The world-premiere musical based on the hit film of the same name will play Feb. 15-March 27, 2011, in the LJP's Mandell Weiss Theatre in La Jolla, CA. Finn penned music and lyrics, and Lapine wrote the book and will direct. Their previous collaborations include A New Brain, Falsettos and …Spelling Bee.
Opening night is March 4. The cast features Hunter Foster (Urinetown, Little Shop of Horrors) as "Richard Hoover," Malcolm Gets ("Caroline in the City," A New Brain, Amour) as "Frank Ginsberg," Georgi James (Billy Elliot) as "Olive Hoover," Dick Latessa (Hairspray) as "Grandpa," Jennifer Laura Thompson (Urinetown, Wicked) as "Sheryl Hoover" and Taylor Trensch (Spring Awakening) as "Dwayne Hoover." The ensemble includes Bradley Dean, Carmen Ruby Floyd, Eliseo Roman, Andrew Samonsky, Sally Wilfert and Zakiya Young; and the Pageant Girls include local actresses Felicity Bryant, Sophia Delange, Kishka Grantz and Madi Rae DiPietro.
Georgi James, who play beauty-pageant hopeful Olive, appeared in the Broadway productions of Billy Elliot and A Tale of Two Cities, the Off-Broadway production of Orphans' Home Cycle, and various workshops, including Driver's Education.
The creative team includes David Korins (scenic designer); Jennifer Caprio (costume designer); Ken Billington (lighting designer); Dan Moses Schreier (sound designer); Christopher Gatelli (musical staging); Vadim Feichtner (music director/conductor); Michael Starobin (orchestrator); and William Aronson (music arranger). For more information, call (858) 550-1010 or visit LaJollaPlayhouse.org.