Robert McClure Is Chaplin in Limelight Musical; Ashley Brown, Jenn Colella Among Cast

By Kenneth Jones
06 Aug 2010

Ashley Brown
Ashley Brown
Photo by Aubrey Reuben

Robert McClure, a veteran "Princeton" of the musical Avenue Q on Broadway and on tour, will play the Little Tramp himself in La Jolla Playhouse's fall world-premiere production of the musical Limelight: The Story of Charlie Chaplin.

Joining him in the show that has music and lyrics by Christopher Curtis and a book by Curtis and Tony Award winner Thomas Meehan, will be Ashley Brown, who originated the title role in Broadway's Mary Poppins (as Oona), with LJ Benet ("Diary of a Wimpy Kid") as Young Sydney, Jenn Colella (Broadway's Urban Cowboy, The Times They Are A-Changin') as Hedda Hopper, Eddie Korbich (Broadway's The Drowsy Chaperone, The Little Mermaid) as Karno, Janet Metz (original company of Falsettoland, La Jolla Playhouse's Harmony) as Hannah, Brooke Sunny Moriber (Broadway's Follies, The Wild Party) as Mildred, Ron Orbach (Broadway's Chicago, Laughter on the 23rd Floor) as Mr. Chaplin, Roland Rusinek (Broadway's The Phantom of the Opera) as Alf, Jake Schwenke (Michael in Broadway's Billy Elliot) as Young Charlie/Jackie, Matthew Scott (Broadway's Jersey Boys, A Catered Affair) as Sydney and William Youmans (Broadway's Wicked, La Jolla Playhouse's Dracula the Musical, Randy Newman's Faust) as Older Charlie.

The ensemble includes Aaron Acosta, Courtney Corey, Matthew Patrick Davis, Justin Michael Duval, Sara Edwards, Ben Liebert, Alyssa Marie, Jennifer Noble, Kürt Norby, Carly Nykanen, Jessica Reiner-Harris and Kirsten Scott.

Michael Unger directs the production, to run in the Mandell Weiss Theatre in La Jolla, CA, Sept. 7-Oct. 17. Opening night is Sept. 19.

The creative team also includes Warren Carlyle (Broadway's Finian's Rainbow, A Tale of Two Cities), choreographer; Bryan Perri, music director; Alexander Dodge, scenic designer; Linda Cho, costume designer; Paul Gallo, lighting designer; Jon Weston, sound designer; Douglas Besterman, orchestrator; Gabriel Greene, dramaturg; Frank Hartenstein, stage manager; and Dan Kamin, script consultant and physical comedy specialist.

Here's how La Jolla bills the show: "Charlie Chaplin came to America an unknown and left amidst scandals and controversy. In between, he became one of the best-loved and most famous entertainers in the world. From the gritty streets and smoky music halls of London to movie screens across the globe, Limelight goes behind the camera to show how a comic genius found soaring success and later fell from grace. This thrilling world-premiere musical provides a captivating close-up on the man who changed motion pictures forever."

For tickets and information, call (858) 550-1010 or visit www.lajollaplayhouse.org.