Eden Espinosa stars in the April 1 world premiere of Rain, composer Michael John LaChiusa's musical adaptation of W. Somerset Maugham's steamy classic about a prostitute who tries to remake her life in the tropics. Previews began March 24 at Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, CA.听
LaChiusa's collaborator on the project is librettist , who partnered with him on the Off-Broadway musical Giant. Her playwriting career includes the book to the 1983 musical聽.
(, Brooklyn, Rent) plays the central role of Sadie Thompson. She is joined by as Noi Noi (Princess in The Orphan of Zhao at American Conservatory Theater and , co-star on Gossip Girl, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Cashmere Mafia), as Anna Davidson (Tony Award nominee for Once, plus Allegro and Caucasian Chalk Circle at ), as Jo (In Your Arms at the Globe, Broadway鈥檚 , 础苍苍颈别听and ), as Louisa MacPhail (LaChiusa鈥檚 First Daughter Suite as Tricia Nixon and Susan Ford, Broadway鈥檚 and ), as Kiwi (Globe鈥檚 The , 鈥� How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, original Globe cast and on Broadway), Mike Sears as Quartermaster and Hopper (When It Comes and Othello at the Globe, at La Jolla Playhouse), as Alec MacPhail (Broadway鈥檚 School of Rock, 听补苍诲 , Globe鈥檚 Robin and the 7 Hoods) and as Alfred Davidson ( on Broadway, We Will Rock You and Wicked first national tours, co-star on Blue Bloods).
Maugham's 1921 short story has been adapted to stage and film several times, perhaps most famously in 1928 with as Sadie, a former prostitute who tries to start life anew on a South Pacific island, only to cross paths with two men, an army sergeant and a missionary, who roil her new life. The prolific LaChiusa has been nominated for Tony Awards five times. His musicals include , , Hello Again, , The Petrified Prince, See What I Wanna See, Little Fish, Bernarda Alba, Suite, Queen of the Mist and the recent聽First Daughter Suite.
Old Globe artistic director makes his musical theatre debut with the production. The creative team also includes (movement), J. Oconer Navarro (music director), (orchestrations), (scenic design), Katherine Roth (costume design), Russell H. Champa (lighting design), Ken Travis (sound design), Telsey + Company/Andrew Femenella CSA and Patrick Goodwin CSA (casting), and James Latus (production stage manager).
Tickets are available via phone at (619) 234-5623 or on the web, .听
