On Sept. 24, she tweeted: "Doing 3 wk workshop n SF for ACT of 'Tales of the City,' new musical. Playing Anna Madrigal. Jason Moore directing! So excited!"
As previously announced, American Conservatory Theatre will give the San Francisco-set show its world premiere in May 2011. The fall developmental workshop cast does not necessarily reflect the 2011 cast. Some participants from the earlier 2009 O'Neill Theater Center workshop are expected to return to the project, Playbill.com has learned.
A spokesperson for A.C.T. could not immediately confirm any casting for the Bay Area workshop.
Inspired by the novels "Tales of the City" and "More Tales of the City" by Armistead Maupin, Tales of the City the musical looks at the eclectic residents of 28 Barbary Lane, in 1970s San Francisco. The books became a beloved TV miniseries that starred Olympia Dukakis as Anna.
The musical will have a score by Scissor Sisters band members Jason Sellards (lyrics) and John Garden (music), and a book by Tony winner Jeff Whitty (Avenue Q). Moore (Avenue Q, Shrek), who staged the developmental run of the musical at the O'Neill Center's Musical Theater Conference in 2009, again directs. Earlier musical direction was by Stephen Oremus (Wicked, 9 to 5). The O'Neill cast included Candy Buckley, Mary Birdsong, Jeffrey Carlson, Diane Davis, Christopher J. Hanke, John Jellison, Steve Kazee, Jose Llana, Matt McGrath, Betsy Wolfe and Kristine Zbornik.
Buckley's Broadway credits include Triumph of Love, Sunset Boulevard, Carrie, Song and Dance, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Cats (for which she won the Tony), Pippin and 1776.
The full production of Tales of the City is scheduled for May 17-June 19, 2011. Visit www.act-sf.org.