Barrymore-Winning Musical Baby Case Will Return for Benefit Concert in Philly

By Kenneth Jones
February 2, 2007

The public fascination with the kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh's infant son will be aroused again — with music! — in a reunion concert of the Barrymore Award-winning musical Baby Case in Philadelphia March 26.

Arden Theatre Company, which produced the show by lyricist-librettist-composer Michael Ogborn in 2001, stages this new concert, which will reunite some members of the original cast. Terrence J. Nolen again directs and Vince DiMura returns as musical director.

The Arden production won four 2002 Barrymore Awards, Philly's highest theatre honor, for Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical, Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical, Outstanding Leading Actor in a Musical (Scott Greer) and Outstanding Original Music (Ogborn).

The Baby Case concert will benefit Arden's new works program. A 5:30 PM cocktail reception at the Arden will be followed by a 7 PM performance in the Haas Theatre.

Original cast members Jeffrey Coon (as Lindbergh), Ben Dibble (as Hauptmann), Kristine Fraelich (as Betty Gow), Scott Greer (as Walter Winchell) and Tracie Higgins (as Violet Sharpe) will be part of the evening, as will Tony Braithwaite and Richard Ruiz.

Tickets start at $175. For ticket information call (215) 922-8900, ext 25.

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Arden, the respected Equity company, produced full stagings of Baby Case (a musical fantasia about the media hype and personalities surrounding the kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh's baby) and Café Puttanesca (a musical about prostitutes gather in a boite to swap war stories in the form of delicious pastiche songs).

Ogborn also penned the Philly hit, Box Office of the Damned, and is working on a new musical inspired by the physical ruins of American cities. He is also collaborating with playwright Michael Hollinger on Tulipomania, an Arden-aimed musical about the tulip craze in Europe.

The Arden is at 40 N. 2nd Street in Philadelphia. Visit www.ardentheatre.org.