The critically-lauded Off-Broadway musical The Band’s Visit, which is making the trek to Broadway this coming season, will retain many of the original cast members, including star of stage and screen Tony Shalhoub as “Tewfiq”.
For its Broadway berth. the cast will feature Katrina Lenk (Indecent) as “Dina,” John Cariani (Something Rotten!) as “Itzik,” Ari’el Stachel (We Live in Cairo) as “Haled,” George Abud (The Visit) as “Camal,” Andrew Polk (Burning) as “Avrum,” Bill Army (Act One) as “Zelger,” Rachel Prather (Once) as “Julia,” Jonathan Raviv (Martyrs Street) as “Sammy,” Sharone Sayegh (Mamma Mia!) as “Anna,” Kristen Sieh (The Fortress of Solitude) as “Iris,” Alok Tewari (Awake and Sing!) as “Simon.”
An integral part of the productions, musicians will include Andrea Grody (Music Director/Piano), George Abud (Violin, Oud, Darbuka), Alexandra Eckhardt (Bass), Philip Mayer (Drums, Arabic Percussion), Sam Sadigursky (Clarinet, Saxophones, Flute), Jeff Theiss (Associate Conductor/Keyboard), Harvey Valdes (Guitar) and Garo Yellin (Cello).
The Band’s Visit enjoyed a successful run at Off-Broadway’s Atlantic Theatre Company from November 11, 2016 to January 8, 2017. The production garnered many accolades, including a Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical, an Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical, An Obie Award for Musical Theatre, and New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Musical! Featuring a score by Tony-nominated composer David Yazbek (The Full Monty, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) and a book by Itamar Moses, based on the Screenplay by Eran Kolirin, The Band’s Visit is set to open at Broadway’s Ethel Barrymore Theatre on November 9, 2017. The production will be directed by David Cromer (Brighton Beach Memoirs, Our Town).
The creative team includes Patrick McCollum (Choreography), Scott Pask (Set Design), Sarah Laux (Costume Design), Tyler Micoleau (Lighting Design), Kai Harada (Sound Design), Maya Ciarrocchi (Projection Design), Charles LaPointe (Hair Designer), Jamshied Sharifi (Orchestrations), Andrea Grody (Co-Music Supervisor, Music Director), Dean Sharenow (Co-Music Supervisor), casting by Tara Rubin Casting.
The story of The Band’s Visit is described as follows:
“An Egyptian Police Band arrives in Israel to play a concert. After a mix-up at the border, they are sent to a remote village in the middle of the desert. With no bus until morning and no hotel in sight, these unlikely travelers are taken in by the locals. Under the spell of the desert sky, their lives become intertwined in the most unexpected ways. A new musical based on the critically acclaimed screenplay which received 36 major international awards.”
Mark Robinson is the author of the two-volume encyclopedia The World of Musicals and maintains a theater and entertainment blog at markrobinsonwrites.com.