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TONY® AWARD-WINNING BEST MUSICAL
“A GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE TO LOVE & MURDER”
ANNOUNCES CASTING FOR FIRST NATIONAL TOUR
TO PLAY CHICAGO’S BANK OF AMERICA THEATRE
SEPTEMBER 29 – OCTOBER 11, 2015
Broadway In Chicago and producer Joey Parnes are pleased to announce that casting for the First National Tour of the Tony® Award-winning Best Musical, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder, is complete. John Rapson will play the role of the eight D’Ysquith heirs and Kevin Massey will portray the role of Monty Navarro. The First National Tour will preview at Proctors in Schenectady before beginning performances at Chicago’s Bank of America Theatre (18 W. Monroe) September 29, 2015 through October 11, 2015.
The Gentleman’s Guide Tour will also feature Kristen Beth Williams (Sibella Hallward), Adrienne Eller (Phoebe D’Ysquith), and Mary VanArsdel (Miss Shingle). The Tour also includes Christopher Behmke, Sarah Ellis, Matt Leisy, Megan Loomis, Dani Marcus, Lesley McKinnell, Kristen Mengelkoch, David Scott Purdy, Chuck Ragsdale, and Ben Roseberry.
A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder features a book and lyrics by Robert L. Freedman and music and lyrics by Steven Lutvak. Direction is by Darko Tresnjak, with choreography by Peggy Hickey. The design team includes Alexander Dodge (Scenic Design), Linda Cho (Costume Design), Philip S. Rosenberg (Lighting Design), Dan Moses Schreier (Sound Design), Aaron Rhyne (Projections Design), Charles LaPointe (Wig Design), and Brian Strumwasser (Make-Up Design). Orchestrations are by Jonathan Tunick and Vocal Arrangements are by Dianne Adams McDowell and Steven Lutvak. Paul Staroba serves as Music Supervisor, and Larry Goldberg serves as Music Director.
Gentleman’s Guide tells the uproarious story of Monty Navarro, a distant heir to a family fortune who sets out to jump the line of succession, by any means necessary. All the while, he’s got to juggle his mistress (she’s after more than just love), his fiancée (she’s his cousin but who’s keeping track?), and the constant threat of landing behind bars! Of course, it will all be worth it if he can slay his way to his inheritance… and be done in time for tea.
The most celebrated musical of the 2013-14 Broadway season, Gentleman’s Guide received ten 2014 Tony® Award nominations, eventually winning four awards: Best Musical, Direction of a Musical, Book of a Musical, and Best Costume Design. In addition, it won the Best Musical prizes from the Drama League, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle, and received a 2015 Grammy® Award nomination for Best Musical Show Album.
Gentleman's Guide opened at Broadway's Walter Kerr Theatre to overwhelming critical acclaim in November 2013 where The New York Times raved “Gentleman’s Guide will lift the hearts of all those who’ve been pining for what sometimes seems a lost art form.” The Hollywood Reporter enthused Gentleman’s Guide “Restores our faith in musical comedy!” And Time Magazine said “Just as I was about to give up on musicals, along comes A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder!”
TICKET INFORMATION
Individual tickets for Gentleman’s Guide are now on sale. Group tickets for 10 or more are now on sale by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710. For more information, please visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com or www.agentlemansguidebroadway.com.
BIOS
JOHN RAPSON (The D’Ysquith Family). Broadway: Les Misérables (Grantaire/Bamatabois, u/s Javert, u/s Thénardier). Tour and Regional: Les Misérables, Disney On Classic (with the Tokyo Philharmonic), Sweeney Todd, Brigadoon. BFA, University of Michigan. Infinite love and thanks to Mom, Dad, Alex, Stella, Chris and the gents of CGF, the family dinner crew, and the utterly extraordinary Gent’s Guide team. Humbled and honored to be part of this brilliant piece. Now and then pigs CAN fly. This one’s for Pat.
KEVIN MASSEY (Monty Navarro). Broadway: Gentleman's Guide, Memphis (u/s Huey), Tarzan (u/s Tarzan), Deaf West’s Big River, NYCO’s Antony & Cleopatra (Eros), originated Almanzo in Little House...Prairie (1st Nat., Paper Mill, Guthrie) and D’Artagnan in Three Musketeers (Chicago Shakespeare). Europe: Tarzan (Tarzan), Grease! (Doody). Regional: Asolo Rep’s Bonnie & Clyde (Ted), Utah Shakes’ & Kansas City Rep’s Pippin (Pippin), Skylight Music Theater's Les Mis (Marius), MUNY’s Footloose (Willard). UNC, Morehead-Cain Scholar. Proud husband to Kara Lindsay! Love to my family. @kcmassey1 kevinmassey.com
KRISTEN BETH WILLIAMS (Sibella Hallward) is delighted to join this deliciously devilish company! West End: Top Hat (Dale Tremont). Broadway: Pippin; Nice Work...; Anything Goes; Promises, Promises. Other NYC: The Marvelous Wonderettes (Off-Bway), Encores!, appearances at Town Hall and Carnegie Hall. Regional: Big Fish (Sandra, Alpine Theatre Project), White Christmas (Betty Haynes, Ordway), Music Theatre of Wichita, Ogunquit, Paper Mill, to name a few. Love & thanks to Dustin, Jason, Jay, and Darko, to "The Fam" always, and to Jimmy-my home. Proud AEA member. BFA Univ. of OK. @KBDubsNYC
ADRIENNE ELLER (Phoebe D’Ysquith). Recent graduate of NYU Tisch School of the Arts with a BFA in Drama under the New Studio on Broadway. Regional: Ariel in Disney’s The Little Mermaid (NSMT/TBTS) and Natalie in Next to Normal (Farmers Alley Theater). Proud member of AEA. Immense thanks to the GGLAM team, Binder Casting, Professional Artists, the New Studio on Broadway, and Mom and Dad.
