STEPHEN SONDHEIM & GEORGE FURTH’S
“C O M P A N Y”
ANNOUNCES ADDITIONAL CASTING
New York, NY (October 21, 2019) – Elliott & Harper Productions and The Shubert Organization announced today additional casting for the visionary new production of Stephen Sondheim and George Furth’s landmark American musical, Company, directed by two-time Tony Award® winner Marianne Elliott.
Joining previously announced Tony and Grammy Award® winner Katrina Lenk as Bobbie and two-time Tony Award and two-time Grammy Award winner Patti LuPone as Joanne will be some of New York’s most beloved and accomplished actors including Matt Doyle as Jamie, three-time Tony Award nominee Christopher Fitzgerald as David, two-time Tony Award nominee Christopher Sieber as Harry, Tony Award nominee Jennifer Simard as Sarah, Terence Archie as Larry, Grammy Award winner Etai Benson as Paul, Nikki Renée Daniels as Jenny, Claybourne Elder as Andy, Greg Hildreth as Peter, Kyle Dean Massey as Theo, and Bobby Conte Thornton as P.J.
Sondheim and Elliott have collaborated to update this masterpiece, bringing Bobbie’s array of friends and lovers unswervingly into the 21st century: Paul (Etai Benson) is waiting patiently for his fiancée Jamie (nee “Amy,” played by Matt Doyle) to get over his increasingly frantic wedding day jitters. Sarah (Jennifer Simard) struggles with her body image while her husband Harry (Christopher Sieber) struggles with sobriety – their marital tensions bubbling just under the surface. Joanne (Patti LuPone) is taking a third try at marriage with Larry (Terence Archie), the object of his wife’s affections … and savage barbs. Peter (Greg Hildreth) and Susan (casting to be announced shortly) seem to have the perfect marriage, until perfection proves impossible. Sophisticated David (Christopher Fitzgerald) and his square wife Jenny (Nikki Renée Daniels) can’t wrap their heads around Bobbie’s perpetually single status and aren’t shy about expressing their concern. All while Bobbie juggles three men: Andy (nee “April,” played by Claybourne Elder), the sexy flight attendant, Theo (nee “Kathy,” played by Kyle Dean Massey), the small-town boy trying to find his way in the city, and P.J. (nee “Marta,” played by Bobby Conte Thornton), the native New Yorker who’s head-over-heels for his hometown.
The quintessential musical comedy about the search for love and cocktails in the Big Apple is turned on its head in Elliott’s revelatory staging, in which musical theatre’s most iconic bachelor becomes a bachelorette. At Bobbie’s (Lenk) 35th birthday party, all her friends are wondering why isn’t she married? Why can’t she find the right man? And, why can’t she settle down and have a family? This whip smart musical, given a game-changing makeover for a modern-day Manhattan, features some of Sondheim’s best loved songs, including “Company,” “You Could Drive a Person Crazy,” “The Ladies Who Lunch,” “Side by Side,” and the iconic “Being Alive.”
Company will begin performances on Broadway at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre (242 West 45th Street) on Monday, March 2, 2020 with an official opening night set for Sunday, March 22, 2020 (Stephen Sondheim’s 90th birthday).
The creative team for Company includes Liam Steel (choreography), Joel Fram (musical supervisor), Bunny Christie (set and costume design), Neil Austin (lighting design), Ian Dickinson (sound design), David Cullen (orchestrations), Sam Davis (dance arrangements), Chris Fisher (illusions), Campbell Young Associates (hair, wig, and makeup design), and Cindy Tolan (casting).
Company is produced on Broadway by Elliott & Harper Productions and The Shubert Organization, with Catherine Schreiber. Tim Levy serves as Executive Producer.
Additional information, including casting for the role of Susan, will be announced shortly.
BIOGRAPHIES
Matt Doyle (Jamie) recently starred in the world premiere of the Huey Lewis musical The Heart of Rock & Roll at the Old Globe Theater in San Diego. Matt’s Broadway credits include The Book of Mormon (Elder Price), War Horse (Billy Narracott), Spring Awakening (Hanschen), and Bye Bye Birdie (Hugo Peabody). National tour credits include Spring Awakening (Melchior). Off-Broadway credits include Sweeney Todd, A Clockwork Orange, Brooklynite, and Jasper in Deadland. Regional credits include West Side Story at Paper Mill Playhouse, Jasper in Deadland at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle, and Giant at Dallas Theater Center. Film and television credits include “The Code” (CBS), a recurring role on “Gossip Girl” (Jonathan) and “Private Romeo” (Glenn). Matt has performed at Carnegie Hall with the New Pops and continues to perform his sold-out solo show throughout New York City in addition to performing with symphonies across the country. Recordings include Bare (Peter). Doyle’s album, Uncontrolled, is available on iTunes.
