As previously reported by Playbill On-Line, Broadway vet Edelman will play the role of Robert Baker. The character sings the choice Bernstein ballad, "A Quiet Girl," and the peppery tale of career disappointment, "What a Waste." "Kissing Jessica Stein" star Jennifer Westfeldt will essay the role of Eileen.
A Class Act star Anderson will play Helen; Danson (Pericles) will be Mrs. Wade; Benson (Picasso at the Lapin Agile) is Frank Lippincott; McGrath (Little Me) is Chick Clark; Margulies (45 Seconds from Broadway) plays Appopolous; McLeod (Dance of the Vampires) portrays Wreck; Mathis (Kiss Me, Kate) is Speedy Valenti; and Shew (The Scarlet Pimpernel) is Officer Lonigan.
In the ensemble are Ken Barnett, Joyce Chittick, Susan Derry, Randy Donaldson, David Eggers, Rick Faugno, Stephanie Fredricks, Lorin Latarro, Lisa Mayer, Linda Mugleston, Tina Ou, Vince Pesce, Mark Price, Devin Richards, Angela Robinson, Matthew Shepherd, Megan Sikora, JD Webster and Ray Wills.
The tale of two sisters who move from Ohio to Greenwich Village in the 1930s features Murphy as big sister Ruth, the comic alto role (in contrast to soprano Eileen). The libretto by Joseph Fields & Jerome Chodorov is based on their play, My Sister Eileen, which was based on stories by Ruth McKenney.
Edelman most recently acted in the Broadway revival of Into the Woods as Prince Charming and the Wolf. He was also nominated for the 1997 revival of 1776, in which he played against type as the racist Southern politician Edward Rutledge. Other nominations were for 1990's City of Angels and 1993's Anna Karenina. The production will open Nov. 23 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, after previews from Nov. 5 (one day later than the previously announced Nov. 4). Barry and Fran Weissler and Roger Berlind produce. Kathleen Marshall will direct.
Tickets for the Broadway revival are now on sale. Interested parties should call Telecharge at (212) 239-6200.
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Wonderful Town has never had a major Broadway revival. The story brings characters from My Sister Eileen back to life. The parade of Greenwich Village life in the 1930s includes such songs as "Conga!," "Ohio," "Christopher Street," "My Darlin' Eileen," "A Quiet Girl," "What a Waste" and "Wrong Note Rag." Rosalind Russell starred as big sister Ruth in both the original and in a TV version. Both versions are on CD, as are others: A London revival, a studio-cast recording of the entire score (on the Jay label) and yet another recent studio-cast recording conducted by Simon Rattle (on the EMI Classics label), with Audra McDonald as little sister Eileen.
The score is famous for being written in only a few months, in order to fit star Russell's schedule.
