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East Haddam, Conn., March 13, 2012: Goodspeed Musicals will “coax the blues right out ‘a the horn” with its much-anticipated new production of Mame. The bold and brassy musical comedy will run from April 20 – July 1 at the Goodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Conn. Mame will be sponsored by Liberty Bank, Mohegan Sun, and The Shops at Mohegan Sun. [Official Press Opening will be May 9, 2012.]  Come along for the madcap adventures of Auntie Mame and her adoring nephew. Surrounded by an eccentric cast of characters, she celebrates the Roaring 20s, overcomes tragedy and sails through life without missing a fad or a dance step. Jerry Herman’s delightful score is packed with favorites “Bosom Buddies,” “We Need a Little Christmas” and more. Brimming with optimism and zest, Mame will keep you laughing while warming your heart!
Mame features Music and Lyrics by Jerry Herman, a book by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee and is based on the novel by Patrick Dennis and the play, Auntie Mame by Lawrence and Lee. Louise Pitre, the Tony-nominated star of Broadway’s Mamma Mia!, will lead the stellar cast as Mame. Known as Canada’s “first lady of musical theatre,” Ms. Pitre also headlined the Toronto and US touring company casts of Mamma Mia! and is known for her signature performances as Fantine in Les Misérables (Toronto, Montreal, and Paris) and the title character in Edith Piaf. Vera will be played by Judy Blazer of Broadway’s Lovemusik, 45 Seconds From Broadway, Titanic, A Change in the Heir, and Me and My Girl and Goodspeed’s Bloomer Girl. Young Patrick will be played by Lucas Schultz. Charles Hagerty will play Older Patrick. Agnes Gooch will be played by Kirsten Wyatt whose Broadway credits include Elf; Grease; High Fidelity; Urinetown; and You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown. Ms. Wyatt’s also appeared in Goodspeed’s My One And Only and The Boy Friend. The role of Ito will be played by James Seol of Broadway’s A Naked Girl on the Appian Way. Babcock will be played by Paul Carlin whose Goodspeed credits include 1776, The Boy Friend, Where’s Charley, Brigadoon, Red, Hot & Blue, and On The Twentieth Century. Woolsey will be played by James Beaman of Goodspeed’s How to Succeed in Business… and Irving Berlin’s Annie Get Your Gun. Beau will be played by James Lloyd Reynolds of Goodspeed’s 42nd Street. Eli Baker will play Peter. The ensemble includes Erin Denman as Sally Cato (Goodspeed’s 42nd Street), Alan Gillespie, Beau Landry as Junior, Peter Leskowicz (Goodspeed’s Half a Sixpence), Denise Lute as Mother Burnside/Madame Branislowski (Broadway’s Monday After the Miracle and Goodspeed’s Show Boat), Eric John Malhum as Mr. Upson, Mary Jo McConnell as Mrs. Upson (Goodspeed’s Big River and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn), Kim Sava as Peegan, Melissa Ann Steadman (Goodspeed’s Carnival!), Kit Treece, Kellyn Uhl as Gloria (Goodspeed’s How to Succeed…), and John T. Wolfe. The swings will be Brittany Bohn and Nick Nerio. Mame will be directed by Ray Roderick, who helmed many of Goodspeed’s recent hits, My One And Only, 42nd Street, and Singin’ in the Rain as well as Hello! My Baby and Double Trouble at The Norma Terris Theatre. Mr. Roderick served as the Associate Director of the 2000 Broadway revival of The Music Man as well as Co-conceived, Directed, and Choreographed the National Tour of Irving Berlin’s I Love A Piano. Choreography will be by Vince Pesce, who was Associate Choreographer of Broadway’s Anything Goes, The Pajama Game, Wonderful Town, and Little Shop of Horrors. Mame is produced for Goodspeed Musicals by Michael P. Price. Mame will run April 20 through July 1, 2012 [Official Press Opening May 9, 2011]. Curtain times are Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Thursday at 7:30 p.m. (with select performances at 2:00 p.m.), Friday at 8:00 p.m., Saturday at 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. (with select performances at 6:30 p.m.). 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 productions 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 also maintains The Scherer Library of Musical Theatre and The Max Showalter Center for Education in Musical Theatre. Goodspeed gratefully acknowledges the support of the assisting production sponsor Liberty Bank; supporting sponsor Mohegan Sun; ovation sponsor The Shops at Mohegan Sun; Sennheiser, the official audio sponsor; United, the official airline sponsor; and Hoffman Audi, the official auto sponsor of Goodspeed Musicals. Goodspeed is supported in part by the Department of Economic and Community Development with support from the Connecticut Office of the Arts. Production: Mame Theatre: Goodspeed Opera House 6 Main Street, East Haddam, Connecticut Based on the novel by Patrick Dennis and the play, Auntie Mame by Lawrence and Lee Book by: Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee Music and Lyrics by: Jerry Herman Director: Ray Roderick Choreographer: Vince Pesce Set Designer: James Youmans Costume Designer: Gregg Barnes Lighting Designer: Charlie Morrison Sound Designer: Jay Hilton Music Director: Michael O’Flaherty Assistant Music Director: William J. Thomas Orchestrations: Dan DeLange Principals: Eli Baker (Peter) James Beaman (Woolsey) Judith Blazer (Vera) Paul Carlin (Babcock) Charles Hagerty (Older Patrick) Louise Pitre (Mame) James Lloyd Reynolds (Beau) Lucas Schultz (Young Patrick) James Seol (Ito) Kirsten Wyatt (Agnes Gooch)
Ensemble: Erin Denman (Sally Cato) Alan Gillespie Beau Landry (Junior) Peter Leskowicz Denise Lute (Mother Burnside/Madame Branislowski) Eric John Malhum (Mr. Upson) Mary Jo McConnell (Mrs. Upson) Kim Sava (Peegan) Melissa Ann Steadman Kit Treece Kellyn Uhl (Gloria) John T. Wolfe Swings: Brittany Bohn Nick Nerio
Background: Mame is based on the 1955 novel Auntie Mame by Patrick Dennis and a 1956 Broadway play by Lawrence and Lee. The play was adapted into a 1958 film and later a musical by its original authors and Composer/Lyricist Jerry Herman. Mame opened on Broadway at the Winter Garden Theatre on May 24, 1966 and closed on January 3, 1970 after 1,508 performances. The original Broadway cast featured Angela Lansbury in the title role and Bea Arthur as Vera. It was nominated for 8 Tony Awards and won 3 including Lansbury’s Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical. Mame received a West End production in 1969, starring Ginger Rogers. A film version of the musical starring Lucille Ball was released in 1974. Mame was revived at The Kennedy Center in 2006, but has not yet returned to Broadway.
Synopsis: Come along for the madcap adventures of Auntie Mame and her adoring nephew. Surrounded by an eccentric cast of characters, she celebrates the Roaring 20s, overcomes tragedy and sails through life without missing a fad or a dance step. Jerry Herman’s delightful score is packed with favorites “Bosom Buddies,” “We Need a Little Christmas” and more. Brimming with optimism and zest, Mame will keep you laughing while warming your heart! Dates: April 20 – July 1, 2012 Performances: Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Thursday at 7:30 p.m., (with select performances at 2:00 p.m.), Friday at 8:00 p.m., Saturday at 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. (with select performances at 6:30 p.m.).
Tickets: Start at $27.00 Goodspeed Box Office (860.873.8668) or online at goodspeed.org
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