Tom Wopat Exits 42nd Street Aug. 10

By Kenneth Jones
10 Aug 2003

Tom Wopat sheds the wingtips of pushy producer Julian Marsh in 42nd Street Aug. 10, and Patrick Ryan Sullivan is in the wings to take over.

The Marsh character in the musical comedy fable at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts gets to sing "Lullaby of Broadway," luring a chorus girl to the "hip-hooray and ballyhoo" of the famed street and all its explicit excesses. The 2001 revival won a Tony Award for Best Musical Revival. It has played more than 930 performances so far.

Before Sullivan joins, Michael Dantuono plays Marsh Aug. 12-14.

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Wopat is a TV, recording and Broadway star known for Annie Get Your Gun, City of Angels and "The Dukes of Hazzard." Sullivan comes to the Broadway company from the national tour. His first performance is Aug. 15.

Sullivan's Broadway credits include Gaston in Beauty and the Beast and Barrett and Farrell in Titanic. He has performed internationally, playing such roles as Victor in Private Lives, Tony in Dial 'M' for Murder, Bo in Bus Stop, Billy in Carousel, and roles in Phantom, I Do! I Do!, Romance/Romance, The Fantasticks, …Forum, Moon Over Buffalo, and more.

The 42nd Street company also includes Beth Leavel as Dorothy Brock, Nadine Isenegger as Peggy Sawyer, Karen Murphy as Maggie Jones, Bob Walton as Bert Barry, David Elder as Billy Lawlor, Michael Arnold as Andy Lee, Celina Carvajal as Anytime Annie, Richard Pruitt as Abner Dillon, Michael Dantuono as Pat Denning, Steve Luker as Mac, and Greg Beck as Oscar, the on-stage pianist.

For ticket information, call (212) 307-4100 or (800) 755 2400. Tickets range $25-$100. Ford Center is at 213 W. 42nd Street. For more information, visit www.42ndStreetBroadway.com.