Tony Award winner John Doyle (Sweeney Todd, Company) directs the new incarnation of The Visit, which debuted in a 100-minute, intermissionless version last summer at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Doyle returns for the Broadway production alongside Tony Award nominee Graciela Daniele as choreographer.
Based on Friedrich Dürrenmatt's 1956 play, The Visit has music by John Kander, lyrics by the late Fred Ebb and a book by Tony Award winner Terrence McNally.
Here's how the musical is billed: "Based on the satirical play by Friedrich Dürrenmatt as adapted by Maurice Valency, The Visit is about greed, love, and one woman’s carefully plotted revenge. The oft-widowed Claire Zachanassian (Rivera), richest woman in the world, returns to the hardship-stricken town of her birth. The locals pray that her wealth will bring them a new lease on life, but her arrival carries a dreadful price. Rees co-stars as Anton Schell, the man who scorned Claire years ago. Sardonic and morally complex, The Visit asks 'What can your heart afford?'"
The production marks the third collaboration for Kander and Ebb, McNally and Rivera. The artists previously worked together on The Rink and Kiss of the Spider Woman, both of which led Rivera to Tony Award wins for her performances. "In The Visit, Chita Rivera shows the world what becomes a legend most," Kirdahy said in a statement. "Kander and Ebb's final musical is a masterwork. Fascinating, visceral and haunting, The Visit entertains and challenges in ways that can only be described as thrilling. We cannot wait for The Visit to visit Broadway."
Rivera will co-star in The Visit alongside Roger Rees, who will play Anton Schell. The cast also features Jason Danieley (Curtains, Next to Normal), Matthew Deming, Diana DiMarzio (Sweeney Todd), David Garrison (Titanic), Rick Holmes (Spamalot), Tom Nelis (Passion), Chris Newcomer (Chicago), Aaron Ramey (Young Frankenstein, Curtains), Timothy Shew (Evita, Les Misérables) and Michelle Veintimilla.
For further information, go to thevisitmusical.com.
