Stephen Nachamie, who helmed the Actors' Fund benefit concerts of Funny Girl and Chess, will direct and choreograph the production, which will play the Morgantown, WV, venue June 24-29. The cast will also feature Eric Pinnick as Curtis Taylor, Jr., Tryphena Wade as Deena Jones and Lawrence Street as Marty.
The WVPT's season will continue with Forever Plaid, which runs July 1-6. The Plaid cast will comprise Scott Pearson as Jinx, Joey Panek as Francis, Stefan Basti as Sparky and Zach Nadolski as Smudge. Bob Durkin directs and choreographs.
The classic Stephen Sondheim-Leonard Bernstein-Arthur Laurents musical West Side Story will follow, playing July 8-13. The star-crossed lovers, Tony and Maria, will be played by, respectively, Nick Dothée and Evy Ortiz. The duo will be joined onstage by Angelica-Lee Aspiras as Anita. WVPT artistic director Michael Licata will direct with choreography by Vic DiMonda.
Joe Manganiello will be the brutish Stanley Kowalski, and LeeAnne Hutchison will be fading southern belle Blanche Du Bois in WVPT's production of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire, running July 15-20. Directed by Geoffrey Hitch, the Pulitzer Prize-winning play will also feature Rhyn McLemore as Stella and David S. Sollish as Harold "Mitch" Mitchell.
The short-lived Broadway musical Urban Cowboy the Musical — based on the 1980 Paramount film starring John Travolta and Debra Winger — will be presented July 22-27. The cast will feature Noel Molinelli as Sissy, Alison Bryant as Pam, Rob Sheridan as Uncle Bob and Babs Winn as Aunt Corene. Bob Durkin directs with choreography by Paula Sloan. The season will conclude with the Tony-winning Mel Brooks musical The Producers, running July 29-Aug. 3. Robert Anthony Jones will play producer Max Bialystock with Scott Evans as his shy accountant, Leo Bloom. Michael Licata directs with choreography by Laura West-Strawser.
For tickets call (304) 291-4122 or visit the WVPT box office in the West Virginia University Creative Arts Center. More information can be found by visiting www.wvpublictheatre.com.
