Tony Sheldon, who earned a Tony Award nomination for his performance as the drag goddess Bernadette in the 2011 musical Priscilla Queen of the Desert, plays the role of the patrician Sir in Goodspeed Musicals' revival of the 1965 musical The Roar of the Greasepaint—The Smell of the Crowd.

The production runs May 20 –June 26 at Goodspeed's Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, CT.

Also in the cast: Caesar Samayoa as Cocky, Michelle Aravena as The Kid and Gregory Treco as The Stranger.

The musical allegory imagined mid-1960s Great Britain as a circus with the working-class Cocky as a perpetual clown, and the upper-class Sir as an imperious ringmaster. However, this production is directed by Don Stephenson, who plans ”an arresting new version” set in “a world turned upside-down.”

The book and score by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley included several songs that became standards, including “Who Can I Turn To?,” “A Wonderful Day Like Today” and “Feeling Good” (currently heard in a commercial for Volvo XC9 cars).

Here are scenes from rehearsals:

Newley played Cocky on Broadway opposite Cyril Ritchard as Sir. The show was a follow up to Bricusse and Newley's 1961 hit musical Stop the World—I Want To Get Off.

Choreography is by Liza Gennaro. The show also has set design by Walt Spangler, costume design by Tony Award winner Goldstein, lighting design by Stephen Terry and music supervision by Michael O'Flaherty.

Tickets are available through the Goodspeed Box Office (860) 873-8668 or at Goodspeed.org.

Coming up at the Norma Terris Theatre will be a new musical, A Sign of the Times, featuring the songs made famous by British singer Petula Clark “and other hit-makers of the day,” July 28–September 4. The show has an original story by Richard Robin and an original book by comedy writer Bruce Vilanch.

(Updated May 20)