As previously announced, the summer season of musicals will kick off July 7 with Fiddler on the Roof. The classic musical, which features a score by Sheldon Harnick (lyrics) and Jerry Bock (music) and a book by Joseph Stein, will play through July 16. The cast will feature Ron Orbach as Tevye, Valerie Perri as Golde, Shannon Warne as Tzeitel, Bets Malone as Hodel, Julianne Katz as Chava, Francesca Arostegui as Shprintze, Camille Totah as Bielke, Helen Geller as Yente, Richard Israel as Motel, Andrew Boyer as Mordcha, Michael Dotson as Mendel, Shannon Stoeke as Perchik, Barry Pearl as Lazar Wolf and James T. Stress as Fyedka.
The Disney musical Aida, penned by Elton John and Tim Rice, will follow, playing July 18-23. The musical, which made a star out of original title player Heather Headley, concerns the legendary doomed love story between the Nubian princess Aida and her Egyptian captor Radames. Montego Glover will head the cast of the Music Circus production in the title role with Michael Hunsaker as Radames, Kelli Provart as Amneris, Edward M. Baker as Mereb, Adrian Zmed as Zoser, Mark La Mura as Pharaoh and James Wheatley as Amonasro.
Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific, which is also slated for a Broadway revival at Lincoln Center, will be presented July 25-30. Audiences will enjoy such classic tunes as "Some Enchanted Evening," "Younger Than Springtime," "Bali H'ai" and "A Wonderful Guy" with a cast that features Kerry O'Malley as Nellie Forbush, Samuel L. Smith as Emile de Becque, Will Ray as Lt. Joseph Cable, Robert Creighton as Luther Billis, Armelia McQueen as Bloody Mary, Andy Boyer as Capt. Brackett, Darin Adams as Cmd. Harbison, Michael Dotson as the Professor, Joseph Torello as Stewpot, Leanne Cabrera as Liat, Justin Schuyler as Jerome and Heidi Schuyler as Ngana.
Stephen Sondheim will be represented with the Aug. 1-6 mounting of his Tony-winning Best Musical A Little Night Music. The musical, which features a book by Hugh Wheeler, was inspired by the Ingmar Bergman film "Smiles of a Summer Night" and spawned what is perhaps Sondheim’s best-known tune, “Send in the Clowns.” The cast will boast Broadway favorite Nancy Opel as Desiree, Paul Schoeffler as Fredrik, Carolann Sanita as Anne Egerman, Christopher Carl as Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm, Elizabeth Ward Land as Countess Charlotte Malcolm, Jim Poulos as Henrik, Melissa Dye as Petra, Barbara Rosenblat as Madame Armfeldt, Paige Silvester as Fredrika and Brian Peccia as Frid.
Another Tony-winning musical, The Music Man, will follow, with performances set for Aug. 8-13. Meredith Willson’s musical concerns con man Harold Hill and his relationship with River City’s librarian, Marian. The classic score includes such tunes as "My White Knight," "Goodnight My Someone," "Lida Rose," "Till There Was You," "Seventy-Six Trombones," "Gary, Indiana," "Marian the Librarian," "The Wells Fargo Wagon," "Trouble" and "The Sadder But Wiser Girl." John Hillner will head the cast as Harold Hill with Sarah Tattersall as Marian, Patrick Quinn as Mayor Shinn, Robert Creighton as Marcellus Washburn, Brooks Almy as Mrs. Paroo, Ruth Gottschall as Eulalie, Manoly Farrell as Zaneeta Shinn, Shane Roades as Tommy Djilas, Matthew Gumley as Winthrop Paroo, Heather McDonald as Amarylis, Zendall Zellars as Gracie Shinn, Andrew Boyer as Charlie Cowell, Kevin Vortmann as Jacey Squires, Michael Dotson as Ewart Dunlop, Joseph Sark as Oliver Hix, Joseph Torello as Olin Britt, Janna Cardia as Mrs. Squires, Sandy Hawker as Alma Hix, Emily Shoolin as Maude Dunlop and Melissa Lone as Ethel Toffelmeier. Another Sondheim musical, the first for which he wrote both music and lyrics — A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum — will be offered Aug. 15-20, with a cast led by James Brennan as Pseudolus. The company will also feature John Scherer as Hysterium, Walter Hudson as Senex, Jessica Sheridan as Domina, Ryan Driscoll as Hero, Ashleigh Davidson as Philia, Christopher Carl as Miles Gloriosus and Ron Wisniski as Marcus Lycus.
The season will conclude with Smokey Joe's Café, Aug. 22-31. The revue of the songs of Lieber and Stoller features such tunes as "Stand By Me," "Hound Dog," "Yakety Yak" and "On Broadway." The nine-person cast comprises Inga Ballard, Angela Gaylord, Montego Glover, Ron Kellum, Deb Lyons, Kasey Marino, Devin Richards, Harrison White and Darryl Jovan Williams.
The Music Circus season is presented by California Musical Theatre under the direction of Executive Producer Richard Lewis and Artistic Director Scott Eckern. Casting will be announced in the spring. Last year’s season included such familiar New York actors as Max von Essen, Paige Price, Perry Ojeda, Teri Ralston, Nikki Renee Daniels and William Michals.
The Music Circus is located at 1419 H Street in Sacramento, CA. Call (916) 557-1999 for tickets. For more information, visit www.californiamusicaltheatre.com.