Christopher Fitzgerald (David) earned a Tony nomination and won the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle awards for his most recent role on Broadway as Ogie in Waitress. A veteran of the stage, his other Broadway credits include An Act of God; The Merchant of Venice opposite Al Pacino; the revival of Finian’s Rainbow (Tony and Outer Critics Circle nominations and Drama Desk Award); Young Frankenstein (Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle nominations); Amour (Drama Desk nomination); Chicago; original Boq in Wicked. Off-Broadway credits include, Bobby in the US premiere of Stephen Sondheim’s Saturday Night at Second Stage (Drama Desk nomination); Bartley in the US premiere of Martin McDonagh's The Cripple of Inishmaan at the Public; Ray in the renowned Steppenwolf production of McDonagh's The Beauty Queen of Leenane; and Martin in the first US production of Frank McGuinness' Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme at Lincoln Center. Screen credits include “Girl Most Likely,” opposite Kristen Wiig and Annette Bening, and series regular roles on SyFy’s “Happy!,” Netflix’s “Godless,” DirecTV’s “Almost There” and WB's “Twins.” He most recently recurred on season 2 of “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.” Christopher currently resides in Brooklyn with his wife and two sons.
Christopher Sieber (Harry) started performing shows in his parents living room where he was a triumph at age seven in The Christopher Comedy Cavalcade of 1976 seen by both his parents and unsuspecting neighbors driving by. Then, Broadway: The Prom, Matilda, Pippin, La Cage Aux Folles, Shrek (Tony, Drama Desk, Drama League, and Outer Critics Circle nominations) Monty Python’s Spamalot (Tony Award nomination and West End Production), Chicago, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Into The Woods, Beauty and The Beast, and Triumph of Love. Television: “Law And Order: SVU,” “The Good Wife,” “The Good Fight,” “Elementary,” “Ed,” “Sex & The City,” “Pushing Daisies,” “It’s All Relative,” “Two Of A Kind,” and lots of daytime television like “Guiding Light,” “All My Children,” “Another World,” where his many recurring characters never went anywhere.
Jennifer Simard (Sarah) is a Tony Award, four-time Drama Desk Award, three-time Drama League Award and Lucille Lortel Award nominee, who currently plays the Ana Gaysteyer/Tina Fey/Amy Poehler roles of Mrs. Heron/Ms. Norbury/Mrs. George in the hit Broadway show, Mean Girls. She is also a co-host of the Broadway Podcast Network's The Fabulous Invalid. Broadway credits include: Disaster! (Sister Mary Downey, Tony nomination); Hello, Dolly! (Ernestina); The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (opposite Mo Rocca); and the companies of Sister Act and Shrek the Musical. Off-Broadway credits include the original companies of Forbidden Broadway: SVU; The Thing About Men; and I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change. Film credits include The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas, Wish You Were Dead and Sisters. Television credits include: “The Good Wife,” “Law & Order,” “Law & Order: SVU,” “The King of Queens”, and “Younger.” See more at her website www.jennifersimard.com and follow her on Twitter @simardjennifer and Instagram @thejennifersimard
Terence Archie (Larry) is a native of Detroit and graduate of the North Carolina School of the Arts. Broadway: He originated the role of Apollo Creed on Broadway as well as the German-translated production of Rocky the Musical in Hamburg, Germany. Other credits include Broadway: Ragtime and Kiss Me, Kate. Off-Broadway: Joan of Arc: Into the Fire (The Public), The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity (Second Stage), 1776 (City Center). Solo shows: The Peanut Prince, Frederick Douglas Free, and At The Pole. Regional: The Squirrels (La Jolla Playhouse), All The Way, The Twelve (DCPA), Guys and Dolls, Twelfth Night (Old Globe), Two Gentlemen of Verona, Tamburlaine The Great, Edward II (STC), Arabian Nights (Berkeley Rep/Arena Stage), The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity (Geffen), The Odyssey (Seattle Rep), The Odyssey (Artpark). Television: “The Mysteries of Laura,” “Manhattan Love Story,” “Madam Secretary,” “Elementary,” “The Blacklist,” “Blindspot,” and several iterations of “Law & Order.”
Etai Benson (Paul) is an Israeli-American actor based in NYC. On Broadway, he originated the role of Papi in the Tony Award-winning musical The Band’s Visit. Broadway/National Tour: Wicked (Boq); An American in Paris (Adam). TV: “God Friended Me.” Regional: The Fortress of Solitude (premiere, Dallas Theater Center), A Room with a View (premiere, The Old Globe), Next to Normal (Weston Playhouse), My Name is Asher Lev (GableStage). Workshops: The Band’s Visit (directed by Hal Prince), The Devil Wears Prada (directed by Anna Shapiro), Little Miss Sunshine (directed by James Lapine). Benson trained at the University of Michigan and the legendary Moscow Art Theatre. He is a Grammy Award winner as Principal Soloist on The Band’s Visit Original Broadway Cast Album.
