Ward, an understudy in the London production of Once, takes on the role of Guy, with de Waal (Picnic) as Girl. The Dublin-set fable about a stuck Irish singer who is inspired by a Czech immigrant, who also has music in her heart, earned eight 2012 Tony Awards.
The cast also features Ray Bokhour (Da), Matt Deangelis (Švec), John Gardner (Eamon), Donna Garner (Baruška), Evan Harrington (Billy), Ryan Link (Emcee), Benjamin Magnuson (Bank Manager), Alex Nee (Andrej), Erica Swindell (Ex-Girlfriend), Kolette Tetlow (Ivanka), Claire Wellin (Réza), Estelle Bajou, Stephen McIntyre, Zander Meisner, Tina Stafford, Tiffany Topol and Matt Wolpe.
Once has a book by award-winning Irish playwright and screenwriter Enda Walsh (Penelope, Hunger, The New Electric Ballroom), the Academy Award-winning music and lyrics of Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, direction by John Tiffany (Black Watch), movement by Steven Hoggett (Black Watch, American Idiot) and music supervision and orchestrations by Martin Lowe (Mamma Mia!).
The show, in which all the scenes play out on the unit set of an Irish pub, is based on the indie film hit of the same name; the score borrows from the soundtrack and interpolates later numbers written by the movie's actor-musicians Hansard and Irglova. In addition to Best Musical and Best Actor (Steve Kazee), Once won Tony Awards in the categories of Best Orchestrations (Lowe), Best Scenic Design of a Musical (Bob Crowley), Best Direction of a Musical (Tiffany), Best Book of a Musical (Walsh), Sound Design of a Musical (Clive Goodwin) and Lighting Design of a Musical (Natasha Katz).
The set and costume design are by five-time Tony Award winner Bob Crowley (The Coast of Utopia, Mary Poppins), lighting design is by Tony winner Natasha Katz (Aida, The Coast of Utopia), and sound design is by Clive Goodwin.
The tour itinerary follows:
Chicago, IL (Oriental Theatre) Oct. 9–27, 2013
Philadelphia, PA (Academy of Music) Oct. 29–Nov. 10, 2013
Cleveland, OH (Playhouse Square) Nov. 12–24, 2013
Toronto, ON (Royal Alexandra Theatre) Nov. 26, 2013–Jan. 5, 2014
Boston, MA (Boston Opera House) Jan. 7–19, 2014
Durham, NC (Durham Performing Arts Center) Jan. 21–26, 2014
Orlando, FL (Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre) Jan. 28–Feb. 2, 2014
Miami, FL (The Adrienne Arsht Center) Feb. 4–9, 2014
Tampa, FL (Straz Center) Feb. 11–16, 201
Fort Myers, FL (Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall) Feb. 18–23, 2014
New Haven, CT (Shubert Theater) Feb. 26–March 2, 2014
Atlanta, GA (Fox Theatre) March 4–9, 2014
Pittsburgh, PA (Benedum Center) March 11–16, 2014
Rochester, NY (Auditorium Theatre) March 18 – 23, 2014
Buffalo, NY (Shea's Performing Arts Center) March 25–30, 2014
Minneapolis, MN (Orpheum Theatre) April 1–6, 2014
St. Louis, MO (The Fox Theatre) April 8–20, 2014
Des Moines, IA (Civic Center of Greater Des Moines) April 22–27, 2014
Tempe, AZ (ASU Gammage) April 29–May 4, 2014
Denver, CO (Buell Theatre) May 6–18, 2014
Las Vegas, NV (Smith Center for the Performing Arts) May 20–25, 2014
Seattle, WA (The Paramount Theatre) May 27–June 8, 2014
Portland, OR (Keller Auditorium) June 10–15, 2014
San Francisco, CA (Curran Theatre) June 17–July 13, 2014
Los Angeles, CA (Pantages Theatre) July 15–Aug. 10, 2014
San Diego, CA (Civic Center) Aug. 12–17, 2014
Costa Mesa, CA (Segerstrom Hall) Aug. 19–31, 2014
Charlotte, NC (Blumenthal Performing Arts Center) Sept. 30–Oct. 5, 2014
Visit oncemusical.com.
