Patti Murin Will Be Emma in Austen-Inspired Musical at Old Globe; Adam Monley Is Mr. Knightley

By Kenneth Jones
30 Nov 2010

Patti Murin and Adam Monley
Patti Murin and Adam Monley
Photo by Joan Marcus

Old Globe Theatre's production of Jane Austen's Emma – A Musical Romantic Comedy, by Tony Award nominee Paul Gordon, will star Patti Murin as Emma Woodhouse with Adam Monley as Mr. Knightley and Will Reynolds as Frank Churchill. Jeff Calhoun directs the show, to run Jan. 15-Feb. 27, 2011.

The musical, based on Austen's novel, has book, music and lyrics by Tony Award nominee Gordon, known for Broadway's Jane Eyre and the recent Daddy Long Legs musical. Tony nominee Calhoun staged Broadway's Brooklyn and the Deaf West revival of Big River, and the regional Bonnie and Clyde musical by Frank Wildhorn and Don Black. Jane Austen's Emma will open Jan. 23 at The Old Globe in San Diego, CA.

According to Old Globe notes, "Emma, a beautiful and clever young woman who prides herself on her matchmaking ability, is preoccupied with romance yet is clueless to her own feelings of love. When she takes on a young friend as her latest project, her well-intentioned efforts misfire, leading to a whirlwind of complications — and ultimately, true love."

Jane Austen's Emma premiered at TheatreWorks in Palo Alto in September 2007. Gordon's musical has since had successful regional productions at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park and The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis.

In 2001, Gordon was nominated for a Tony Award for composing the music and lyrics to the Broadway musical Jane Eyre directed by John Caird and Scott Schwartz. Daddy Long Legs, also written with John Caird, had its world premiere at Rubicon Theatre Company in the fall of 2009 and has gone on to play TheatreWorks, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, The Broad Stage in Los Angeles and received productions at Northlight Theatre, La Mirada Theatre and Laguna Playhouse. His other works include Lucky Break, written with Jay Gruska and Seth Friedman, based on the 1976 film "The Front," plus Death: The Musical and Analogue and Vinyl. Gordon is currently working on Little Miss Scrooge, a contemporary retelling of the Dickens classic.

Murin's recent credits include Euterpe and Kira understudy in Xanadu (Broadway) and Lysistrata Jones in Douglas Carter Beane's new musical Give It Up! (Dallas Theater Center).

Monley was last seen at The Old Globe in Working. He has appeared on Broadway in the original cast of Mamma Mia! His National Tour credits include Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera and Mark Twain and Voice of Huck in Deaf West's production of Big River, directed by Jeff Calhoun. He recently played Paul in Carnival! for Goodspeed Musicals.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park.