Company, which will mark the final show of the seventh season of Reprise!, will play for three weeks, beginning previews May 18. Directed by David Lee, the musical will officially open May 19 and conclude its run June 6 at UCLA’s Freud Playhouse. Kay Cole will choreograph with musical direction by Gerald Sternbach.
Joining theatre and TV star Sieber onstage will be Anastasia Barzee as Jenny, Kevin Chamberlin as David, Deborah Gibson as Marta, Cady Huffman as Kathy, Jean Louisa Kelly as Amy, Richard Kline as Larry, Sharon Lawrence as Sarah, Kerry O'Malley as Susan, Amy Pietz as April, Josh Radnor as Paul, John Scherer as Peter and Scott Waara as Harry. Judith Light, the television actress who triumphed Off-Broadway in Wit, will play Joanne, the role created on Broadway by Elaine Stritch. The vocal minority will be performed by Julia Burrows, Barbara Chiofalo, Susannah Hall and Anne Fraser Thomas.
In a statement Reprise! Producing Artistic Director Marcia Seligson said, “For probably the first time in my life, I am speechless. There is nothing more I can say that this extraordinary group of talent doesn't say for itself. Our subscribers and our audiences are going to be beside themselves."
Sondheim's tale of a single man (Bobby) and his friendships with five married couples was originally produced on Broadway at the Alvin Theatre in 1970 and featured a book by George Furth and such classic Sondheim tunes as "The Little Things You Do Together," "You Could Drive a Person Crazy," "Another Hundred People," "Getting Married Today," "Being Alive" and "The Ladies Who Lunch." The premiere New York cast included Dean Jones (later replaced by Larry Kert) as Bobby, Barbara Barrie as Sarah, Charles Kimbrough as Harry, Merle Louise as Susan, John Cunningham as Peter, Beth Howland as Amy, Elaine Stritch as Joanne, Pamela Myers as Marta, Donna McKechnie as Kathy and Susan Browning as April. With direction by Hal Prince and musical numbers staged by Michael Bennett, the production garnered Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Director (Prince), Best Book (Furth), Best Lyrics (Sondheim), Best Score (Sondheim) and Best Scenic Designer (Boris Aronson).
On Broadway Christopher Sieber has been seen in Thoroughly Modern Millie, Into the Woods, Triumph of Love and, currently, in Chicago. His other theatrical credits include Boys in the Band, A Christmas Carol, Pal Joey, The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Meet Me in St. Louis. Sieber’s television credits include “Two of a Kind,” “Sex and the City,” “Ed,” “All My Children,” “Another World” and “It’s All Relative.” Company will be performed Tuesday-Friday evenings at 8 PM, Saturdays at 2 and 8 PM and Sundays at 2 and 7 PM. For tickets, call the UCLA Central Ticket Office at (310) 825-2101. Visit www.reprise.org for more information.
Reprise! Broadway’s Best began with a concert version of Promises, Promises starring Jason Alexander, Alan Thicke and Jean Smart. Since that time 20 musicals have been presented at the UCLA Freud Playhouse, which is located within Macgowan Hall.
