Eden Espinosa stars in the April 1 world premiere of Rain, composer Michael John LaChiusa's musical adaptation of W. Somerset Maugham's steamy classic about a prostitute who tries to remake her life in the tropics. Previews began March 24 at Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, CA.
LaChiusa's collaborator on the project is librettist Sybille Pearson, who partnered with him on the Off-Broadway musical Giant. Her playwriting career includes the book to the 1983 musical Baby.
Espinosa (Wicked, Brooklyn, Rent) plays the central role of Sadie Thompson. She is joined by Marie-France Arcilla as Noi Noi (Princess in The Orphan of Zhao at American Conservatory Theater and La Jolla Playhouse, co-star on Gossip Girl, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Cashmere Mafia), Elizabeth A. Davis as Anna Davidson (Tony Award nominee for Once, plus Allegro and Caucasian Chalk Circle at Classic Stage Company), Jeremy Davis as Jo (In Your Arms at the Globe, Broadway’s The Last Ship, Annie and Ghost The Musical), Betsy Morgan as Louisa MacPhail (LaChiusa’s First Daughter Suite as Tricia Nixon and Susan Ford, Broadway’s Les Misérables and A Little Night Music), Rusty Ross as Kiwi (Globe’s The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, original Globe cast and on Broadway), Mike Sears as Quartermaster and Hopper (When It Comes and Othello at the Globe, Bonnie & Clyde at La Jolla Playhouse), Tally Sessions as Alec MacPhail (Broadway’s School of Rock, Big Fish and The House of Blue Leaves, Globe’s Robin and the 7 Hoods) and Jared Zirilli as Alfred Davidson (Lysistrata Jones on Broadway, We Will Rock You and Wicked first national tours, co-star on Blue Bloods).
Maugham's 1921 short story has been adapted to stage and film several times, perhaps most famously in 1928 with Gloria Swanson as Sadie, a former prostitute who tries to start life anew on a South Pacific island, only to cross paths with two men, an army sergeant and a missionary, who roil her new life. The prolific LaChiusa has been nominated for Tony Awards five times. His musicals include Marie Christine, The Wild Party, Hello Again, Chronicle of a Death Foretold, The Petrified Prince, See What I Wanna See, Little Fish, Bernarda Alba, First Lady Suite, Queen of the Mist and the recent First Daughter Suite.
Old Globe artistic director Barry Edelstein makes his musical theatre debut with the production. The creative team also includes Patrick McCollum (movement), J. Oconer Navarro (music director), Bruce Coughlin (orchestrations), Mark Wendland (scenic design), Katherine Roth (costume design), Russell H. Champa (lighting design), Ken Travis (sound design), Telsey + Company/Andrew Femenella CSA and Patrick Goodwin CSA (casting), and James Latus (production stage manager).
Tickets are available via phone at (619) 234-5623 or on the web, theoldglobe.org.
