Readings and WorkshopsVanessa Williams, Paulo Szot, Jason Gotay, More Will Take Part in Reading of New Musical ChériDontee Kiehn will direct the new adaptation of the Colette novella.
By
Andrew Gans
June 12, 2019
A week-long private industry reading of the new musical Chéri, an adaptation of Colette’s novel, will be presented in Manhattan August 5–12.
Dontee Kiehn will direct, with musical direction by Andy Einhorn and choreography by Parker Esse.
Tony nominee Vanessa Williams (Into the Woods, Sondheim on Sondheim, Trip to Bountiful) will star as Charlotte with Tony winner Paulo Szot (South Pacific) as Monsieur, Natalie Dessay (Passion, The Châtelet) as Léa de Lonval, Jason Gotay (Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark) as Chéri, Eryn LeCroy (The Phantom of the Opera), Nathaniel Stampley (The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess), Sean MacLaughlin (The Phantom of the Opera), MaryAnn Hu (Sunday in the Park With George), Natascia Diaz (Man of La Mancha), Cáitlín Burke (The Sound of Music), Darren Matthias (The Sound of Music), Mary Stout (On the Twentieth Century), Michael Spaziani (The Sound of Music), Rebecca Eichenberger (My Fair Lady), Shereen Ahmed (My Fair Lady), Drew Seigla (Fiddler on the Roof), and Woody Buck (The Sound of Music).
Chéri has book and lyrics by Teri Hansen and music by Chabrier, Chopin, Debussy, de Falla, Duparc, Ravel, and Satie. 2020 will mark the centennial of the publication of Colette’s famed novel.
The Fred Ebb Award recognizes excellence in musical theatre songwriting, by a songwriter or songwriting team that has not yet achieved significant commercial success.