Directed and choreographed by Rob Ashford, performances will begin Sept. 11 with an official opening scheduled for Oct. 3. Performances will continue through Oct. 24.

Esparza will play Reverend Jonas Nightengale, the consummate flim-flam man, and Shields will be Marva, the small-town woman and single mother who challenges everything he believes in.

Leap of Faith features a score by eight-time Academy Award winner Alan Menken, a book by Janus Cercone with Glenn Slater and lyrics by Slater.

"When his traveling ministry breaks down in a small Kansas town," press notes state, "part-time reverend and full-time con artist (Esparza) quickly pitches a tent and invites the locals to a revival. The sheriff is determined to stop Jonas from separating the townspeople from their money, but Jonas' real challenge arises when he meets a pretty waitress (Shields) and her son, whose love forces an ultimate cynic to take a real leap of faith."

The new musical is based on the motion picture "Leap of Faith" produced by Paramount Pictures Corporation and written by Janus Cercone.

The musical is the first production in Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre’s 2010-2011 season at the Los Angeles County Music Center.

Tickets for the Ahmanson Theatre’s 2010-2011 season are currently available by subscription only. For information and to charge season tickets by phone, call the Exclusive Season Ticket Hotline at (213) 972-4444. To purchase subscriptions on-line, visit CenterTheatreGroup.org/Ahmanson. For further information visit CenterTheatreGroup.org/Leap.