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FOUR CHICAGO ACTORS CAST IN NORTH AMERICAN TOUR OF
CRUEL INTENTIONS: THE ‘90s MUSICAL
COMPLETE CASTING ANNOUNCED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE 20th ANNIVERSARY OF THE CULT-CLASSIC FILM
PLAYING AT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO’S BROADWAY PLAYHOUSE AT WATER TOWER PLACE
APRIL 2-14, 2019
In celebration of the 20th anniversary of the cult classic film Cruel Intentions, producers have announced the casting for the North American tour of the Off-Broadway smash hit CRUEL INTENTIONS: THE ‘90s MUSICAL. Following sold-out runs in Los Angeles and a critically acclaimed, sold-out run in New York City, the new musical will play Broadway In Chicago’s Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 E. Chestnut St) for a limited two week engagement April 2 – 14, 2019.
Four of the touring cast members have ties to Chicago. Betsy Stewart (Annette Hargrove) is a Northwestern graduate and performed in several Marriott Theatre productions, including October Sky, Spring Awakening and Godspell. Brooke Singer (Cecile Caldwell) is a graduate of The Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University and starred as Chava in Paramount Theatre’s 2013 production of Fiddler On The Roof. David Wright (Blaine Tuttle) performed in Marriott Theatre’s 2017 production of Newsies. Aramie Payton (Male Understudy) is a Chicago resident who graduated from Walter Payton College Prep High School and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and who performed in Marriott Theatre’s 2017 production of Mamma Mia!
Additional CRUEL INTENTIONS: THE ‘90s MUSICAL touring cast members include John Battagliese as Greg McConnell, Richard Crandle as Ronald Clifford, Jeffrey Kringer as Sebastian Valmont, Dara Orland as Mrs. Bunny Caldwell, Taylor Pearlstein as Kathryn Merteuil and Nicole Medoro as the Female Understudy.
When Sarah Michelle Gellar, the film’s original Kathryn Merteuil, was asked about the news, she said, “Everybody loves me and twenty years later I intend to keep it that way, with the support of the exquisite Cruel Intentions Musical and soundtrack. Not that I need support. I don’t, because I’m fabulous.”
Original film director Roger Kumble adds, “Never in my darkest fantasies would I believe twenty years later, my movie about a pair of hedonistic Manhattan step-siblings would turn into a musical. An amazing musical that even people who hate musicals would love, complete with a soundtrack loaded with the greatest 90s guilty pleasure songs.”
As previously announced, a cast recording featuring the original Off-Broadway company will be released on March 8, 2019 on CD and all digital formats on ABKCO Records.
Grammy-winning producer Stewart Lerman captured the dynamic arrangements from the Off-Broadway production, in his studio outside New York City in August this year. Featuring the stellar talents of Carrie St. Louis, Constantine Rousouli and Alex Boniello alongside Patricia Richardson, the album will contain a collection of lively tracks from CRUEL INTENTIONS: THE ‘90s MUSICAL, including ‘Losing My Religion’ ‘Bye Bye Bye’ and a unique take on ‘No Scrubs’ that is not to be missed. The album is available now for pre-order at www.smarturl.it/cruelmusical. “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” “Foolish Games,” and “Lovefool” are currently available to stream and as Instant Grat tracks with pre-order now. http://www.smarturl.it/cruelmusical
ABKCO Records will release CRUEL INTENTIONS: THE ‘90s MUSICAL Original Cast Album on CD and digital platforms on March 8. Coinciding almost perfectly with the 20th anniversary of the Roger Kumble film from which it is based, the new Off-Broadway musical uses hit songs from the 1990s as its central motif. Cast members pay tribute to the decade with stellar performances of The Verve’s “Bittersweet Symphony,” Christina Aguilera’s “Genie In a Bottle,” the Cardigans’ “Lovefool” and the lead single “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” originally by Deep Blue Something now available streaming services and as an Instant Grat with pre-order now. http://www.smarturl.it/cruelmusical
Set to the greatest pop and rock hits of the ‘90s, CRUEL INTENTIONS: THE ‘90s MUSICAL is an exhilarating and deceptively funny musical that pulls you into the manipulative world of Manhattan’s most dangerous liaisons: Sebastian Valmont and Kathryn Merteuil. Seduced by revenge and fueled by passion, the two diabolically charming step-siblings place a bet on whether or not Sebastian can deflower their incoming headmaster’s daughter, Annette Hargrove. As the two set out to destroy the innocent girl – and anyone who gets in their way – they find themselves entangled in a web of secrets, temptation, and the cruelest game of all: love. Audience members experience the intoxicating story full of hilarity and heart, set to the greatest throwback hits of the decade by such artists as Goo Goo Dolls, No Doubt, R.E.M., Ace of Base, Jewel, ‘NSYNC and more – in addition to songs from the film's iconic soundtrack such as "Bittersweet Symphony” by The Verve and “Colorblind” by Counting Crows.
CRUEL INTENTIONS: THE ‘90s MUSICAL debuted at The Rockwell Table & Stage in Los Angeles in 2015, where it ran for 38 sold-out performances, before being remounted for a second sold-out run at LA’s Prospect Theatre in November 2016. In February 2017, the musical played a sold-out “pop-up” engagement at (le) Poisson Rouge and returned in November 2017 to play a successful twenty-one-week engagement at the downtown NYC nightspot before its final performance on April 8, 2018.
CRUEL INTENTIONS: THE ‘90s MUSICAL was created by Jordan Ross (“The Royals”), Lindsey Rosin and Roger Kumble (“Cruel Intentions”) with original direction by Lindsey Rosin (The Unauthorized OC Musical), Kenneth Ferrone (“RENT Live!”) is the tour director. The production features Choreography by Jennifer Weber (West End: & Juliet), Set Design by Jason Sherwood (“RENT Live!”), Costume Design by Tilly Grimes (Small Mouth Sounds), Lighting Design by Jeanette Yew (The Idiot), and Sound Design by Matt Kraus (Kathy Griffin Wants a Tony).
