Theatregoers have a week to see the Charity of Charlotte d'Amboise, who played the lead during the show's Boston stint after star Christina Applegate broke her foot in Chicago. Applegate is scheduled to begin performances on April 18. Opening night will be May 4.
The musical's Broadway career begins after a brief near-death experience. Producers, citing "weak sales on the road and in New York," and reportedly worried by poor reviews in Boston, announced March 25 that the revival would close with its final performance in Boston March 27. The show was originally to have begun previews at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre April 4 and officially opened on Broadway April 21.
However, the show was back on as of March 30. Barry Weissler said in a statement at the time: "I spent the weekend on the telephone with Christina Applegate who made a passionate and compelling case for moving forward with our Broadway plans. Her doctor also confirmed this morning that she will be ready and able to resume performances on April 18th. I have approached my partners on the show and we have all agreed to put up the additional funds necessary to accommodate this new schedule." Several publications have since indicated that some of that money was raised by Applegate herself.
Charlotte d'Amboise was standby to original star Christina Applegate. Applegate broke her foot during the March 11 performance in Chicago, two days before that second of three out-of-town engagements ended at the Cadillac Palace Theatre. Understudy Dylis Croman stepped in March 11-13. Soon after, it was announced that the show would arrive in Boston with Tony Award nominee d'Amboise in the title role March 18-27, at the Colonial Theatre.
Also joining the cast in Boston were the Helen and Nickie of Kyra DaCosta and Janine LaManna. The two thespians were brought in to replace Solange Sandy and Natascia Diaz, respectively, shortly after the Chicago run wrapped up. They play Charity's best pals, who commiserate with Charity that "there's gotta be something better than this." Boston was the third and last pre-Broadway tryout town for the Walter Bobbie-directed musical. The show spent Feb. 8-20 in Minneapolis, and then moved on to Chicago on Feb. 24.
The creative team for Sweet Charity comprises Walter Bobbie (director), Wayne Cilento (choreographer), Scott Pask (set designer), William Ivey Long (costume design), Brian MacDevitt (lighting designer), Peter Hylenski (sound designer), Gordon Lowry Harrell (music director) and Don Sebesky (orchestrator).
