Passion: CSC to produce Sondheim's musical

The Classic Stage Company has announced that Judy Kuhn and Melissa Errico will star as 'Fosca' and 'Clara' in the company's new production of Stephen Sondheim's and James Lapine's Tony Award-winning musical Passion, to be directed by John Doyle. The revival is expected to begin performances in Feb 2013.

Passion: Set in 19th century Italy, the plot concerns Captain Giorgio Bachetti, a military hero, transferred to a strange and remote Italian outpost. Far away from his beloved Clara (Melissa Errico), he encounters Fosca (Judy Kuhn), the cousin of his commanding officer, and her influence has shattering and inconceivable consequences.

Director John Doyle's won a Tony Award for his helming of Sondheim's 'Sweeney Todd,' and was nominated for a Tony for his work on Sondheim's 'Company,' which won a Tony for Best revival. Both productions won praise for Doyle's innovative interpretation of sondheim's work which featured actors who sang, danced and provided their own musical accompaniment.

Judy Kuhn's (Fosca) Broadway credits include 'Les Misérables' (original production), 'Chess,' and 'She Loves Me,' for which she was nominated for Tony Awards. Her Off-Broadway credits include 'The Mystery of Edwin Drood,' 'As Thousands Cheer,' 'Dream True: My Life with Vernon Dixon.' and' Eli's Comin'' for which she won an Obie.

Melissa Errico (Clara) was nominated for a Tony for her role as 'Isabelle' in 'Amour.' Other Broadway credits include: 'Irving Berlin's White Christmas,' 'Dracula, the Musical,' 'High Society,' 'My Fair Lady' and 'Anna Karenina.' Off-Broadway shw won a Lucille Lortel Award for her role as 'Venus' in 'One Touch of Venus,' other Off-Broadway credits include 'Candida' and 'Finian's Rainbow.'

Passion premiered on Broadway in 1994, directed by James Lapine, it starred Donna Murphy as 'Fosca' and Marin Mazzie as 'Clara.' The production won four Tony Awards: Best Musical, Best score, Best Book and Best Actress (Donna Murphy), and earned Marin Mazzie a nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.