Actor Marc Kudisch told Playbill On-Line that he expected to be in the La Jolla Playhouse production of the new musical, Thoroughly Modern Millie, set for a Sept. 19-Oct. 29 run. "I'm planning to be in the production," said Kudisch. "And I play the good guy!"
The Jeanine Tesori (music)-Dick Scanlan (lyrics) musical is based on the movie of the same name. Michael Mayer (Side Man, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown) will direct. Producer Fox Theatricals hopes to move the show to Broadway in 2001.
The project is based on the 1967 film musical comedy directed by George Roy Hill. The picture, a 1920s spoof, starred Julie Andrews, Mary Tyler Moore, Beatrice Lillie, John Gavin, James Fox, Carol Channing, Jack Soo and Pat Morita.
Millie was to have starred Kristin Chenoweth (Kudisch's fiancee). She, however, backed out of the project to make an upcoming television pilot. No other casting has been announced.
An Oct. 15 New York City workshop featured Chenoweth (Epic Proportions, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown), Kudisch (The Scarlet Pimpernel) and Beatrice Arthur (Fiddler on the Roof, Mame). * Anne Hamburger, the new artistic director of the La Jolla Playhouse, recently announced her inaugural season. The plays she has chosen include Lorca's Blood Wedding, the world premiere of David Grimm's Sheridan, and the American premiere of Improbable Theatre's Lifegame. The Playhouse is negotiating for two other productions for the six-play 2000 season, with details to be released shortly.
Lorca's classic drama of love and revenge kicks off the season May 30-July 2, directed by Mark Wing-Davey, a well-known British actor and director whose credits include Caryl Churchill's The Skriker at the Public Theatre and Mad Forest at Manhattan Theatre Club. Wing-Davey sees Lorca's tragedy as Romeo and Juliet infused with flamenco song and dance.
Sheridan is a swashbuckling historical tale of blackmail, political intrigue and romance whose main character is the great English playwright and politician Richard Brinsley Sheridan (The Rivals, The School For Scandal). Mark Brokaw directs the production, which runs July 18-Aug. 20.
Keith Johnstone's Lifegame is scheduled for June 6-July 9 and will feature Improbable Theatre's unique stage technique, which is to introduce a different, pre-selected guest every night and dramatize their life through storytelling, visual theatre, live music and puppetry. Any local resident wishing to volunteer should contact the Playhouse's website or call the Lifegame hotline at (858) 550-1020. La Jolla Playhouseis located on the corner of La Jolla Village Drive and Torrey Pines Rd. The box office number is (858) 550-1010. Website:www.lajollaplayhouse.com
