The world premiere of Gotham !, the second production of the Goodspeed at-Chester/The Norma Terris Theatre's 14th season, opens Aug. 7 and runs through Aug. 31.

Douglas Bernstein and Denis Markell's Gotham ! is a musical comedy in which a small, English medieval town seeks fame by convincing the king to relocate his castle there. When the royals mix with the common people of Gotham, all sorts of romantic entanglements and bizarre situations occur.

Ray Wills (Big, Anna Karenina) as Sherman leads the 21-member cast with Melanie Farrow (Off-Broadway's Americana) as Lucy, Ellen Foley (Into The Woods) as Nurse and Sam Tsoutsouvas (Anthony and Cleopatra at the Public Theatre, Our Country's Good) as King John.

Also in the cast are Robert Bartley (Miss Saigon, Cats national tour), Michelle Blakely (Grease!, film of Twilight of the Golds), 10-year-old Morgan Firestone making her professional debut, Paul Stolarsky (My Favorite Year) and Goodspeed regular Ron Wisniski.

Ted Pappas directs and choreographs Gotham! with musical direction by David Evans, sets by James Noone, costumes by Martha Bromelmeier and lighting by Kirk Bookman. Previous collaborations by Bernstein and Markell include Upstairs at O'Neals and A Backers Audition, and their work is included in A. . . My Name is Still Alice. Parts of Gotham were featured in a 1994 revue of new musicals called Dim Sum, performed by Favored Nations. The title song, Gotham! has been recorded by Varese Sarabande on Broadway Bound, with Harry Groener and Liz Larsen.

Goodspeed-at-Chester will host "Talkbacks" following performances Aug. 14, 21 and 28, informal discussions that allow the audience to meet the cast and creative team while providing valuable feedback for the musical's development.

Goodspeed-at-Chester/The Norma Terris Theatre is the Goodspeed Opera House's second stage and is dedicated to the development of new musicals. The third and final production of the season has yet to be announced, but will run Oct. 30 - Nov. 23.

For tickets, what's playing on the mainstage or for more information, please call (860) 873-8668, or refer to the Goodspeed Opera House/Norma Terris regional listing on Playbill On Line.

--By Blair Glaser and Laura MacDonald