Bebe Neuwirth, Malcolm Gets and Nancy Dussault will appear in American Conservatory Theater's Sept. 2-Oct. 3 revival of The Threepenny Opera, opening the company's new season. Neuwirth, an alum of the Broadway revivals of Chicago, Damn Yankees and Sweet Charity (and TV's "Cheers") gets the choice role of Jenny Diver in the landmark 1928 musical by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill. The jazz-flecked yarn based on John Gay's The Beggar's Opera (1728), weaves a tale of lusty passion and political corruption and features classic songs such as "The Ballad of Mack the Knife," "Pirate Jenny" and "Tango Ballad."
Gets, who appeared in Off-Broadway's A New Brain and the York Theatre revival of Merrily We Roll Along (as well as TV's "Caroline in the City") plays Macheath.
Dussault, who appeared on Broadway in Do Re Mi, Bajour, Side by Side by Sondheim and as one of the witches in Into the Woods, became known for her role as Muriel on TV's "Too Close For Comfort." She'll play Mrs. Peachum opposite ACT actor Steven Anthony Jones as Mr. Peachum.
The ACT production also includes Lisa Vroman (an alum of tours of Les Miserables and The Phantom of the Opera) as Lucy Brown and Anika Noi Rose (who has worked at ACT and Berkeley Rep) as Polly. The 22-member third-year class of the ACT master of fine arts program will form the ensemble. Additional casting will be announced.
The Threepenny Opera will be presented at the Geary Theatre. ACT artistic director Carey Perloff will direct. Official opening is Sept. 8.
Single tickets go on sale Aug. 23. For information, call (415) 749 2228.
-- By Kenneth Jones
