Mazzie portrays Lily Garland in the one-night-only benefit concert with Sills as Oscar Jaffe. The cast also boasts Christopher Sieber (as Bruce Granit), Brad Oscar (as Oliver Webb), Jo Anne Worley (as Letitia Primrose), Kathleen Turner (as Imelda Thornton), Robert Cuccioli (as The Doctor) and Brooks Ashmanskas (as Owen O'Malley) as well as original Altar Boyz stars Cheyenne Jackson, David Josefsberg, Andy Karl and Tyler Maynard.
The ensemble of the 7:30 PM concert comprises Phillip Attmore, Brad Bradley, Josh Walden, Christopher Windam, Jen Foote, Robert Fowler, Bret Shuford and Mary Ann Hu as well as Kim Alvarez, Todd Buonopane, Kate Chapman, Lanene Charters, Joe Langworth, Lorin Latarro, Mark Ledbetter, Kristoffer Lowe, Mayumi Miguel, Elise Marie, Naomi Naughton, Craig Ramsey, Jermaine Rembert, Charlie Schwartz, Megan Sikora, Nell Snaidas and Mary Stout.
Featuring musical direction by artistic producer Seth Rudetsky, direction by Peter Flynn and choreography by Denis Jones, the creative team for Century also includes Paul Weimer (set design), Rob Bevenger (costume design), Jeff Croiter (lighting design), Scott Stauffer (sound design) and Tim Pinckney (concert adaptation). Producers are Andrew Kato, Catherine Cooke and Pinckney.
On the Twentieth Century, according to production notes, "concerns the efforts of a grandiose theatrical impresario, Oscar Jaffe (Sills), to persuade glamorous film star — and his former lover — Lily Garland (Mazzie) to appear in his new stage production. Lily's involvement will guarantee a hit for Jaffe and save him from his creditors as well as resuscitate his floundering artistic reputation. With the help of his two faithful henchmen and a somewhat off-kilter religious zealot, Jaffe struggles to outwit Lily, her preening movie star boyfriend Bruce Granit as well as a rival producer. And all this has to happen before the 20th Century Ltd. reaches New York."
On the Twentieth Century features a book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and music by Cy Coleman. The original Broadway production opened at the St. James Theatre in February 1978, playing 449 performances before closing in March 1979. The original company, directed by Harold Prince, included Madeline Kahn, John Cullum, Kevin Kline and Imogene Coca. The musical won 1978 Tonys for Score (Coleman, Comden and Green), Scenic Designer (Robin Wagner), Book (Comden and Green) and actors Kline and Cullum. A three-time Tony Award nominee for her performances in Kiss Me, Kate; Ragtime; and Passion, Marin Mazzie's other theatrical credits include Man of La Mancha, Into the Woods, Big River, The World Goes 'Round, the City Center Encores! production of Out of this World and Off-Broadway's The Trojan Women: A love Story, where she met husband Jason Danieley. Mazzie also starred in the London production of Kiss Me, Kate, where she earned an Olivier Award nomination for her work. She and Danieley will soon release their duets album, "Opposite You," on the PS Classics label.
Douglas Sills recently starred in the Manhattan Theatre Club's production of Moonlight and Magnolias, and he was last on Broadway as Orin Scrivello D.D.S. in the Jerry Zaks-directed production of Little Shop of Horrors. Sills made his Broadway debut as Percy in Frank Wildhorn's The Scarlet Pimpernel, earning Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle nominations as well as a Theatre World Award for his performance. He starred in the Kennedy Center's mounting of A Little Night Music, the first national tours of The Secret Garden and Into the Woods and the Los Angeles premiere of Chess. A two-time Drama-Logue Award winner, the actor has appeared in numerous regional theatre productions, and his TV credits include "Murphy Brown," "Sisters," "Coach," and "Party of Five."
The Actors' Fund of America, a nonprofit organization founded in 1882, provides for the social welfare of all entertainment professionals. Its headquarters and The Aurora Residence are located in New York City, and its nursing home and assisted living care facility are in Englewood, New Jersey.
Tickets for the one-night-only benefit are priced $75-$2,500 and are available by calling (212) 221-7300, ext. 133 or by e-mailing [email protected]. For more information visit www.actorsfund.org.
