Company to play at Broadway's Barrymore Theatre

Stephen Sondheim & George Furth's Tony Award-winning musical, Company, will play on Broadway at the Barrymore theatre. As previously announced the play is expected to open November 2006.

This new production of Company continues John Doyle's method of working with actor-musicians as seen in the currently running Broadway production of Sweeney Todd, which recently earned Mr Doyle the 2006 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical.

Company is about five married couples as seen through the eyes of their mutual friend Robert, a bachelor weighing the pros and cons of wedded life. A comic and touching tale exploring not only fear and longing but also the simple joys of being alive.

As well as direction by John Doyle, Company will also feature musical direction and orchestrations by Mary-Mitchell Campbell, set design by David Gallo, costume design by Ann Hould-Ward, and lighting design by Thomas C. Hase.

The cast of the Pre-Broadway Cincinnati production will reprise their roles for Broadway.

Ra�l Esparza (Bobby) and Barbara Walsh (Joanne) will lead the cast, which also features: Keith Buterbaugh, Matt Castle, Robert Cunningham, Angel Desai, Kelly Jeanne Grant, Kristin Huffman, Amy Justman, Heather Laws, Leenya Rideout, Fred Rose, Bruce Sabath, Elizabeth Stanley and Barbara Walsh.

The original production of Company, directed by Harold Prince, with musical staging by Michael Bennett, opened on Broadway at the Alvin (currently the Neil Simon) Theatre on 26 Apr 1970. The musical garnered five Tony Awards, including Best Musical. The show was last produced on Broadway by the Roundabout Theatre Company for a limited engagement in 1995.