Darrin Baker, who originated one-third of the original New York cast of Little By Little, the intimate musical about three pals who bond between childhood and adulthood, will stage the show near Harrisburg, PA, for a run Aug. 20-26.

At Off-Broadway's York Theatre in 1998-99, Baker played the character billed as "Man" in the tuner by composer Brad Ross and lyricists Ellen Greenfield and Hal Hackady. Annette Jolles and Greenfield are credited with the story. A New York cast recording preserves their work.

The romantic musical has its post-New York regional premiere in a separate staging in Ann Arbor, MI, beginning Aug. 17. A third staging will be presented by Pterodactyl Theatre Company in Minneapolis, MN, in September.

Sharon Hillegas produces the Baker-directed Pennsylvania staging at Studio 201, at 201 Ross Ave., in New Cumberland, just outside of Harrisburg. The cast includes Jen James as Woman 1 (originally played by Liz Larsen), Tressa McAllister as Woman 2 (originally played by Christiane Noll) and Ryan Boyles playing Man (originally played by Baker). Bill Ingraham is musical director.

Baker's previous directing credits include the Los Angeles premiere of Personals, Unintended Video at the Samuel Beckett in New York and Together Again at Theater East in Los Angeles. He has performed in Les Miserables, Sunset Blvd., The Scarlet Pimpernel, Footloose, and, most recently, I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change! Hillegas founded Mishar Productions in 1981. Studio 201 is the smaller of two theatre spaces that Mishar operates.

For ticket information, call (717) 774-4315.

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Little By Little will get its Michigan premiere (and the first staging since the York) Aug. 17-27 in a run by Adjective Arts at Ann Arbor Civic Theatre.

The cast includes Curt Waugh (Man), Kaeli Garcia (Woman 1) and Kathy Marrero (Woman 2). Glenn Bugala directs.

For information, call (734) 971-2228.

-- By Kenneth Jones