The world premiere adaptation of Christmas in Connecticut–A New Musical officially opens December 7 at Goodspeed Musicals. Performances began November 18 at the East Haddam, Connecticut company, and the run will continue through December 30.
Based on the 1945 Warner Bros. film starring Barbara Stanwyck, the holiday-themed comedy features a book by Patrick Pacheco and Erik Forrest Jackson, music by Jason Howland, and lyrics by Amanda Yesnowitz. Amy Corcoran directs, Marjorie Failoni choreographs, and Adam Souza music directs.
Christmas in Connecticut concerns columnist Liz Lane, an expert on marriage, cooking, and homemaking who is asked by her publisher to host a war hero for Christmas dinner at her renowned Connecticut farmhouse. The only problem? She can’t cook, she isn’t married, and she lives in a tiny New York apartment.
The production is led by Audrey Cardwell (The Music Man) as Liz Sandor, and Ed Dixon (Anything Goes, Mary Poppins, Les Misérables) as Alexander Yardley, with Matt Bogart (Paradise Square, Jersey Boys) as Victor Beecham, Josh Breckenridge (Come From Away, The Scottsboro Boys, The Ritz) as Jefferson Jones, Raymond J. Lee (Aladdin, Anything Goes, Groundhog Day) as Dudley Beecham, James Judy (Into the Woods, The Scarlet Pimpernel) as Felix Bassenak, Tina Stafford as Norah O’Connor, and Rashidra Scott (Company, Ain’t Too Proud) as Gladys Higgenbottom.
The ensemble features Matthew Curiano, Rachel Fobbs, Julie Kavanagh, Emily Larger, Brendan McGrady, Dennis O’Bannon, and Melvin Tunstall III. Ty-Gabriel Jones and Jamie Zeidman are the production's swings.
The creative team consists of scenic designer Lawrence E. Moten III, costume designer Herin Kaputkin, lighting designer Rui Rita, sound designer Jay Hilton, and hair, wig, and makeup designer Jason P. Hayes. Orchestrations will be by Kim Scharnberg.
The new musical was originally commissioned by Broadway Licensing.
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