Complete casting has been announced for King of Hearts, the musical comedy that completes Goodspeed Musicals' 2002 Opera House season.
Based on the 1966 film "Le Roi de Couer" and featuring the pre-Broadway book written by Steve Tesich, the 1978 Broadway musical features a score by Peter Link (music) and Jacob Brackman (lyrics). Gabriel Barre, who helmed Goodspeed's productions of Sweeney Todd, Finian's Rainbow, Dorian and Houdini, will direct with choreography by Peggy Hickey. King of Hearts will play the Goodspeed Oct. 11 through Dec. 15.
The musical, which follows American soldier Johnny Able as he tries to save a small French village during WWI, casts Joe Farrell in the lead role. Farrell starred in Goodspeed's A Little Night Music and the City Center Encores! production of The Pajama Game. Others in the cast include Vanessa Lemonides (Jeunefille), Joe Vincent (Genevieve), Pamela Burrell (Duchess), Casper Roos (Duke), Melissa Hart (Madame Madeleine), Gabor Morea (The Barber), Robert Aronson (The Bishop) and Gordon Joseph Weiss (Demosthenes). The company of King of Hearts also features Katie Adams, Mark Brey, Kevin Browning, Sally Mae Dunn, Bob Jester, Kevin Loreque, Rose McGuire, Kilty Reidy, Greg Roderick Tom Souhrada, and Leslie Stevens.
Michael O'Flaherty will serve as the show's musical director, and the remainder of the creative team comprises James Youmans (sets), Pamela Scofield (costumes) and Tim Hunter (lighting).
Tickets, priced between $22 and $47, are available through the Goodspeed box office by calling (860) 873-8668 or by logging on to www.goodspeed.org. Show times are Wednesdays at 2 and 7:30 PM, Thursday and Fridays at 7:30 PM, Saturdays at 4 and 8:30 PM and Sundays at 2 and 6:30 PM. *
Goodspeed Musicals, "dedicated to the preservation and advancement of musical theatre," is the recipient of two Tony Awards for its achievements. In addition to its on stage productions, Goodspeed also maintains the Scherer Library of Musical Theatre and publishes Show Music, The Musical Theatre Magazine. Annie and Man of La Mancha had formative stagings there prior to international success.
—By Andrew Gans
and Kenneth Jones
