Cast Announced for 'LMNOP' at The Norma Terris Theatre

CAST ANNOUNCED FOR GOODSPEED MUSICALS’

BOLD ALPHABET THRILLER

LMNOP

Donna Lynne Champlin and John Herrera Cast in New Musical

EAST HADDAM, CONN., June 19, 2013: Goodspeed Musicals is delighted to announce the cast of LMNOP, an edgy new musical about an island whose citizens begin to lose their freedoms one letter at a time. Based on the novel Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn this compelling musical will run from July 25 to August 18 at The Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, Conn. ­— Goodspeed’s home for developing fresh, innovative, and original new musicals.

When letters begin to fall from a monument in town, government officials ban them one by one. Chaos ensues until a determined teenage girl rallies the community to fight for freedom of speech. This  unique musical is part romance, part clever word game and part adult fable that reminds us of how precious our liberties are; how quickly unbridled extremism can take them from us; and how important it is to have the courage to stand up for what we believe. A captivating story you’ll n_v_r forg_t!

      LMNOP has music by Paul Loesel and a book and lyrics by Scott Burkell. Loesel and Burkell are Jonathan Larson and Burton Lane Award-winners whose songs have been premiered by Kristin Chenoweth, Rebecca Luker, Marin Mazzie, Jason Danieley, Stephanie J. Block, and Liz Callaway. Their debut album, (Sorta) Love Songs, is on the Sh-K-Boom Records label. Their musical The Extraordinary Ordinary received a Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation Grant. Their musical revues include Love Songs and Other Crap (MAC Award nomination) and Sorta Love Songs (Birdland). The musical is based on the novel Ella Minnow Pea by Mark Dunn.

      The cast will feature Harriett D. Foy as Gwenette Minnow Pea. Ms. Foy has appeared in Broadway’s The American Plan, Mamma Mia!, and Once on This Island and Goodspeed’s Amazing Grace and Good Sports (both at The Norma Terris Theatre). Otto Minnow Pea will be played by Tony-nominated John Herrera whose credits include Broadway’s The Times They Are A-Changin’, The Threepenny Opera, Man of La Mancha, 1776, and The Mystery of Edwin Drood and Goodspeed’s A Little Night Music.

Ella Minnow Pea will be played by Lilli Cooper of Broadway’s Spring Awakening. Agnes Prather will be played by Stacie Morgain Lewis of Broadway’s Sunday in the Park with George, Wicked, Urinetown, and Titanic. Eugenia Prather will be played by Ming-An Fasquelle. Nate Warren will be played by Jared Zirilli of Broadway’s Lysistrata Jones. Shubert Greenly/Tad/Lyttle will be played by Aaron Serotsky of Broadway’s August: Osage County and Goodspeed’s How to Succeed…  The roles of Poppi McGregor/Lug 2/Mimi will be played by Talia Thiesfield. Kevin Melendez will play Zach O’Dare/Lug 1.

Donna Lynne Champlin will play Ruth Greenly/Houston LaGreer. Ms. Champlin’s Broadway credits include Billy Elliot: The Musical, Sweeney Todd, Hollywood Arms, By Jeeves, and James Joyce’s The Dead. Her Goodspeed credits include Meet John Doe (The Norma Terris); Flight of the Lawnchair Man (The Norma Terris); Very Good Eddie; No, No, Nanette; and By Jeeves. Willy Creevy/Rory/Creighton will be played by Ryan Bauer-Walsh of Goodspeed’s Pirates of Penzance. Peyton Ebert/Lug 3/Percy/Mangrove will be played by Michael DiLiberto. Georgeanne Towgate will be played by Sally Wilfert of Broadway’s Assassins and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Goodspeed’s Caraboo, Princess of Javasu at The Norma Terris Theatre. Tommy Towgate will be played by Noah Marlowe of Broadway’s Mary Poppins.

      LMNOP will be directed by Joe Calarco. Mr. Calarco is co-artistic director of Breaking Bread Theatre and he is the recipient of the Lucille Lortel Award, two Barrymore Awards, and four Helen Hayes Awards.

      The set will be designed by five-time Tony nominee Anna Louizos. Ms. Louizos’ numerous Broadway credits include Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Baby It’s You!, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, Curtains, and Avenue Q. Her Goodspeed credits include Band Geeks!, Radio Girl, (both at The Norma Terris Theatre), Emmet Otter, and Me and My Girl. Costume design will by Jennifer Caprio who served as Costume Designer for Broadway’s …Spelling Bee. Lighting design will be by Joel Shier who was Associate Lighting Designer for Broadway’s Matilda The Musical, Ghost The Musical, and Godspell. Lynne Shankel of Broadway’s Cry-Baby; Company; and You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown will serve as Music Supervisor and Orchestrator. Music Direction will be by Julie McBride. Sound Design will be by Jay Hilton who is in his 28th season at Goodspeed.

LMNOP will be produced for Goodspeed Musicals by Michael Price.

      LMNOP will run June 25 – August 18, 2013. Curtain times are Wednesdays at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m, Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. (*Thurs. 8 pm only on July 25), Fridays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

            Tickets are available through the Box Office (860.873.8668), open seven days a week, or on-line at www.goodspeed.org.  For show highlights, exclusive photos, special events, Audience Guides and more visit us at goodspeed.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

For almost 30 years, The Norma Terris Theatre has been Goodspeed’s home for developing fresh, innovative, and original new musicals. These new works have been developed in Chester, Conn. before they’ve moved on to Broadway, off-Broadway, national tours, and other regional theatres. Because this is a developmental theatre, the show can change on a day-to-day basis. New scenes are added, songs are moved, costumes are changed, dialogue is tweaked - all based on audience response and feedback. Be a part of the process and be among the first to enjoy the Broadway hits of tomorrow.

Dedicated to the preservation and advancement of musical theatre, Goodspeed Musicals produces three musicals each season at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Conn., and additional works at The Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, Conn., which was opened in 1984 for the development of new musicals. The first regional theatre to receive two Tony Awards (for outstanding achievement), Goodspeed celebrates another milestone, its 50th Anniversary, in 2013. In addition to the two theatres and production facilities, Goodspeed maintains The Scherer Library of Musical Theatre and The Max Showalter Center for Education in Musical Theatre. Goodspeed gratefully acknowledges the Marquee Sponsors for this production, Dr. Anne L. Rothstein and Ms. Jane Hellman, as well as the ongoing support of Sennheiser, the Official Audio Sponsor and the Department of Economic and Community Development with support from the Connecticut Office of the Arts.