Broadway In Chicago Announces Casting for Broadway Bound FIRST WIVES CLUB THE MUSICAL: PREVIEWS BEGIN AT CHICAGO’S ORIENTAL THEATRE FEBRUARY 17, 2015

Broadway In Chicago Announces Casting for Broadway Bound FIRST WIVES CLUB THE MUSICAL: PREVIEWS BEGIN AT CHICAGO’S ORIENTAL THEATRE FEBRUARY 17, 2015 1 Broadway In Chicago and producers Jonas Neilson, Paul Lambert and Elizabeth Williams are pleased to announce that they’ve found the founding members of the First Wives Club for the new Broadway-bound musical’s premiere at Chicago’s Oriental Theatre.  Tony Award-winner Faith Prince will play ‘Brenda,’ Mamma Mia’sChristine Sherrill will play ‘Elise,’ and Wicked star Carmen Cusack will play ‘Annie,’ in the iconic roles created on film by Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn and Diane Keaton, respectively.

Faith Prince, Christine Sherrill, Carmen Cusack ANNOUNCEMENT PHOTOBroadway In Chicago and producers Jonas Neilson, Paul Lambert and Elizabeth Williams are pleased to announce that they’ve found the founding members of the First Wives Club for the new Broadway-bound musical’s premiere at Chicago’s Oriental Theatre.  Tony Award-winner Faith Prince will play ‘Brenda,’ Mamma Mia’sChristine Sherrill will play ‘Elise,’ and Wicked star Carmen Cusack will play ‘Annie,’ in the iconic roles created on film by Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn and Diane Keaton, respectively.

With a book by five-time Emmy Award nominee Linda Bloodworth Thomason, direction by Simon Phillips and songs by Motown legends Holland-Dozier-Holland, First Wives Club: The Musical will have its out-of-town premiere at Chicago’s Oriental Theatre (24 W Randolph Street).  Previews begin February 17, 2015 and opening night is set forMarch 11, 2015 for a run that will go through March 29, 2015.

In First Wives Club, three former college friends reunite to find that they have more in common than their alma mater! Ditched by their respective husbands for younger women, they band together to settle scores with the men who did them wrong.  Featuring new songs and classic hits like “Reach Out…I’ll Be There,” “Stop in the Name of Love” and “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch),” First Wives Club is a hilarious, inspiring, and empowering story about friendship at its strongest… and revenge at its sweetest.

First Wives Club is based on the hit 1996 Paramount feature film and the original best-selling novel by Olivia Goldsmith, and adapted from an earlier version of the musical by Rupert Holmes, with additional material by Simon Phillips.

Additional casting and creative team information about First Wives Club will be announced at a later date.

For more information, please visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com or www.FirstWivesClubTheMusical.com.

TICKET INFORMATION

First Wives Club is part of the Broadway In Chicago 2015 Season.  Group tickets for 10 or more are now on sale by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710. Individual tickets for First Wives Clubwill go on sale at a later date.   For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.

CAST BIOS

Faith Prince (Brenda) has been dazzling Broadway audiences since winning the Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for her performance as “Ms. Adelaide” in Guys and Dolls.  As one of Broadway’s best loved leading ladies, Faith most recently starred in a role she was born to play – the scheming, irascible ‘Miss Hannigan’ in the revival of Annie on Broadway. Other Broadway credits: A Catered Affair (Tony, DD, OCC noms), The Little Mermaid,Bells Are Ringing (Tony, DD, OCC noms), Nick & Nora (OCC Award), Jerome Robbins’ Broadway (Tony, DD noms), Little Me, The Dead, Noises Off and, regionally, Terrence McNally’s Unusual Acts of Devotion. She also starred in the national tour of Billy Elliott.  Faith currently recurs on ABC Family’s “Melissa & Joey” and just wrapped her 5-season run on Lifetime’s “Drop Dead Diva.”  She was a series regular on Showtime’s “Huff” and recurred for five seasons on “Spin City.” Other television credits include “A Gifted Man,” “Happy Endings,” “Ugly Betty,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “CSI,” “Faith,” “House,” “Medium,” “Sweet Potato Queens,” “Monk,” “Now and Again,” “Welcome to New York” and “Law and Order.”  Film credits include Our Very Own, Picture Perfect, Dave, and My Father the Hero. Faith just wrapped an Australian concert tour, which included performances at the Sydney Opera House and the Adelaide Festival. She works often with leading orchestras and tours internationally.  Faith’s new album, Total Faith, was recently released by Broadway Records and her award winning album, A Leap of Faith is available on DRG Records.

 

Christine Sherrill (Elise). Hailing from the Windy City, Christine recently returned from Las Vegas after an acclaimed run as Donna Sheridan in Mamma Mia. Winner of the 2013 Jeff Award for her portrayal of Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard, Ms. Sherrill has received further critical acclaim as Heidi in Title of Show, Dyanne in Million Dollar Quartet, Ms. Hannigan in Annie, Lina Lamont in Singing in the Rain (Jeff nomination, After Dark Award), Tanya in Mamma Mia’s North American Tour, Nurse/Actress in Hello Again, Paulette in Legally Blond (Jeff nomination), Georgia Hendricks in Curtains and Mrs. Cratchit in the Goodman Theatre’s A Christmas Carol. An advanced yogi and mother of three, this former teacher holds a Master’s Degree in Education. www.christinesherrillactor.com

Carmen Cusack (Annie). After over a decade of working in the UK Carmen returned to the States in 2006 and debuted as Elphaba in Wicked on the Oriental stage in Chicago, a role she has played internationally (first National Tour and Melbourne, Australia).  She is thrilled to be returning to Chicago and coming full circle with this new production. She’s just finished a successful run at The Old Globe in San Diego playing the lead role in Steve Martin and Edie Brickell’s new musical Bright Star. Her recent credits include the Mother in Ragtime at the Milwaukee Rep. She received a Jeff Nomination for Dot/Marie in Sunday in the Park with George at the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Chicago. Other theater credits: Lynn Gardner in Carrie (MCC); Helen Hayes nominee for her portrayal of Nellie Forbush in Broadway’s Lincoln Center Theater’s Production of South Pacific (National Tour). Her West End credits include: Chesty Prospects in Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens, Eva Cassidy in Over The Rainbow (UK and Ireland) Fantine in Les Miserables, Rose in The Secret Garden (Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-upon-Avon and the West End), Kim in Personals and Christine in The Phantom of the Opera.  Prior to her West End career, Carmen studied Opera performance at the University of North Texas and in her down time she writes and records. She is embarking on her first album with her band Fountain Throes.  www.carmencusack.com