Inspired by the Frank Sinatra movie of the same name, the production — with book by Tony Award winner Rupert Holmes and songs by four-time Academy Award winners Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen — will be directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw (The Drowsy Chaperone, Minsky's).
Schneider — who will play the Sinatra role of Robbo — played Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys on Broadway as well as Danny Zuko in the national tour of Grease. His Off-Broadway credits include Altar Boyz, The Full Monty and the original cast of Happy Days as Chachi.
Musical supervision and vocal and incidental arrangements are by John McDaniel. The Broadway-aimed musical comedy will run in the Old Globe Theatre July 14–Aug. 22. Opening night is July 30.
According to Old Globe, "Based on the classic Rat Pack film, Robin and the 7 Hoods takes the Robin Hood legend and gives it an early-'60s spin. Set in Chicago [at a time] when 'Mad Men' reigned supreme and martinis flowed freely, the musical features such classic Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen tunes as 'My Kind of Town (Chicago Is),' 'Call Me Irresponsible' and 'All the Way.' When Robbo, a suave, fast-rising entrepreneur in Chicago's sophisticated nightclub scene, tries to re-organize organized crime, he finds himself wanted by both sides of the law. He and his merry band quickly learn that a few wrongs — and a few songs — could make things right."
The cast, announced on June 3, includes Will Chase (Little John), Adam Heller (Lieutenant Nottingham), Rick Holmes (P.J. Sullivan), Jeffrey Schecter (Willie Scarlatti), Eric Schneider (Robbo), Amy Spanger (Alana O'Dell) and Kelly Sullivan (Marian Archer) with Timothy J. Alex, Clyde Alves, Graham Bowen, Andrew Cao, Cara Cooper, Paige Faure, Lisa Gajda, Stephanie Gibson, Carissa Lopez, Vasthy Mompoint, Beth Johnson Nicely, Aleks Pevec, Sam Prince, Tally Sessions, Brian Shepard and Anthony Wayne. The creative team includes Robert Brill (scenic design), Gregg Barnes (costume design), Kenneth Posner (lighting design), John Shivers and David Patridge (sound design), Josh Marquette (hair and wig design), Bill Elliott (orchestrator), Mark Hummel (music director), David Chase (dance music arranger), Tara Rubin Casting (casting) and Peter Wolf (stage manager).
Robin and the 7 Hoods is based on the original screenplay by David R. Schwartz and is produced with the permission of Warner Brothers Theatrical Ventures.
Tickets are currently available to subscribers only. Single tickets go on sale June 5 and can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE or by visiting the box office.
