The concert staging of Ashman and Menken's musical comedy will play July 27-30 and will star Santino Fontana (Cinderella) and Skylar Astin (Spring Awakening). It will be directed by Michael Mayer (American Idiot) with choreography by Lorin Latarro.
The first show created by the legendary duo behind Beauty and the Beast and Little Shop, the 1979 Kurt Vonnegut’s God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater follows an alcoholic millionaire and his philanthropic endeavors. The story is based on Kurt Vonnegut's satirical novel of the same name.
"The show tells the story of Eliot Rosewater (Santino Fontana), a drunken millionaire who decides to blow his fortune on a town full of pitiable creatures: the illiterate, the depressed, and the eternally pregnant," state City Center press notes. "But there are forces who want to put the kibosh on his philanthropy—like Norman Mushari (Skylar Astin), a lawyer plotting to have Eliot declared insane." The Off-Center production will feature orchestrations by Danny Troob.
The Off-Center Jamboree will feature alums Foster and Groff, as well as more surprise guests, performing selections past, present and future, with outgoing Encores! Off-Center artistic director Tesori at the piano.
The 2016 slate will also feature the previously announced Elizabeth Swados musical Runaways. The news was announced earlier this year, following her death on Jan. 5. Helmed by Sam Pinkleton with choreography by Ani Taj, the production is set to run July 6-9. The series is dedicated to producing rarely revived Off-Broadway musicals in a semi-staged, concert setting. "It’s time to hand it off to someone else,” said Tesori in a press statement. “I love doing it, and I think it’s good to go while I still love it...The plan is for me to do concerts or events of some kind,” she added, “because I really love the building.”
Tickets will go on sale to the general public Feb. 22 and can be purchased online at NYCityCenter.org, by calling CityTix at (212) 581-1212, or in person at the City Center Box Office. New York City Center is located at 131 West 55th St., Manhattan.
