110 in the Shade: John Cullum joins cast

John Cullum will join Audra McDonald and Steve Kazee in the Roundabout Theatre Company's production of musical 110 in the Shade, by Harvey Schmidt, Tom Jones and N. Richard Nash, which is to open on Broadway at Studio 54 on 9 May 2007, following previews from 13 Apr and running through to 15 Jul 2007.

110 in the Shade is based on N. Richard Nash's play 'The Rainmaker', and tells the story of the mercurial Bill Starbuck (Steve Kazee) who promises rain for a drought-stricken town and passion for the stalwart but resigned Lizzie Curry (Audra McDonald). Cullum will play the role of H. C. Curry.

Broadway veteran John Cullum was last seen on a Roundabout stage in Arthur Miller�s 'All My Sons' during the 1996-1997 Off-Broadway season.

Cullum won his first Tony Award for his performance as Charlie Anderson in Shenandoah (1974), and his second for his performance as Oscar Jaffee in On the Twentieth Century (1978). He was nominated for a Tony Award for his role as Caldwell B. Cladwell in the Broadway musical Urinetown (2001).

Cullum can currently be seen on Broadway as Old Max in Dr. Seuss� How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

Song writing duo Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones are the same people who wrote The Fantasticks, which became the world's longest running musical playing off-Broadway for 17,162 between 3 May 1960 to the 13 Jan 2002. The musical was revived off-Broadway earlier this year and is currently playing at the Snapple Theater Center.

110 in the Shade will be directed by Lonny Price and choreographed by Dan Knechtges, with set and costume design by Santo Loquasto, lighting by Christopher Akerlind and sound by Dan Moses Schreier.

110 in the Shade first played on Broadway at Broadhurst Theatre opening on 24 Oct 1963 with Robert Horton as Bill Starbuck and Inga Swenson as Lizzie Curry.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on 2 Dec 2006.