seen on Broadway in Hairspray and Off-Broadway in The Great American Trailer Park Musical (Drama Desk nomination), Bat Boy and Godspell. Her other theatrical credits include the national tour of Urinetown and regional productions of Funny Girl and Grease. Kritzer also recently received a MAC Award for her much-extended Joe's Pub show, Leslie Kritzer Is Patti LuPone at Les Mouches.
Complete casting and a design team for A Catered Affair will be announced shortly.