Pinkham, who earned a Tony nomination for his performance as Monty Navarro, will take a leave of absence from the musical to join the Broadway revival of The Heidi Chronicles. That production is currently scheduled to run Feb. 23-Aug. 9, 2015.
Beginning Jan. 20, Kready will take over as Monty, joining fellow leads Jefferson Mays, Lisa O'Hare, Catherine Walker and Carole Shelley.
"This show and this part have been life-changing for me, but it's time to pass the keys to Highhurst on to someone else for a while. I can think of no worthier gentleman to assume the role of the murderously ambitious heir than Jeff. I am thrilled he will be the one looking after the Castle, and I’m particularly glad I didn’t have to die for it to happen," Pinkham said in a statement.
The musical has a book by Robert L. Freedman, music by Steven Lutvak and lyrics by Freedman and Lutvak. Darko Tresnjak directs, and Peggy Hickey choreographs.
A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder won four 2014 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Direction of a Musical (Darko Tresnjak), Book of a Musical (Robert L. Freedman) and Costume Design of a Musical (Linda Cho). The cast also features Pamela Bob, Sandra DeNise, Joanna Glushak, Greg Jackson, Eddie Korbich, Jeff Kready, Mark Ledbetter, Jennifer Smith, Kathy Voytko and Price Waldman.
Here's how the dark musical comedy is billed: "Monty Navarro (Pinkham) has just received some really great news from his late mother’s lifelong friend Miss Shingle (Carr)! He’s a long-lost member of a noble family and could become the next Earl of Highhurst. There are only eight minor issues, namely the other relatives who precede him in line for the title. So Monty does what any ambitious, highborn gentleman would do: he sets out to eliminate them one by one, all while juggling his mistress (O'Hare) (she’s after more than just love), his fiancée (Worsham) (she’s his cousin, but who’s keeping track?), plus the constant threat of landing behind bars! But it will all be worth it if he can slay his way into Highhurst Castle… and be done in time for tea. Each of the eight heirs perilously standing in the way of Monty’s fortune are played by Tony Award-winner Jefferson Mays, in one of the most breathtaking, whiplash-inducing performances ever attempted on the American stage."
The design team includes Alexander Dodge (scenic design), Linda Cho (costume design), Philip S. Rosenberg (lighting design), Dan Moses Schreier (sound design), Aaron Rhyne (projection design) and Charles LaPointe (wig design). Orchestrations are by Jonathan Tunick, and vocal arrangements are by Dianne Adams McDowell. Paul Staroba serves as music director.
A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder is produced by Joey Parnes, Sue Wagner, John Johnson, 50 Church Street Productions, Joan Raffe & Jhett Tolentino, Jay Alix & Una Jackman, Catherine & Fred Adler, Rhoda Herrick, Kathleen K. Johnson, Megan Savage, Shadowcatcher Entertainment, Ron Simons, True Love Productions, Jamie deRoy, Four Ladies & One Gent, John Arthur Pinckard, Greg Nobile, Stewart Lane & Bonnie Comley, Exeter Capital/Ted Snowdon, Ryan Hugh Mackey, Cricket-CTM Media/Mano-Horn Productions, Dennis Grimaldi/Margot Astrachan, Hello Entertainment/Jamie Bendell, Michael T. Cohen/Joe Sirola, Joseph & Carson Gleberman/William Megevick and Robert Greenblatt, in association with The Hartford Stage and the Old Globe Theatre.
Visit Telecharge.com. The Walter Kerr Theatre is located at 219 W. 48th Street.
