Tony Winner Derricks Replaces Jennings in Brooklyn
By Andrew Gans
16 Aug 2004
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Cleavant Derricks
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Tony Award winner Cleavant Derricks will play the Street Singer in the upcoming new musical Brooklyn. Derricks replaces the previously announced David Jennings.
Jennings, according to a press announcement, has withdrawn from the production “due to surgery that required additional recovery time.” Jennings played the role in both the original workshop and Denver production.
In a statement director Jeff Calhoun said, "We are very saddened that David will not be able to join us on Broadway. Having been with us from the very first workshop, he is an important part of this production. We wish David a speedy recovery and hope to work with him in the future. I was a fan of Cleavant when I saw him in Dreamgirls and am thrilled to be working with him on Brooklyn.
Derricks, who won his Tony Award for his work as James Thunder Early in the original cast of Dreamgirls, joins a company that includes Kevin Anderson, Eden Espinosa, Ramona Keller and Karen Olivo. Brooklyn will mark Derricks’ return to Broadway after an absence of 18 years. He also received a Tony nomination for his performance in Bob Fosse’s Big Deal.
Mark Schoenfeld and Barri McPherson’s Brooklyn is scheduled to begin performances at the Plymouth Theatre, 236 West 45th Street, Sept. 23 with an official opening Oct. 21. Jeff Calhoun directs and choreographs with music supervision, arrangements and orchestrations by John McDaniel.
For more information visit www.brooklynthemusical.com.
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