NYCC 2015 Encores! announces full casting for Zorba!

The New York City Center 2015 Encores! has announced complete casting for the upcoming revival of John Kander and Fred Ebb's Zorba!, which will play seven performances from 6 to 10 May 2015.

The cast includes John Turturro (Zorba), Adam Chanler-Berat (Mimiko), Robert Cuccioli (Mavrodani), Elizabeth A. Davis (The Widow), Santino Fontana (Nico), Marin Mazzie (The Leader), Robert Montano (Manolakas), Carlos Valdes (Pavli), Zoë Wanamaker (Hortense), with Enrique Acevedo, Yusef Bulos, Laura D'Andre, Sean Ewing, Richard Gatta, Evangelia Kingsley, Nikka Graff Lanzarone, Vanessa Lemonides, Maria-Christina Oliveras, Michelle Peterson, David Scott Purdy, Waldemar Quinones-Villanueva, Matthew Rossoff, Rommy Sandhu, Gavriel Savit, Allysa Shorte, Evan D. Siegel, Joseph J. Simeone, Alex Syiek, Nicholas Ward and James Zannelli.

Zorba! features music and lyrics by John Kander and Fred Ebb, a book by Joseph Stein and is adapted from the best-selling novel 'Zorba the Greek' by Nikos Kazantzakis.

Synopsis: "Zorba! is Joseph Stein, John Kander and Fred Ebb's galvanic re-imagining of Nikos Kazantzakis's best-selling tale of Zorba (John Turturro), a larger than life Greek jack-of-all-trades who 'lives every day as if it will be his last' and his friendship with Nikos (Santino Fontana), a young American student. Life becomes complicated when the men become involved with two women: Zorba with the aging innkeeper Madame Hortense (Zoe Wanamaker) and Nikos with a beautiful widow. Commenting on the story is a Greek chorus-like group, led by The Leader (Marin Mazzie), who begins the play by explaining exactly what 'Life Is.'"

The Encores! production is directed by Walter Bobbie and features choreography by Josh Rhodes and music direction by Musical Direction by Rob Berman.

The original production of Zorba!, directed by Hal Prince, opened at the Imperial Theatre on 16 November 1968 and ran for 305 performances. Songs include 'Life Is' and 'Only Love.'

Based at the New York City Center under the artistic directorship of Jack Viertel, the Encores! 2015 season is made possible by Stacey and Eric Mindich, Nathalie and Pablo Salame, The Shubert Foundation, and the Stephanie and Fred Shuman Fund. The season features musical direction by Rob Berman and Rob Fisher.

- by Tom Millward