The Ogunquit Playhouse reimagining of High Society plays the Maine venue beginning July 24. Get a sneak peek at the production, which continues through August 23, in the rehearsal video above as Max Clayton, Ari Groover, and the company perform Cole Porter's "Now You Has Jazz."
Tony nominee Robyn Hurder, most recently seen as Ivy Lynn in the new Broadway musical Smash, stars as Tracy Lord with Clayton, recently Billy Flynn in Broadway's Chicago, as C.K. Dexter Haven. Matt Lenz directs.
The company also features 2025 Tony nominee Andrew Durand (Dead Outlaw) as Macaulay “Mike” Connor, Groover (Tina: The Tina Turner Musical) as Cholly Knickerbocker, Sydney Morton (American Psycho) as Liz Imbrie, Charlie Franklin (Floyd Collins) as George Kittredge, Sara Gettelfinger (Water for Elephants) as Margaret Lord, Mike McGowan as Seth Lord, and Bryan Batt (Beauty and the Beast, Mad Men) as Uncle Willie.
The ensemble includes Joshua Burrage, Jaclyn De Nicola, ZaKeyia Lacey, Christian Probst, Troy Vajean Rucker, Harrison Asher Smith, Corinne Sweeney, Jesse Swimm, Rachel Tata, Charlotte Van Ledtje as Dinah Lord, Alysia Vastardis, Jessica Wockenfuss, and Katrina Yaukey.
Based on Philip Barry's play The Philadelphia Story and its film version, High Society—about young socialite Tracy Samantha Lord—has music and lyrics by Cole Porter, a book by Arthur Kopit, and additional lyrics by Susan Birkenhead with a new book adaptation by B.T. McNicholl.
Hurder was Tony-nominated for her performance in Moulin Rouge! The Musical, and her other Broadway credits include Chicago, A Beautiful Noise, Nice Work If You Can Get It, The Wedding Singer, Grease, and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. She also starred as Cassie in the Encores! 75th Anniversary Gala production of A Chorus Line.
Clayton, who was the standby for Hugh Jackman in the revival of The Music Man, has also appeared on Broadway in Moulin Rouge! The Musical; Hello, Dolly!; Pretty Woman; Bandstand (Chita Rivera Award nomination); Something Rotten!; On the Town; and Gigi as well as the City Center Encores! staging of A Chorus Line.
The production also has choreography by Jeffry Denman, music supervision and orchestrations by Greg Jarrett, music consultancy by Sam Davis, music direction by Nicholas Connors, scenic design by Alexander Dodge, costume design by Tracy Christensen, lighting design by Richard Latta, sound design by Haley Parcher, and wig, hair, and makeup design by Roxanne De Luna. Casting is by ARC.
Devin Day is the production stage manager, and Kelly Merritt and Emily Katherine are the assistant stage managers. Casting by ARC.
High Society played 27 previews and 144 regular performances at the St. James Theatre, officially opening April 27, 1998. Directed by Christopher Renshaw, the cast included Melissa Errico, Randy Graff, Anna Kendrick, Stephen Bogardus, and more.
Click here for ticket information.