Lauren Molina and Bri Sudia will lead the cast of director Mary Zimmerman’s revival of Wonderful Town, the Goodman Theatre announced this afternoon.
The Tony-winning 1953 musical, with a score by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, and book by Joseph Fields and Jerome Chodorov, follows two sisters newly transplanted from Ohio to New York City. Molina, who has appeared in Sweeney Todd and Rock of Ages on Broadway and played Cunegonde in Zimmerman’s revival of Candide at the Goodman in 2010, will play aspiring actress Eileen. Sudia, whose credits include Shining Lives, A Musical at Northlight Theatre and Far From Heaven at Porchlight Music Theatre, will play Ruth, a role originated by Rosalind Russell.
Others in the cast include Karl Hamilton as Robert Baker, Wade Elkins as Frank Lippencott and Steven Strafford as Chick Clark, along with Jordan Brown (Wreck), Amy J. Carle (Mrs. Wade), Matt DeCaro (Appopolous), Christina Hall (Violet), James Earl Jones II (Speedy Valenti), Sadieh Rifai (Helen) and George Andrew Wolff (Lonigan). The ensemble includes Nathaniel Braga, Ariana Cappuccitti, Sherriese Hamilton, Aaron Holland, Mark David Kaplan, Tiffany Krause, Kent M. Lewis, Russell Mernagh, Jeff Parker, Jody Reynard, Todd Rhoades, Lainie Sakakura, Ian Saunders and Erica Stephan.
The creative team includes music director Doug Peck and choreographer Alex Sanchez, with sets by Todd Rosenthal, costumes by Ana Kuzmanic, lighting design by T.J. Gerckens and sound design by Ray Nardelli. Wonderful Town opens the Goodman’s 2016–17 season, running September 10–October 16.