Come along and listen to the lullaby of Broadway as The Gateway starts its 76th Season with the tap sensation 42nd Street – a show that celebrates the magic of Broadway! On stage at The Gateway Playhouse from May 2 – June 1, 2025.
42nd Street celebrates Broadway, Times Square, and the magic of showbiz with wit, humor, and pizzazz. At the height of the Great Depression, aspiring chorus girl Peggy Sawyer comes to the big city from Allentown, PA, and soon lands her first big job in the ensemble of a glitzy new Broadway show. Will this be Peggy’s big break and become a star? The score is chock-full of Broadway standards, including “You’re Getting To Be A Habit With Me,” “Dames,” “We’re In the Money,” “Lullaby of Broadway,” “Shuffle Off to Buffalo” and “Forty-Second Street.”
42nd Street – which received a Tony Award® for Best Musical after its premiere in 1980 and Best Revival in 2001 – has a book by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble, Lyrics by Al Dubin and Johnny Mercer, and Music by Harry Warren. It is directed and choreographed at The Gateway Playhouse by Randy Skinner, who originally worked under the legendary Gower Champion. Champion directed and choreographed the 1980 smash hit, dying mere hours before the opening curtain. Skinner, who was largely responsible for the tap dances in the show (according to insiders) stepped in to carry out and ultimately take over the choreography, becoming the creative force behind its movement and rhythm. Mark Bramble, who co-wrote the book, brought a revival of the show to Broadway in 2001 after staging and directing a reconceived version of 42nd Street in London with Skinner as choreographer. Since Bramble’s passing in 2019, Skinner naturally stepped into the role of director, faithfully preserving the show’s spirit while also evolving it for new generations of audiences and continues to carry the torch forward ensuring the splendor of 42nd Street lives on. The creative team will also include the associate choreography of Mary Giattino – who has assisted Skinner on multiple projects – and music directed by Andrew Haile Austin. 42nd Street is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals (www.concordtheatricals.com).
Director Randy Skinner is an award-winning director, choreographer, and performer whose work has encompassed Broadway, off-Broadway, regional, and Los Angeles productions. Some notable shows include 42nd Street (Tony®, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Astaire nominations), Ain’t Broadway Grand (Tony®, Outer Critics Circle nominations), Irving Berlin’s White Christmas (Tony®, Drama Desk nominations), and State Fair (Outer Critics Circle nomination). Skinner recently directed The Gateway’s 2024 production of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas.
Associate choreographer Mary Giattino, a former Rockette, has performed on Broadway and on the Broadway National Tours of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, Billy Elliot: The Musical, 42nd Street, Lady Be Good, No No Nanette, and Of Thee I Sing. She also served as Skinner’s assistant choreographer and assistant dance captain during the Broadway run of Irving Berlin’s White Christmas. She was the resident choreographer for the Billy Elliot: The Musical National Tour and has choreographed and performed in numerous shows at The Gateway.
Musical Director Andrew Haile Austin has musically directed over 100 productions of operas and musicals across the country, most recently at Virginia Music Theatre, John Engeman Theatre, Virginia Stage Company, and Theatre Under the Stars. This is his 21st production for The Gateway, most recently music directing In the Heights, The Wedding Singer, and Evita.
The cast will feature RYAN K BAILER (National Tour Evita, Les Miserables; Regional The Sound of Music, Evita, 42nd Street) as Julian Marsh, KRISTEN BETH WILLIAMS (Broadway Hello, Dolly!, Pippin, Nice Work If You Can Get It; National Tour A Gentleman’s Guide…, 101 Dalmations the Musical) as Dorothy Brock, GRIFFIN T WILKINS (Regional West Side Story, Bandstand, Mamma Mia!) as Billy Lawlor, ELIZABETH MCGUIRE (Regional 42nd Street, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, Legally Blonde) as Peggy Sawyer, CULLEN R TITMUS (Broadway/National Tour The Last Ship, Billy Elliot, Avenue Q) as Bert Barry, JESSICA WOCKENFUSS (National Tour Jersey Boys, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, Spamalot; Regional 42nd Street, Chicago) as Maggie Jones, and SARAH DEARSTYNE (National Tour Disney’s Frozen, Bandstand; Regional Anything Goes, 42nd Street, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas) as Ann “Anytime Annie” Reilly. The cast also includes WILLIE CLYDE BEATON II (Broadway A Wonderful World, Regional 42nd Street, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, The Last Red Hot Mamas) as Andy Lee, MARLINA BROWN (National Tour A Charlie Brown Christmas; Regional Annie, Chicago, Anything Goes) as Phyllis Dale, ROBERT ANTHONY JONES (Broadway/National Tour/Workshops Finding Neverland, The Phantom of the Opera, Hairspray; Regional Beauty and the Beast) as Abner Dillon, HALEY HOLCOMB (Regional Pride and Prejudice, Gypsy, Singin’ in the Rain) as Lorraine Flemming, JESSE SWIMM (Broadway/National Tour Mary Poppins, My Fair Lady, West Side Story) as Pat Denning, and HALLE SURGIL (Regional 42nd Street, Disney’s Frozen, Bandstand) as Gladys; and completing the cast are KEILA SUE WONG, COLLEEN ROBERTS, BECCA PERRON, BRANDON J MORRIS, CHASE FONTENOT, SEAN QUINN, JOSH MCWHORTOR, SAM SANDERSON, and IAN BLACK.
The Gateway’s 76th season continues with Pretty Woman, Phantom, Holiday Spectacular on Ice, The Rat Pack is Back, and Dear Evan Hansen.
Tickets for 42nd Street are on sale now and start at $59. For a complete show schedule and for more information on how you can save, contact the Box Office at 631-286-1133 or visit www.TheGateway.org.
Recent Comments