Musical About Movie Tough-Guy Cagney Begins Previews Tonight | Playbill

News Musical About Movie Tough-Guy Cagney Begins Previews Tonight James Cagney musical returns for a full Off-Broadway run.
Danette Holden, Jeremy Beneton, Robert Creighton, Ellen Zolezzi, Josh Walden Carol Rosegg

The York Theatre Company's production of Cagney, the musical biography of legendary movie tough guy and dance man James Cagney, has transferred to a full-scale commercial Off-Broadway run at the Westside Theatre with most of the original cast and creative team intact.

The original production opened at the York May 28, 2015, for a limited run that sold out and was extended to five weeks. The new, open-ended production begins previews March 16 at The Westside Theatre - Upstairs (407 West 43rd Street in Manhattan). The opening is set for the April 3 matinee.

Co-writer Robert Creighton (who acted in The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Anything Goes, The Lion King) will recreate his starring role as Cagney, bringing along original cast members Jeremy Benton (42nd Street), Danette Holden (Annie), Bruce Sabath (Company), Josh Walden (Ragtime) and Ellen Zolezzi (Seussical).

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Cagney features a book by Peter Colley with music and lyrics by Creighton and Christopher McGovern. The score also includes some standards by George M. Cohan, whom Cagney played in a film bio: "Give My Regards to Broadway," "You’re A Grand Old Flag" and "Yankee Doodle Dandy."

The stage musical is directed by Bill Castellino (Storyville, Jolson) with choreography by Joshua Bergasse (Nerds, On The Town, Gigi).

Cagney, according to production notes, "follows the actor from his humble beginnings in New York City's Lower East Side through his rise as a vaudeville song-and-dance man to his superstardom in Hollywood. In this insightful and surprising musical journey, a brand-new original score filled with show-stopping song and dance numbers is augmented by George M. Cohan songs. Cagney was the consummate performer who could do it all – sing, dance, play the bad guy, the good guy, the patriot, the gangster; Broadway’s Robert Creighton leads a cast of six in this exciting new musical." The creative team also includes James Morgan (sets), Martha Bromelmeier (costumes), Michael Gilliam (lighting), Janie Bullard (sound) and Mark Pirolo (projections). The production stage manager is Larry Smiglewski. Carol Hanzel is the  casting director and Brierpatch Productions provides general management.

Tickets for Cagney are priced at $89 and may be purchased by calling Telecharge: (212) 239-6200 or by visiting Telecharge.com.

 
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