Chase, a veteran of Broadway's High Fidelity and The Full Monty, will join previously announced Tony Award nominee Hunter Foster (as window dresser Molina) and Nastascia Diaz (as Aurora, the glamorous film actress Molina cherishes). Signature artistic director Eric Schaeffer will direct this new production of John Kander, Fred Ebb and Terrence McNally's musical.
The creative team for Spider Woman includes set designer Adam Koch, costume designer Anne Kennedy, lighting designer Chris Lee and sound designer Matt Rowe.
Valentin and Molina share a prison cell in an unnamed Latin American country, where they dream of a better tomorrow.
Additional casting will be announced.
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Spider Woman is one of three musicals by composer Kander and the late lyricist Ebb being staged March-June 2008 in Signature's "Kander & Ebb Celebration." The mainstage tribute will also feature productions of The Visit starring George Hearn and Chita Rivera, and The Happy Time.
McNally penned the libretto to Kiss of the Spider Woman, based on the novel by Manuel Puig. A non-musical play and film of the property also exist.
Foster was just seen as Dr. Frankenstein in the serious Off-Broadway production of Frankenstein, a New Musical. Other recent credits include Leo Bloom in Broadway's The Producers, Ben in Modern Orthodox, and Ensign Pulver in Mister Roberts at the Kennedy Center. Foster wrote the book for the 2001 musical Summer of '42, recently seen at Bethesda's Roundhouse Theater and previously presented Off-Broadway. He recently finished co-writing a musical adaptation of the hit film "Bonnie and Clyde."
Subscriptions to the Kander & Ebb Celebration are available by calling Signature Theatre's box office at (703) 820-9771 or by visiting www.signature-theatre.org.