The Signature Theatre's production of Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music, which began previews Aug. 18 and opened Aug. 24, will conclude its run Oct. 4. The show was to have run through Sept. 27 but was extended one week.
Directing is Frank Lombardi, who recently assisted Signature Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer on the theatre's recent attraction, The Fix. Terry Berliner, who serves as choreographer, will be the music director of Putting It Together at the Mark Taper Forum this month.
Making Night Music in Washington DC (well, technically, Arlington, VA) are Donna Migliacciore, Patricia Pearce Gentry (Desiree), Sherri Edelen, Christopher Flint, John Herrera (Fredrik), Jon Kalbfleisch, Suzanne Briar, Peter J. Burroughs, Jean Cantree, Joanne Chilcoat, Samantha Debicki, Ilona Dulaski, Nanette Savard, Stephanie Waters, Robb McKindles and Stephen Schmidt. John Owen Edwards has provided new, 14-piece orchestrations for this mounting conducted by Mark Danni and featuring sets by Lou Stancari, lighting by John Blandin and costumes by Anne Kennedy.
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Next on the line-up is Nijinsky's Last Dance (Nov. 3-Dec. 13) by Signature's playwright-in-residence, Norman Allen. The one-man drama delves into the dancer's psyche during the last moments of his life. Tell Me on a Sunday (Jan. 5-Feb. 14, 1999), which occupies the season's third slot, originally appeared as the first half of Lloyd Webber's Song and Dance, which starred Bernadette Peters in its 1985 Broadway incarnation. Sherri Edelen, who appeared in Signature's Assassins and The Rink, plays an English girl coming to terms with American customs and men. Marcia Gardner will direct.
The company will then present Tony Kushner's Pulitzer Prize-winning Angels in America, Part One: Millennium Approaches (Mar. 9-Apr. 18, 1999), under the direction of Lee Mikeska Gardner.
The season final selection will be a Washington or world-premiere musical director by Schaeffer, to be announced this fall.
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In other Signature news, Bob Avian has signed on to provide the choreography to Kander and Ebb's new musical Over & Over, set to open on Jan. 6, 1999, with Eric D. Schaeffer directing. The two-time Tony winner (A Chorus Line , Ballroom ) was most recently honored for his work on the London staging of Martin Guerre , which netted him an Olivier Award.
In other news, Howell Binkley has been tagged as the show's lighting designer. Binkley designed the lights for Schaeffer's Encore series production of Sweet Adeline and is also lighting the upcoming Parade at Lincoln Center.
Over & Over is already sold out. No personnel has been connected with the show. Gamble said no performer contracts had been signed. Tony winner Bebe Neuwirth's agent Risa Shapiro told PBOL (Sept. 1) the Chicago star was in talks to appear in musical adaptation of Wilder's The Skin of Our Teeth as the wily maid, Sabina "They're in negotiations, but nothing has been settled," said a spokesman at Shapiro's office.
The main thing standing in the way of a deal is Neuwirth's packed fall schedule. She has just completed shooting a film and may soon begin work on a television movie. She also plans to take a couple weeks vacation.
Dorothy Loudon (Annie ) has also been mentioned for a role in Over & Over.
Over & Over would begin rehearsals in December. It will start previews Jan. 6, 1999 for a run through Feb. 14, 1999.
For information on any of the productions, call (703) 218-6500.
-- By Robert Simonson and David Lefkowitz
