Byron Jennings joins the cast of She Loves Me

The Roundabout Theatre Company has announced a change in the cast for its upcoming revival of classic musical She Loves Me, which will officially open at Broadway's Studio 54 on 17 March 2016, following previews from 19 February and play a limited engagement through to 5 June 2016.

Byron Jennings replaces René Auberjonois as Maraczek, who has had to withdraw due to personal reasons.

Mr Jennings joins previously announced cast members Tony winner Laura Benanti (Amalia), Zachary Levi (Georg), Tony & Olivier winner Jane Krakowski (Ilona), Olivier winner Gavin Creel (Kodaly), Tony nominee Michael McGrath (Sipos), Nicholas Barasch (Arpad), Peter Bartlett (Head Waiter), along with Cameron Adams, Alison Cimmet, Justin Bowen, Preston Truman Boyd, Benjamin Eakeley, Sara Edwards, Michael Fatica, Gina Ferrall, Jenifer Foote, Andrew Kober, Laura Shoop and Jim Walton.

She Loves Me, directed by Scott Ellis, features a book by Joe Masteroff, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick and music by Jerry Bock. The score features classics such as "Vanilla Ice Cream," "A Romantic Atmosphere," "Dear Friend" and "She Loves Me."

Synopsis: "She Loves Me is a heart-warming musical comedy classic about finding love the good old-fashioned way. It follows Georg (Radnor) and Amalia (Benanti), two parfumerie clerks who aren't quite the best of friends. Constantly bumping heads while on the job, the sparring coworkers can't seem to find common ground. But little do they know, the anonymous romantic pen pals they have both been falling for happen to be each other! Will love continue to blossom once their identities are finally revealed?"

She Loves Me features choreography by Warren Carlyle, musical direction by Paul Gemignani, set design by David Rockwell, costume design by Jeff Mahshie, lighting design by Don Holder, sound design by Jon Weston, orchestrations by Larry Hochman and dance arrangements by David Krane.

Based on a play by Miklos Laszlo, the story was the basis of the 1949 James Stewart film "The Shop Around the Corner" and the 1998 Tom Hanks & Meg Ryan film "You've Got Mail." The original 1963 Broadway production starred Barbara Cook, Daniel Massey and Jack Cassidy and ran 301 performances.

Performed to celebrate the Roundabout's 50th anniversary, the company also revived the last Broadway outing in 1993.

Byron Jennings' previous Roundabout Theatre Company credits include 'The Man Who Came To Dinner,' 'Heartbreak House,' 'A Touch of the Poet,' 'Twelve Angry Men' and 'A Month in the Country.' Other Broadway credits include 'You Can't Take It With You,' 'Macbeth,' 'Arcadia,' 'The Merchant of Venice,' 'Accent on Youth,' 'Is He Dead?,' 'Inherit the Wind,' 'Sight Unseen,' 'Henry IV,' 'Dinner at Eight,' 'Noises Off,' and 'The Invention of Love.'

- by Tom Millward