The resident production of the Tony Award-winning musical based on Ingmar Bergman's "Smiles of a Summer Night" plays to July 8. William Brown directs. Musical direction is by Roberta Duchak.
Dunagan, who won the 2008 Tony Award as Best Actress in a Play, plays Night Music's wise and salty Madame Armfeldt, who bemoans the loss of artistry in love affairs. Her Swedish estate, acquired through a lover, no doubt, is the Act Two setting of the musical. Dunagan was recently announced to play the Republican matriarch, Polly Wyeth, in the 2013 Chicago premiere of Other Desert Cities.
The cast of the sophisticated waltz-time musical about how love makes fools of people also includes Jonathan Weir as Fredrik Egerman and Shannon Cochran as Desiree Armfeldt, plus Brianna Borger (Petra), Shannon Corey (Fredericka Arnfeldt), Brandon Dahlquist (Count Malcolm), John Finley (Frid), Kristen French (Anne Egerman), Cory Goodrich (Malla), Royen Kent (Henrik Egerman) and Tiffany Scott (Countess Malcolm).
"Set in turn of the century Sweden, A Little Night Music is a sumptuous musical celebration of love," according to Writers' Theatre notes. "Desirée Armfeldt has always captured the hearts of men. When both of her lovers — and their wives — show up for a weekend in the country, the boundless possibilities of an old romance and newly awakened passions bring endless surprises."
The design team includes Kevin Depinet (scenic), Jesse Klug (lighting), Rachel Anne Healy (costumes), Andrew Hansen (sound) and Nick Heggestad (properties).
For more information, visit writerstheatre.org.