D.C.'s Kennedy Center has revealed more casting for its upcoming production of Guys and Dolls, set to play the Eisenhower Theater October 7–16.
The new additions, which include Broadway favorites Kevin Chamberlin and Rachel Dratch, join the previously announced James Monroe Iglehart, Jessie Mueller, Phillipa Soo, and Steven Pasquale, who lead the cast as Nathan Detroit, Miss Adelaide, Sarah Brown, and Sky Masterson, respectively. Marc Bruni (Beautiful) is directing the revival with Denis Jones (Holiday Inn, Tootsie) choreographing and Kevin Stites serving as music director. The company begins rehearsals September 20.
Chamberlin will appear as Nicely-Nicely Johnson, and Dratch, who recently earned a Tony nomination for her Broadway debut performance in POTUS, will defy traditional casting playing Big Jule, alongside Jacqueline Antaramian (Dr. Zhivago) as General Cartwright, Fred Applegate (The Producers) as Arvide Abernathy, Eden Marryshow (Ink) as Lt. Brannigan, Matthew Saldivar (Bernhardt/Hamlet) as Benny Southstreet, Jimmy Smagula (Billy Elliot) as Harry the Horse, and Akron Watson (The Play that Goes Wrong) as Rusty Charlie/Hot Box MC.
Also newly joining the cast are Allison Blackwell as Agatha, Colin Cunliffe as Sorrowful Jones, Michael Fatica as Liverlips Louie/Calvin, Tommy Gedrich as The Greek, Julia Harnett as Allison, Nathan Lucrezio as Scranton Slim, Kristen Faith Oei as Mimi, Lizz Picini as Ferguson, Deon Ridley as Society Max, Anthony Wayne as Angie the Ox, Tanner Wilson as Brandy Bottle Bates, and Kristin Yancy as Martha/Vernon.
The production will feature scenic and projection design by Paul Tate de Poo III, costume design by Mara Blumenfeld, lighting design by Cory Pattak, and sound design by Kai Harada and Haley Parcher. Casting is by JZ Casting.
Guys and Dolls features a book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows and a score by Frank Loesser. An adaptation of the stories of Damon Runyon, the musical centers on a group of NYC gamblers, gangsters, showgirls, and missionaries. Loesser's score includes such favorites as "Luck Be a Lady," "Sue Me," "Adelaide's Lament," and "I'll Know." The musical premiered on Broadway in 1950 and has become a standard of the Golden Age musical theatre canon.
The Kennedy Center's Broadway Center Stage series, executive produced by Artistic Director Jeffrey Finn, will continue with Sunset Boulevard, starring Stephanie J. Block, February 1–6, 2023; and John Kander, Fred Ebb, and Terrence McNally’s Kiss of the Spider Woman May 15–21, 2023, both in the Eisenhower.
