By Kenneth Jones
23 Jan 2012
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| Raúl Esparza in the developmental world premiere of Leap of Faith in Los Angeles in 2010. |
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| Photo by Craig Schwartz |
An April opening night date will be announced.
Jessica Phillips (Priscilla Queen of the Desert) plays Marla, a small-town sheriff who faces off with Esparza's Jonas Nightingale in the musical comedy drawn from the hit film comedy that starred Steve Martin and Debra Winger.
Following a 2010 tryout in Los Angeles, producers enlisted new book writer Warren Leight (Side Man) to work on the script that original screenwriter Janus Cercone had initially developed. The show has songs by Sister Act collaborators Glenn Slater (lyrics) and Alan Menken (music).
The show will also feature Kendra Kassebaum (Wicked) as Sam. Additional casting will be announced.
Here's how producers characterize Leap of Faith: "When his traveling ministry breaks down in a small Kansas town, part-time reverend and full-time con artist Jonas Nightingale (Raul Esparza) quickly pitches a tent and invites the locals to a revival. The town sheriff, Marla Humes (Jessica Phillips) is determined to stop him from separating the townspeople from their money."
Leap of Faith will be produced on Broadway by Michael Manheim , James D. Stern, Douglas L. Meyer, Tom Viertel, Marc Routh, Richard Frankel, Steven Baruch, Jujamcyn Theaters, Annette Niemtzow/S. Silva Daryl Roth/Robert G. Bartner, Debi Coleman, Dancap Productions Inc. and Center Theatre Group in association with Steve Kaplan, Vera Guerin Independent Presenters, Network Relativity Media, LLC Richard J. Stern and Pamela Cooper, Diana Buckhantz.
Tickets ranging $47-$137 are available through www.Telecharge.com, (212) 239-6200.







