Marc Kudisch, who received a Tony nomination for his work in this season's Tony-winning Best Musical, Thoroughly Modern Millie, has joined the cast of the all-star concert presentation of A Little Night Music this August in Illinois.
The Stephen Sondheim work, which nabbed the 1973 Tony Award for Best Musical, is part of the annual Ravinia Festival at the acclaimed Illinois theatre and continues the Festival's five-year salute to the legendary composer. According to the Festival's official website, Kudisch will portray Count Carl Magnus Malcolm in its production, which will be helmed by A Class Act's Lonny Price. Grant Gershon will conduct the orchestra.
Patti LuPone, who is currently on Broadway in the acclaimed revival of Noises Off, will star as Desiree Armfeldt in the concert version of the musical, which plays the Festival Aug. 22-24. George Hearn, who nabbed a Tony for his work in La Cage aux Folles, will portray Fredrik Egerman, and Zoe Caldwell, who was last on Broadway as Maria Callas in Terrence McNally's Master Class — LuPone eventually succeeded her in the Tony-winning drama — will play Madame Armfeldt. The cast also boasts former Capeman star Sara Ramirez as Petra, John McVeigh as Henrik Egerman and Hollis Resnik as Countess Charlotte Malcolm.
Marc Kudisch earned a Tony nomination this season for his role as Trevor Graydon in the stage adaptation of Thoroughly Modern Millie. His other Broadway outings include Bells Are Ringing, The Wild Party, The Scarlet Pimpernel, High Society, Beauty and the Beast and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. His television credits include "Bye, Bye Birdie," "Sex and the City" and "Loving."
A Little Night Music originally opened at Broadway's Shubert Theatre on Feb. 25, 1973, with a cast that included Glynis Johns as Desiree, Len Cariou as Fredrik, Hermione Gingold as Madame Armfeldt and Laurence Guittard as Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm. The Sondheim score features the composer's best-known tune, "Send in the Clowns," as well as "Every Day a Little Death," "The Miller's Son" and "A Weekend in the Country." A production of Night Music starring Blair Brown, Randy Graff and Barbara Bryne will be mounted at the Kennedy Center this August. The Hugh Wheeler-Sondheim musical will play the Ravinia Festival's 3,300 seat Pavilion Theatre, which is located in Highland Park, IL. Tickets range from $10 (lawn seats) to $75 and may be purchased by calling the theatre's box office at (847) 266-5100. For more information, go to www.ravinia.org.
—By Andrew Gans