MARY VANARSDEL (Miss Shingle). National Tour: Mary Poppins (original Bird Woman). Off-Broadway: Rebecca (54 Below), Cole Porter’s Paris. Regional: Mrs. Brill (Mary Poppins), Mama Rose (Gypsy), Carlotta (Yeston/Kopit’s Phantom), Lily Byrne (A Man of No Importance), and dozens more. Film/TV: “In the Line of Fire,” “LA Law,” “Boardwalk Empire,” “Gilmore Girls,” “Miracles,” and many more. Recording: “When at Night I Go to Sleep.” Proud member of Actors’ Equity. maryvanarsdel.com @mvsings
LESLEY McKINNELL (Miss Barley). Past professional experiences include playing witches, a burlesque performer, fairytale muses, a sexless virgin, and a non-drag version of Barbra Streisand, among others. Special thanks to MR, SL, Mom & Dad! @lesleymckinnell
KRISTEN MENGELKOCH (Lady Eugenia). Off-Broadway: NEWSical the Musical and Forbidden Broadway. Regional: Geva Theatre, Cape Playhouse, PlayMakers Rep, Gateway, Moonlight, North Coast Rep, SCRT, among others. Television: “Veronica Mars.” Education: MFA, San Diego State University; BFA, Emporia State University. kristenmengelkoch.com
CHRISTOPHER BEHMKE (Magistrate). Int’l Tours: West Side Story. Off-Broadway: Mama & Her Boys. Regional: Cabaret, Les Mis, Miss Saigon, Hound of the Baskervilles. Chris also works with Project Creo, a nonprofit that uses creativity & love to empower children.
SARAH ELLIS (Swing/Dance Captain). Regional: Ogunquit, Pittsburgh CLO, Northshore, KC Starlight, Westchester Bway, WV Public. NYC: Stardust Road: The Hoagy Carmichael Musical, Musicals Tonight! BFA Penn State (WE ARE!). Endless gratitude to teachers, fam & friends-love to DR. @sell_is
MATT LEISY (Tom Copley). Off-Broadway: The Fantasticks, Carousel (PBS). Regional: Cincinnati Playhouse, St. Louis Rep, Arizona Theatre Co., Arden Theatre, Alabama Shakespeare Festival. Favorites: 39 Steps, Ragtime, Red, Importance of Being Earnest, The History Boys. Graduate: Northwestern University. mattleisy.com
MEGAN LOOMIS (Tour Guide). National Tours: War Horse (Paulette), Sweeney Todd (Mrs. Lovett Standby), Cabaret (Helga). Off-Broadway: Alllegro (Beulah, Classic Stage Company). Regional: GeVa, Ogunquit, Merry-Go-Round, Flat Rock, NC Theatre, Maltz-Jupiter Theatre. Education: Eastman School of Music.
DANI MARCUS (Swing). Off-Broadway: The Pirates of Penzance. Regional: Created the role of Harriet in Jane Austen’s Emma (The Old Globe, TheatreWorks), Beach Blanket Babylon, Spelling Bee (SJ Rep). Love and gratitude to Timothy, Tijuana, and Jon Call.
DAVID SCOTT PURDY (Swing). NYC: A Christmas Story (Madison Square Garden); Lady, Be Good (Encores!); Zorba (Encores!). National Tour: The Producers. Regional: Anything Goes (North Shore Music Theatre). Love to Kate, Brothers, Mom, and Cleo. DavidScottPurdy.com
CHUCK RAGSDALE (Swing) has toured the US with multiple black and white canines, frolicked with a singing cannibal Off-Broadway, and played girly princes, suicidal factory workers, and dudes with accents regionally. For my best and favorite PAL.
BEN ROSEBERRY (Chief Inspector Pinckney) Broadway/National Tour: The Lion King, Rent. Off-Broadway: Fugitive Songs, Emma. Countless regional, workshops and readings. Front man for The Fractured Years. Thanks to Sarah, the family, Darko, Binder, and Professional Artists! @Ben_Roseberry
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