The Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire announced casting this morning for its upcoming Chicago premiere of The Bridges of Madison County, running June 21 to August 13. The 2014 Broadway musical, adapted by Marsha Norman and Jason Robert Brown, is based on the Robert James Waller novel (and the Clint Eastwood–Meryl Streep movie) about an affair between a traveling photographer and an Iowa housewife. Those leading roles will be played by Kathy Voytko as Francesca and Nathaniel Stampley as Robert.
Voytko has previously appeared at the Marriott in shows including 2006’s Once Upon a Time in New Jersey and 2008’s Les Misérables, and also gave a memorable performance as Clara in Gary Griffin’s 2007 production of Passion at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Her Broadway credits include Next to Normal, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder and Tuck Everlasting. Stampley won a Jeff Award last year for his starring role in Marriott’s Man of La Mancha; on Broadway, he’s appeared in The Color Purple and The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess.
Also in the cast of Bridges are Bart Shatto as Bud, Wydetta Carter as Marge, Terry Hamilton as Charlie, Tanner Hake as Michael, Brooke MacDougal as Carolyn and Emily Berman as Marian. The ensemble includes Shea Coffman, Nick Cosgrove, Phoebe González, Allyson Graves, Johanna McKenzie Miller, Danni Smith and Brandon Springman. Nick Bowling directs.
The Bridges of Madison County is one of three major productions of musicals by Jason Robert Brown on the North Shore this year. Immediately following Bridges, Marriott will stage another of the composer’s short-lived movie adaptations, 2015’s Honeymoon in Vegas, August 23 to October 15. Meanwhile, Writers Theatre opens Gary Griffin’s revival of 1998’s Parade, for which Brown won the Tony Award for Best Score, tonight in Glencoe.
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