Paul Schoeffler Tapped for Sweet Charity
Schoeffler appeared on Broadway in Cyrano, Victor/Victoria, Peter Pan and the recent revival of Nine for which he served as the standby for the lead role of Guido Contini. His off-Broadway credits include Carnival, A Doll's House and No Way to Treat a Lady, the Encores! mounting of Can-Can and Wintertime. Schoeffler is a veteran of many regional theaters, including Paper Mill Playhouse, where his credits include the company's 2002 mounting of My Fair Lady. He will soon return to Paper Mill in She Loves Me, in which he replaced originally announced star Ed Dixon as Headwaiter. Dixon had to withdraw because of scheduling difficulties.
Sweet Charity, based on Federico Fellini's Nights of Cabiria, centers on Charity to be played by Christina Applegate, a dance-hall hostess read prostitute with a heart of gold. The tuner, set in 1960s New York, features music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Dorothy Fields and a book by Neil Simon.
This Sweet Charity, directed by Walter Bobbie and choreographed by Wayne Cilento, is scheduled to premiere at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis, where it will run from February 8 through February 20. It will then head to Chicago's Cadillac Palace February 23 through March 13 and Boston's Colonial Theatre March 15 through March 27 before beginning Broadway performances on April 4. As we previously reported, Tony winner Denis O'Hare is expected to play Oscar, Charity's love interest, and Natascia Diaz and Solange Sandy are on board as her two best friends Nickie and Helene, respectively. Shannon Lewis is also said to be set in the role of Vittorio's girlfriend Ursula.
A production spokesperson could not confirm any casting beyond Applegate.