A CHORUS LINE Caps Richmond Triangle Players' 25th Anniversary Season

Richmond Triangle Players concludes its 25th Anniversary Season with one of the most acclaimed musicals of the 20th century, A Chorus Line. This landmark work, with a cast comprised of performers from up and down the East Coast, opens Friday, June 8, 2018 at 8 pm, following a two low-priced previews on Wednesday and Thursday June 6 and 7 at 8 pm.

A Chorus Line celebrates those unsung heroes of the American musical theater, the chorus dancers -- those valiant, over-dedicated, underpaid, highly trained performers who back up the star and often make them look even more talented than they are. It is also a no-holds-barred celebration of the American musical itself -- glamorous, yes, at times, but also tough, heartbreaking and sometimes even tragic.

An unprecedented box office and critical hit, the musical received twelve Tony Award nominations and won nine, in addition to the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. A Chorus Line was one of the first mainstream Broadway hits to feature a major gay character in a fully realized way; it is also notable that three of its four authors fell victim to AIDS.

"We have been holding workshops and auditions for over six months, not only in Richmond, but in New York and Philadelphia," said RTP executive director Philip Crosby. "We have a tremendous cast, all of whom are passionate about being a part of this production. This is one of the most ambitious projects we have ever undertaken, and we are ready for the opportunity!"

Playing Zach, the director-choreographer who is holding the auditions that create the story of A Chorus Line, is Scott Putnam, associate director of dance and choreography at Virginia Commonwealth University. Prior to his career creating internationally acclaimed modern dance works, Scott performed in dozens in Broadway musicals in the Chicago area. Making her RTP debut, Daria DeGaetano portrays the central role of Cassie. She has appeared in leading roles in musicals as varied as Hello, Dolly!, Oliver, and Dames At Sea in regional theaters across the country. Also making their RTP debuts are Steven Rada as Paul San Marco and Alexa Cepeda as Diana Morales. Rada has appeared on the west coast in productions of West Side Story and Evita, among others. Cepeda recently finished a year at Philadelphia's Walnut Street Theatre, and has appeared in production of The Fantasticks, In the Heights and A Christmas Carol.

Also making their RTP debuts are Mara Barrett (as Judy), Ty Boone (as Richie), Ijsah Byrd (as Maggie), Coldin Grundmeyer (as Mike), Tim Herrmann (as Mark Anthony), Lydia Hynes (as Tricia), Mallory Keene (as Val), Bridget Lundberg (as Vicki), Rachel Marrs (as Maggie), Kathy Oh (as Connie), Zuri Petteway (as Sheila), and Kyle Smith (as Greg). Returning to the RTP stage are Drew Colletti (as Frank), Andrew Etheredge (as Larry), Keaton Hillman (as Don), Derrick Jaques (as Al), Bartley Mullin (as Bobby), Trevor Worden (as Butch) and Katherine S. Wright (as Kristine).

A Chorus Line has a book by James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante, lyrics by Ed Kleban, and music by Marvin Hamlisch. The original direction and choreography were by the legendary Michael Bennett.

Directing and choreographing RTP's production is Justin Amellio, who won the Richmond Theatre Critics Circle Award for Best Direction of a Musical for bare: a pop opera. He also received nominations for [title of show] and The Boy from Oz. Musical director is RTCC-award winner Kim Fox (Cadence Theatre's Next to Normal), with vocal direction by Stephen Rudlin. Associate choreographer is Laura Lloyd. Set design is by Frank Foster, with original costume designs by Theoni V. Aldredge coordinated by Alex Valentin. Lighting design is by Michael Jarett, hair and make-up design is by Joel Furtick, and sound design is by Joey Luck. Production stage manager is Ellie McDade-Nelson.

Richmond Triangle Players' performances take place at its home at the Robert B. Moss Theatre at 1300 Altamont Avenue, just northwest of the intersection of the Boulevard and West Broad Street. Reserved seat tickets ($40 for Fridays and Saturdays evenings at 8:00 pm, $35 for Thursday evenings at 8:00 pm and Sunday matinees at 4:00 pm; $20 for previews, with discounts for groups and students) can be purchased online at RTP's web site at www.rtriangle.org, on RTP's facebook page, or by leaving a message on the RTP Ticket hotline at 804-346-8113.

The Robert B. Moss Theatre is a 4000-square foot performing arts facility accommodating flexible seating arrangements for up to 90 patrons. The building features fully ADA-compliant access and comfortable restrooms, as well as a generous bar, and catering capability, and is also available for cabaret performances and private events.

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