Gentlemen Prefer Blondes announces full cast

Rachel York (Dorothy Shaw) will join Megan Hilty (Lorelei Lee) in the Encores! production of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, which is playing for seven performances from 9 - 13 May 2012 at New York City Center.

The musical, directed by John Rando with music direction by Rob Berman and choreography by Randy Skinner, will also star Phillip Attmore (Tap Dancer), Steven Boyer (Louis Lemanteur), Brennan Brown (Esmond Sr.), Stephen R. Buntrock (Joseph Gage), Jared Grimes (Tap Dancer), Simon Jones (Sir Francis Beekman), Aaron Lazar (Henry Spofford), Deborah Rush (Mrs. Ella Spofford), Sandra Shipley (Lady Phyllis Beekman), Megan Sikora (Gloria Stark) and Clarke Thorell (Gus Esmond, Jr).

The ensemble will feature Callan Bergmann, Charissa Bertels, Sam Bolen, Eric Bourne, Kyle Brown, Robin Campbell, Christine DiGiallonardo, Luke Hawkins, Arlo Hill, Michael Marcotte, Nick McGough, Shannon M. O'Bryan, Lindsay O'Neil, Kristyn Pope, Lindsay Roberts, Kelly Sheehan, Jessica Vosk, Anna Aimee White and Matt Zimmerman.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, with music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Leo Robin, book by Anita Loos and Joseph Fields, adapted from the novel by Anita Loos, follows the madcap adventures of the original 'dumb blonde,' 'Lorelei Lee' as she sets sail for Europe with her best friend 'Dorothy Shaw.' Lorelei is engaged to 'Gus Esmond,' the Button King and has a flirtation with 'Josephus Gage,' the Zipper King. Traveling with them are 'Mrs. Ella Spofford,' the richest woman in Philadelphia, her son 'Henry' and a ship full of colorful characters.

The Broadway premiere of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes made a star of Carol Channing on Broadway and later cemented Marilyn Monroe's status as an American film icon and sex symbol in the 1953 screen version. The musical score includes "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" "Bye, Bye, Baby," "A Little Girl from Little Rock" and "I Love What I'm Doing (When I'm Doing it for Love)."

The original production, directed by John C. Wilson and choreographed by Agnes de Mille, opened at the Ziegfeld Theatre (demolished 1966) on 8 Dec 1949, and played a total of 740 performances. The show was revived by Tony Randall's National Actors Theater in 1995 and ran for 24 performances.

Bios:

Phillip Attmore (Tap Dancer) has appeared in the Broadway productions of 'Irving Berlin's White Christmas' and 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' and has performed with Leslie Uggams, Ben Vereen and Richard Harris. He has been nominated for the NAACP Theater Award and was cast in season six of "So You Think You Can Dance" as one of America's Top 20 dancers.

Steven Boyer (Louis Lemanteur) appeared in the Broadway revival of 'I'm Not Rappaport' and was seen off-Broadway in 'The Ugly One,' 'Hand To God,' T'he School For Lies,' 'The Coward' and 'Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson.'

Brennan Brown (Esmond Sr.) can currently be seen as "Special Agent Donnelly" on the CBS drama "Person of Interest". Recent TV/Film credits include "I Love You Phillip Morris," "State of Play," "Ugly Betty", "Damages," "Miss Marple" for Masterpiece Theater and the HBO miniseries "John Adams." He has appeared on Broadway in 'Major Barbara,' 'The Persians and' 'Right You Are.'

Stephen R. Buntrock (Joseph Gage) has appeared on Broadway in 'A Little Night Music,' 'Grease,' 'Beauty and the Beast,' 'Phantom of the Opera,' 'Oklahoma!' and 'Titanic.'

Jared Grimes (Tap Dancer) last appeared at City Center in 'Cotton Club Parade.' He has danced alongside Wynton Marsalis, Gregory Hines, Ben Vereen, Jerry Lewis and Fayard Nicholas and toured with Mariah Carey.

Megan Hilty (Lorelei Lee) stars in the NBC musical drama, "Smash." She made her Broadway debut as 'Glinda' in 'Wicked,' a role she repeated on the national tour and in Los Angeles. She played 'Doralee,' the Dolly Parton role, in the Broadway production of '9 to 5: The Musical.'

Simon Jones (Sir Francis Beekman) made his Broadway debut in 'The Real Thing' (1984) and has since appeared in 'Benefactors,' 'The School for Scandal,' 'Getting Married,' 'Private Lives,' 'The Real Inspector Hound and The Fifteen Minute Hamlet,' 'The Herbal Bed,' 'Ring Round the Moon,' 'Waiting in the Wings' and 'Blithe Spirit.'

Aaron Lazar (Henry Spofford) has appeared on Broadway in 'A Tale of Two Cities,' 'Impressionism' starring Jeremy Irons, the revival of 'Les Miserables' and most recently, 'A Little Night Music.' He also starred as 'Fabrizio' in 'The Light in the Piazza' at Lincoln Center.

Deborah Rush (Mrs. Ella Spofford) was nominated for a Tony Award for her appearance in 'Noises Off.' Her other Broadway credits include 'Blithe Spirit,' 'Absurd Person Singular,' 'The Sisters Rosensweig' and 'Hay Fever.' She has been seen in the films 'Julie & Julia,' 'American Pie 3,' 'You've Got Mail,' 'In and Out,' 'Big Business,' 'Purple Rose of Cairo' and' Zelig.'

Sandra Shipley (Lady Phyllis Beekman) has appeared on Broadway in 'The Importance of Being Ernest' with Brian Bedford, 'Blithe Spirit' directed by Michael Blakemore, 'Equus,' 'Pygmalion' and 'Indiscretion.'

Megan Sikora (Gloria Stark) appeared on Broadway in 'How to Succeed..,' 'Promises, Promises,' 'Curtains,' 'Wicked,' 'Dracula,' 'Wonderful Town,' 'Thoroughly Modern Millie' and '42nd Street.' Megan's Encores! credits include 'Fanny,' 'Applause' and 'A Connecticut Yankee.'

Clarke Thorell (Gus Esmond, Jr) appeared on Broadway in 'Hairspray,' 'Mamma Mia!,' 'Sinatra...His Way,' 'Titanic' and 'The Who's Tommy.' Clarke played 'Charlie Bentham' in the Encores! production of 'Juno.'

Rachel York (Dorothy Shaw) has appeared on Broadway as 'Fantine' in 'Les Misérables,' 'Norma' in 'Victor/Victoria' with Julie Andrews, 'Marguerite' in 'The Scarlet Pimpernel,' 'Miss Fancy' in 'Sly Fox' with Richard Dreyfuss and 'Christine Colgate' in 'Dirty Rotten Scoundrels' with Jonathan Pryce. She appeared off-Broadway opposite Julie Andrews in Stephen Sondheim's P'utting It Togethe.'