The musical inspired by Voltaire's satiric novel about blind optimism features Geoff Packard (Broadway's Rock of Ages, The Phantom of the Opera) in the title role of Candide; Lauren Molina (of Broadway's Rock of Ages and the recent Sweeney Todd) as his love, Cunegonde; Chicago's Larry Yando as Pangloss, Candide's tutor; Hollis Resnick (the Chicago star who toured as Mrs. Meers in Thoroughly Modern Millie and had recent regional success in Grey Gardens) as the Old Lady; Chicago's Jonathan Weir as the Governor; Erik Lochtefeld (Metamorphoses) as Maximillian; Margo Seibert as Paquette; Jesse Perez as Cacambo; and Tom Aulino as Martin. Ensemble members include Spencer Curnutt, Rebecca Finnegan, Govind Kumar, Rob Lindley, Tracy Lynn Olivera, Emma Rosenthal, Thomas Adrian Simpson, Joey Stone, Tempe Thomas and Joseph Tokarz.
Here is a look at the production:
Performances will play Chicago's Goodman to Oct. 31 (representing a one-week extension) in the Albert Theatre. Candide is a co-production between Goodman and The Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, DC, which will present the staging following the Chicago run.
Zimmerman's Candide, she told Playbill magazine, is different from other Candides: "I went to Bernstein's estate and got permission to do a new version, a new adaptation. I know how many people have done it, but there's a bit of room for invention and creation."
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