Curtains

CURTAINS, the New Musical Comedy Whodunit from the creators of Cabaret and Chicago, played at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street, west of Eighth Avenue).

David Hyde Pierce, a 2007 Tony Award® winner for his performance in CURTAINS and a four-time Emmy Award winner for his role as Niles Crane in “Frasier,” stars with Tony Award® and Emmy Award winner Debra Monk (Chicago, Steel Pier, “NYPD Blue”) in the show that Jeffrey Lyons, WNBC, calls “a big, delightful musical packed full of show-stopping numbers.”

CURTAINS features a book by Rupert Holmes (multiple Tony Award®-winner for The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Say Goodnight Gracie), music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb (the Tony Award®-winning songwriters of Cabaret and Chicago), original book and concept by Tony Award®-winner Peter Stone (1776, Titanic, The Will Rogers Follies), and additional lyrics by John Kander & Rupert Holmes. The production is directed by five-time Tony Award®-nominee Scott Ellis (She Loves Me, 1776, 12 Angry Men, Steel Pier), with choreography by Tony Award®-winner Rob Ashford (Thoroughly Modern Millie).

CURTAINS unfolds backstage at Boston’s Colonial Theatre in 1959, where a new musical could be a Broadway smash, were it not for the presence of its talent-free leading lady. When the hapless star dies on opening night during her curtain call, Lieutenant Frank Cioffi (David Hyde Pierce) arrives on the scene to conduct an investigation. But the lure of the theatre proves irresistible and after an unexpected romance blooms for the stage-struck detective, he finds himself just as drawn toward making the show a hit, as he is in solving the murder.

CURTAINS stars David Hyde Pierce as Lieutenant Frank Cioffi and Debra Monk as producer Carmen Bernstein. The production also stars Karen Ziemba as lyricist Georgia Hendricks, Jason Danieley as composer Aaron Fox, Erin Davie as ingénue Niki Harris and Edward Hibbert as director Christopher Belling, with John Bolton as theatre critic Daryl Grady, Michael X. Martin as stage manager Johnny Harmon, Michael McCormick as investor Oscar Shapiro, Noah Racey as choreographer Bobby Pepper, Gerry Vichi as producer Sidney Bernstein and Megan Sikora as understudy Bambi Bernét.

The 31-member cast also features Nili Bassman (Arlene Barucca), Bridget Berger (Roberta Wooster), Kevin Bernard (Roy Stetson/Detective O’Farrell), Ward Billeisen (Brick Hawvermale), Jennifer Dunne (Jan Setler), David Eggers (Swing), J. Austin Eyer (Swing), Jennifer Frankel (Marjorie Cook), Patty Goble (Jessica Cranshaw/Connie Subbotin), Lorin Lattaro (Swing), Shannon Lewis (Mona Page), David Loud (Sasha Iljinsky), Brittany Marcin (Peg Prentice), Jim Newman (Randy Dexter), Aaron Ramey (Harv Fremont), Joe Aaron Reid (Ronnie Driscoll), Christopher Spaulding (Russ Cochran), Jerome Vivona (Swing) and Stephanie Youell (Swing).

David Hyde Pierce is the winner of the 2007 Tony Award® for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance. The production was nominated for eight 2007 Tony Awards®, including Best Musical. CURTAINS also won Drama Desk Awards for Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Debra Monk) and Best Book (Rupert Holmes, Peter Stone), an Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Karen Ziemba), and special awards from the Drama Desk and Drama League to legendary songwriting team of John Kander & Fred Ebb for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre.

Producers are Roger Berlind, Roger Horchow, Daryl Roth, Jane Bergère, Ted Hartley and Center Theatre Group.

Set design is by Anna Louizos, costume design by William Ivey Long, lighting design by Peter Kaczorowski and sound design by Brian Ronan. Orchestrations are by William David Brohn. Dance arrangements are by David Chase. Music direction and vocal arrangements are by David Loud. Wig and hair design is by Paul Huntley. Fight direction is by Rick Sordelet. Aerial effects design is by Paul Rubin. Make-up design is by Angelina Avallone. Associate Choreographer is Joann M. Hunter. Production Supervisor is Beverley Randolph. Technical Supervisor is Peter Fulbright. Casting is by Jim Carnahan.