Company returns to Broadway (with a twist) as a new revival of the Stephen Sondheim and George Furth musical begins previews March 2. Marianne Elliott’s gender-reversed production will officially open March 22—Sondheim’s 90th’ birthday—at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre.
Two Tony winners headline the staging: Katrina Lenk (The Band’s Visit) as Bobbie (a new take on the musical’s central Bobby) and Patti LuPone (Evita, Gypsy) as Joanne. The latter reprises her performance after winning an Olivier Award for the production’s West End premiere.
Elliott collaborated with Sondheim to reimagine certain characters as the opposite gender. Bobby’s trio of girlfriends Marta, Kathy, and April are now Bobbie’s boyfriends PJ, Theo, and Andy; the soon-to-be married (or not) Amy and Paul are now Jamie and Paul. In addition to gender swaps, the production introduces updates to the lyrics and Furth’s book to bring the 1970 story into present day.
The Broadway company also features Tony nominees Christopher Fitzgerald, Christopher Sieber, and Jennifer Simard as David, Harry, and Sarah, respectively, as well as Matt Doyle as Jamie, Terence Archie as Larry, Etai Benson as Paul, Nikki Renée Daniels as Jenny, Claybourne Elder as Andy, Greg Hildreth as Peter, Kyle Dean Massey as Theo, Rashidra Scott as Susan, and Bobby Conte Thornton as P.J. Rounding out the cast are Kathryn Allison, Stanley Bahorek, Britney Coleman, John Arthur Greene, Javier Ignacio, Anisha Nagarajan, Tally Sessions, and Matt Wall.The production also features choreography by Liam Steel, sets and costumes by Bunny Christie, lighting by Neil Austin, sound design by Ian Dickinson of Autograph, and illusions by Chris Fisher. Joel Fram serves as music supervisor and director, with orchestrations by David Cullen and dance arrangements by Sam Davis. Casting is by Cindy Tolan.
Company was last revived on Broadway in 2006 in another re-imagined production, with John Doyle directing a cast of actor-musicians.