Casting Announced for Musicals Tonight's FADE OUT - FADE IN, 10/16-10/28

The Musicals Tonight! Inc. revival of Fade Out - Fade In, a musical with a book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and music by Jule Styne, will run from October 16 to October 28 at the Lion Theatre. The production is directed by Thomas Sabella-Mills with musical direction by David Bishop.

Hope (Vanessa Lemonides) and Gloria (Oakley Boycott) are ushers at a New York movie palace in the 1930s and movie mogul L. Z. Governor (Jeffrey Arnold Wolf) wants to groom one of them for stardom. He leaves the details to his nephews who bring the wrong one to Hollywood while their Uncle is in Vienna to consult with Dr. Traurig (Robin Haynes). LZ returns, sees the finished film, co-starring Byron Prong (William Coyne) Tinsel town’s biggest egomaniac, scraps the whole thing, fires Hope and the nephew most responsible, Rudolf (Rob Lorey) and re-shoots the film with talent-free Gloria. The resulting disaster prompts Nephew Ralph (Peter Davenport) to attempt a "palace coup". But Rudolf has rescued Hope's movie and its release saves the Studio and "solidifies" their romance. Sharing the limelight are Joan Barber, Terrence Clowe, Matt Conti, Christie Dabreau, Matt DuMont, Preston Ellis, Jeannette Fitzpatrick, Judah Gavrah, Staci Jo Johnston, Allison Maldanado, Peter Mills, Aaron Ricciardi, Jacob L. Smith and Chris Woods.

The original production opened on May 26, 1964 at the Mark Hellinger Theatre and ran for 274 performances. The show was directed by George Abbott and starred Carol Burnett, Dick Patterson, Lou Jacobi, Jack Cassidy and Tina Louise. The Fade Out - Fade In score includes the songs "Call Me Savage," "Usher from the Mezzanine," "My Fortune is My Face," "Lila Tremaine," "Dangerous Age," and "Fiddler and the Fighter."

Fade Out - Fade in runs from October 16 through October 28 at the Lion Theatre in Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street). Performances are at 7:30pm Tuesday-Saturday and 2pm on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.

Tickets are $25 and available at the box office or through Telecharge (212-239-6200, www.telecharge.com.)

More Articles by This Author...