Complete casting has been announced for the forthcoming benefit concert of The Visit, featuring previously announced stars Chita Rivera and John Cullum. This one-night-only event will be held on November 30 at the Ambassador Theatre, directed by Carl Andress and choreographed by Ann Reinking. All proceeds will benefit the Actors Fund and the Vineyard Theatre.
Joining Rivera and Cullum will be Linda Balgord, D.B. Bonds, Matthew Deming, Alan H. Green, James Harms, Michael Hayward-Jones, Joy Hermalym, Howard Kaye, Doug Kreeger, Mary Ann Lamb, Jerry Lanning, Ryan Lowe, Brianne Moore, Karen Murphy, Brian O'Brien, Kevin Reed, Hal Robinson, Dana Steingold, Rebecca Strimaitis and Jeremy Webb, with Tony Award nominee Mark Jacoby as The Mayor.
The Visit is based on the classic Friedrich Durrenmatt play (adapted by Maurice Valency) and features a book by Terrence McNally, with music by Kander and lyrics by Ebb. Claire Zachanassian (Rivera) was driven from her hometown in disgrace when she was 17, having been betrayed by her lover Anton Schell (Cullum). Several decades and seven husbands later, Zachanassian has become the richest woman in the world, yet her hometown has fallen on hard times. When Zachanassian returns with an offer to save the town, salvation comes with an outrageous price tag.
The Visit had its world premiere at Chicago’s Goodman Theatre and was subsequently produced at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA. The benefit concert will have musical direction by Jon Kalbfleisch and musical supervision and vocal/dance arrangements by David Loud.