Redhead, a rarely-revived murder mystery vehicle for Gwen Verdon that won the 1959 Best Musical Tony Award, will close the Goodspeed Opera House's 1998 season. The musical begins performances Sept. 23 and will run to Dec. 13.
Though Redhead won the Tony, the show has never been revived on Broadway, and rarely elsewhere. Verdon played Essie Whimple, a worker in a wax museum who tries to solve the murder of a local music hall dance while pursuing the man of her dreams.
The score, by Albert Hague and Dorothy Fields, includes "Look Who's in Love." Other Hague scores include Plain and Fancy, Cafe Crown and TV's "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." The book was written by Herbert and Dorothy Fields, Sidney Sheldon (the famous mystery novel author) and David Shaw.
Goodspeed's Redhead will be directed by Christopher Ashley, who staged last season's Lucky in the Rain at Goodspeed. The 22-member cast is headed by Valerie Wright (Steel Pier) as Essie, Timothy Warmen (Side Show) as Tom Baxter, and Marilyn Cooper (Woman of the Year) and Carol Morley (Drop in the Bucket) as Essie's aunts, Maude and Sarah Simpson.
Rounding out the cast are John Ahlin, James Coyle, Eddie Korbich (Carousel) and Ron Parady. For subscriptions and tickets: (860) 873-8668.
-- By Robert Simonson and Robert Viagas