The CRUEL INTENTIONS: THE ‘90s MUSICAL national tour is produced by Eva Price, Sucker Love Productions, Marty Bowen, Neal Moritz, Hunter Arnold, Blood Orange Pictures, Mark Lonow & Joanne Astrow, Tom McGrath, Rachel Weinstein and Sara Beth Zivitz.
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
Tuesdays at 7:30PM
Wednesdays 7:30PM
Thursdays at 7:30PM
Fridays at 7:30PM
Saturdays at 2PM and 8PM
Sundays at 2PM and 7:30PM
TICKET INFORMATION
Individual tickets are on sale and range in price from $35-$72 with a select number of premium tickets available. Tickets are available now for groups of 10 or more by calling Broadway In Chicago Group Sales at (312) 977-1710 or emailing GroupSales@BroadwayInChicago.com. For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.
ABOUT BROADWAY IN CHICAGO
Broadway In Chicago was created in July 2000 and over the past 19 years has grown to be one of the largest commercial touring homes in the country. A Nederlander Presentation, Broadway In Chicago lights up the Chicago Theater District entertaining more than 1.7 million people annually in five theatres. Broadway In Chicago presents a full range of entertainment, including musicals and plays, on the stages of five of the finest theatres in Chicago’s Loop including the Cadillac Palace Theatre, CIBC Theatre, James M. Nederlander Theatre, and just off the Magnificent Mile, the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place and presenting Broadway shows at the Auditorium Theatre.
Broadway In Chicago proudly celebrates 2019 as the Year of Chicago Theatre.
For more information, visit www.BroadwayInChicago.com.
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CAST BIOS
John Battagliese (Greg McConnell) Credits include: Las Vegas: BAZ: Starcrossed Love (Romeo, The Palazzo Theater); Regional: Hairspray (Link Larkin, The MUNY) Have You Met Miss Jones? (Jack Cassidy, The New Theater), Grumpy Old Men (Bo, Ogunquit Playhouse); Proud CCM 2016 grad.
Richard Crandle (Ronald Clifford) National Tour: Hairspray; Australia: Kinky Boots; Upcoming: Little Richard in Rock and Roll Man (Colonial Theatre).
Jeffrey Kringer (Sebastian Valmont) Regional: The Fingerlakes Musical Theatre Festival, The Palace Theater (NH), The Axelrod Performing Arts Center, The Texas Shakespeare Festival, Clear Space Theatre Company. Originally from Upstate New York, Jeffrey is a proud graduate of Fredonia State University with a BFA in Musical Theatre.
Nicole Medoro (Female Understudy) Recent credits: This Ain’t No Disco (Atlantic Theater Co.) Broadway: The Illusionists. Brooklynettes (NBA). Performances with Madonna, Nicki Minaj and Hailee Steinfeld. Appearances on “The Tonight Show,” “SNL,” “Last Week Tonight,” and Nickelodeon. A recording artist, known as Nella Cole with music available everywhere.
Dara Orland (Mrs. Bunny Caldwell) Regional credits include Babette/Dance Capt. (Beauty and the Beast), Mayzie Le Bird (Seussical), Graziella (West Side Story), The Little Mermaid (Disenchanted), Tina (Sister Act), Ensemble u/s Ms. Fleming and Dance Captain (Heathers: The Musical). She most recently appeared in the National Tour of Cirque Dreams Holidaze as the Angel. Dara holds a BFA in Drama from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Her choreography has been featured Regionally, Off-Broadway, and Internationally at the National Theatre of Abu Dhabi.
Aramie Payton (Male Understudy) Recent credits: The Scottsboro Boys (Signature Theatre); Dreamgirls Korean Tour; Flashdance the Musical National Tour; Mamma Mia! (Marriott Theatre); Hairspray (Starlight Theatre); A Chorus Line (Gallery Players); “Nickelodeon’s Dance Battle Playlist” Winner.
Taylor Pearlstein (Kathryn Merteuil) Recent credits: Flashdance (Gateway), and as Hodel in Fiddler (Arizona Theatre Company). Taylor performs her music around NYC, and her debut album, When the Birds Wake You Up is available on all streaming platforms. She is a BFA graduate from the University of Arizona.
Brooke Singer (Cecile Caldwell) Off-Broadway: The Great Pie Robbery (The Elektra Theatre). Regional: Grumpy Old Men The Musical (Karla, Ogunquit Playhouse) Hair (Crissy), Fiddler on the Roof (Chava, Paramount Theatre) Spring Awakening (True West Award Best Actress in a Musical, Wendla). Tangled The Musical (Disney Cruise Line) Disney Dreams (Belle, DCL) 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Olive) World Premier of Whatever Happened to Baby Jane (Young Baby Jane, Theatre Under the Stars).
Betsy Stewart (Annette Hargrove) Regional: October Sky (Marriott Theatre and The Old Globe), Spring Awakening (Marriott Theatre), Godspell (Marriott Theatre). NYC: Discount Ghost Stories (Joe's Pub and Ars Nova). Betsy is a proud Northwestern graduate, AEA member, and Iowa native.
David Wright (Blaine Tuttle) LABS: Becoming Nancy. National Tour: R&H Cinderella. Regional: Beauty & the Beast (NSMT), Newsies (Marriott Lincolnshire).
Website: www.cruelmusical.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/cruelmusical
Twitter: www.twitter.com/cruelmusical
Instagram: www.instagram.com/cruelmusical
