The operatic backstage drama made its world premiere at the Philadelphia Theatre Company Jan. 22 under the direction of Tony nominee Austin Pendleton. Performances concluded Feb. 14.
No reason was given for Pendleton's departure. The Kennedy Center production will officially open March 18 and run through April 4 in the Kennedy Center Family Theater.
Golden Age is being presented as part of the Kennedy Center's Nights at the Opera, a five-week celebration of McNally's plays. The series also includes The Lisbon Traviata and Master Class.
The cast features Tony nominee Marc Kudisch (9 to 5, The Apple Tree) as Tamburini, Jeffrey Carlson (The Goat, Taboo) as Bellini, Hoon Lee (Pacific Overtures, Urinetown) as Lablache, Rebecca Brooksher (Dying City) as Grisi, Roe Hartrampf (The Pillowman) as Florimo, Christopher Michael McFarland as Rubini, Dante Mignucci as Page, Amanda Warren as Malibran and George Morfogen ("Oz," A Man for All Seasons) as Gioachino Rossini. Newly-added to the production is Benjamin Cook (Ragtime at the Kennedy Center) as the Page.
According to press notes, "Golden Age takes place backstage at the Théâtre-Italien in Paris on the evening of Jan. 24, 1835. The occasion is the premiere of Vincenzo Bellini's opera, I Puritani. Assembled are the composer and his faithful friend, Francesco Florimo, and the four singers for whom the opera was expressly composed known the world over as The Puritani Quartet. Bellini's rivalry with his fellow Italian composer, Gaetano Donizetti, for French favor was at its height. This opera was to cement his supremacy. It was to be his last." The production has set design by Santo Loquasto, costume design by Richard St. Clair, lighting design by Jason Lyons and sound design by Ryan Rumery.
Bobbie is currently represented Off-Broadway with David Ives' Venus in Fur at Classic Stage Company. He has staged the revivals of Chicago and Sweet Charity, as well as White Christmas, High Fidelity, Twentieth Century, Footloose, A Grand Night for Singing and The Savannah Disputation.
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