Will Chase (Billy Elliot, High Fidelity, The Story of My Life), Amy Spanger (Rock of Ages, Kiss Me Kate) and Eric Schneider (Jersey Boys, Altar Boyz) are among the cast set for the previously announced world premiere of Robin and the 7 Hoods at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego. The Broadway-bound musical will begin performances on July 14 and open on July 30, directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw. The limited engagement is set to continue through August 22.
Joining Chase (who will play Little John), Spanger (as Alana O’Dell) and Schneider (as Robbo) are Kelly Sullivan (Marian Archer), Adam Heller (Lieutenant Nottingham), Rick Holmes (P.J. Sullivan) and Jeffrey Schecter (Willie Scarlatti). Rounding out the cast are Timothy J. Alex, Clyde Alves, Graham Bowen, Andrew Cao, Cara Cooper, Paige Faure, Lisa Gajda, Stephanie Gibson, Carissa Lopez, Vasthy Mompoint, Beth Johnson Nicely, Aleks Pevec, Sam Prince, Tally Sessions, Brian Shepard and Anthony Wayne.
Based on the classic Rat Pack film, Robin and the 7 Hoods features a book by Rupert Holmes and songs by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen, including “My Kind of Town (Chicago Is),” “Call Me Irresponsible” and “All the Way.” When Robbo, a suave, fast-rising entrepreneur in Chicago's sophisticated nightclub scene in the early 1960s, tries to re-organize organized crime, he finds himself wanted by both sides of the law. He and his merry band quickly learn that a few wrongs—and a few songs—could make things right.
Robin and the 7 Hoods will have musical supervision and vocal and incidental arrangements by John McDaniel. The creative team includes Robert Brill (scenic design), Gregg Barnes (costume design), Kenneth Posner (lighting design), John Shivers and David Patridge (sound design), Josh Marquette (hair and wig Design), Bill Elliott (orchestrator), Mark Hummel (music director) and David Chase (dance music arranger).
Robin and the 7 Hoods is based on the original screenplay by David R. Schwartz and is produced with the permission of Warner Brothers Theatrical Ventures.