Nikki Renée Daniels (Jenny) is currently playing Angelica Schuyler in Hamilton in Chicago. Broadway credits include The Book of Mormon (Nabulungi); The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess (Clara); Les Miserables (Fantine); Anything Goes; Promises, Promises; Aida; Nine; Little Shop of Horrors; and Lestat. Daniels made her New York City Opera debut as Clara in Porgy and Bess. Other New York credits include Martha Jefferson in 1776 at City Center Encores! and Rose Lennox in The Secret Garden at David Geffen Hall. On television she has appeared as a featured player on "Chappelle's Show," "Madam Secretary," and "The Sound of Music: Live." She has performed as a soloist with numerous symphony orchestras across the country, in Canada, and at Carnegie Hall. For more information please visit nikkireneedaniels.com. @nikkireneesings
Claybourne Elder (Andy). Broadway: Sunday in the Park…(Soldier/George Standby), Bonnie and Clyde (Buck), and Torch Song. Off-Broadway: Sondheim’s Road Show (Hollis, Public Theatre), One Arm (Ollie, Drama Desk nomination), Allegro (Joseph, Lortel Award nomination), Do I Hear A Waltz? (City Center), and Venice (Public Theatre). Regional: Sondheim on Sondheim at the Hollywood Bowl, Passion (Giorgio) at Signature Theatre, Angels in America (directed by David Cromer), Into the Woods (directed by Moises Kaufman) at Kansas City Rep. Film and television: “FBI,” “The Carrie Diaries” (Pete), and Flatbush Luck. @claybourneelder
Greg Hildreth (Peter). Broadway: The Rose Tattoo, Frozen, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Peter and the Starcatcher, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. Off-Broadway: Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow Moscow (MCC), The Robber Bridegroom (The Roundabout; Lucille Lortel Award nomination), Peter and the Starcatcher (New York Theatre Workshop), Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (The Public), Hell House (St. Anne’s Warehouse). Film and Television: Half Shell: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps, “The Americans,” “The Good Wife,” “Royal Pains,” “Kings,” “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.” Education: Boston University and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts.
Kyle Dean Massey (Theo) is best known for his work on Broadway in Pippin, Next to Normal, Wicked, Xanadu, and The Boys in the Band, and to television audiences as Kevin Bicks from ABC's “Nashville.” In addition to his four seasons on “Nashville” (ABC), Massey has also appeared on “The Good Wife” (CBS), “Inside Amy Schumer” (CC), “High Maintenance” (HBO), “Up All Night” (NBC), “Hart of Dixie” (CW), “Cupid” (ABC), “Dangerous Book for Boys” (Amazon), Sex And the City 2 (HBO Films), Contest, and After Party. He has also performed on “Good Morning America,” “CBS Early Show,” “Live with Regis & Kelly,” “Live from Lincoln Center,” and “The 62nd Annual Tony Awards.” He also lends his voice as a voice-over artist for two Emmy Award-winning children's programs on Nickelodeon, “Peter Rabbit,” and “Sunny Day.” Internationally, Massey starred in Pippin at the The Royal Theatre in Amsterdam, played the title role in Jekyll & Hyde in Seoul, played Billy Lawlor in 42nd Street in Tokyo, and starred in Casi Normales in Buenos Aires. As a vocalist, he has performed across the country in pops concerts with symphony orchestras and in more intimate cabaret settings with his one man show. He is a passionate supporter of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, The Trevor Project and various human rights groups. He is the Executive Director of Forming Families Foundations which offers grants to couples dealing with infertility. @kyledeanmassey
Bobby Conte Thornton (P.J.) made his Broadway debut originating the role of Calogero in Chazz Palminteri’s A Bronx Tale, directed by Robert De Niro and Jerry Zaks. Other New York theatre My Fair Lady (Bay Street Theater, directed by Michael Arden); Starting Here, Starting Now (York Theatre Company, directed by Richard Maltby, Jr.). Regional: American Conservatory Theater, Cleveland Play House, George Street Playhouse, McCarter Theatre Center, The Muny, Paper Mill Playhouse, Pittsburgh CLO, Two River Theater. Film and television: If Beale Street Could Talk (directed by Barry Jenkins), “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” (Netflix); “Madam Secretary,” and “The Code” (CBS). Single: “Alice” (available on iTunes/Spotify). Training: BFA, University of Michigan; Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. @bobby_conte