Several weeks ago Patrick Cassidy hosted a reunion of the original off-Broadway cast of the Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman musical Assassins. On Thursday, Classic Stage Company, which had to postpone their new production of the musical due to the pandemic, will celebrate the history of Assassins with Tell the Story, a free online event premiering on April 15th at 8:00 PM EDT/5:00 PM PDT.
Assassins looks at both successful and would-be presidential assassins. It’s a thoroughly engaging and thoughtful musical that suggests the fame these folks are seeking is not radically different than the attention the presidents and politicians receive.
John Doyle, Artistic Director of Classic Stage Company and a Tony Award winner for Best Director of the 2005 revival of Sweeney Todd, will be joined by Sondheim and Weidman for the event.
Participating from the original off-Broadway production at Playwrights Horizons in 1990 are:
Patrick Cassidy – (Balladeer); Victor Garber (John Wilkes Booth); Greg Germann (John Hinckley, Jr.); Annie Golden (Lynette ‘Squeaky’ Fromme); Lyn Greene (Bystander/Emma Goldman); Jonathan Hadary (Charles Guiteau); Eddie Korbich (Guiseppe Zangara); Terrence Mann (Leon Czolgosz); Debra Monk (Sara Jane Moore); William Parry (understudy for Leon Czolgosz/Samuel Byck); Lee Wilkof (Samuel Byck) and Jerry Zaks (director).
Joining from the Roundabout Theatre Company 2004 Tony Award-winning revival are:
Becky Ann Baker (Sara Jane Moore); Mario Cantone (Samuel Byck); Michael Cerveris (John Wilkes Booth; Tony Award); Mary Catherine Garrison (Lynette ‘Squeaky’ Fromme); Alexander Gemignani (John Hinckley, Jr.); Ken Krugman (Swing); Marc Kudisch (The Proprietor); Joe Mantello (Director); Anne L. Nathan (Emma Goldman); Denis O’Hare (Charles Guiteau); Chris Peluso (Understudy/Swing) and Sally Wilfert (Swing).
Joining from the upcoming Classic Stage Company production are:
Adam Chanler-Berat (John Hinckley, Jr.); Eddie Cooper (The Proprietor); Tavi Gevinson (Lynette ‘Squeaky’ Fromme); Andy Grotelueschen (Samuel Byck); Judy Kuhn (Sara Jane Moore); Steven Pasquale* (John Wilkes Booth); Ethan Slater (The Balladeer/Lee Harvey Oswald); Will Swenson (Charles Guiteau); Wesley Taylor (Guiseppe Zangara) and Brandon Uranowitz (Leon Czolgosz).
There are also special guests:
Quincy Tyler Bernstine (Marys Seacole); André De Shields (Hadestown – Tony Award); Raúl Esparza (2006 revival of Company directed by Doyle); Brad Giovanine (Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812); Ann Harada (2017 production of Pacific Overtures at CSC); Bianca Horn (2017 revival of The Color Purple directed by Doyle); Greg Jarrett (Music Director of CSC’s Pacific Overtures); Whit K. Lee (Junie B. Jones); Audra McDonald (you know who she is); Rob Morrison (Frankenstein at CSC); Mary Beth Peil (2008 revival of Sunday in the Park with George and 2011 revival of Follies); George Takei (CSC’s Pacific Overtures); Katrina Yaukey (2006 revival of Company); Tony Yazbeck (2008 revival of Gypsy) and Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Though the event is free, registration is required. Tell the Story will be available for streaming through April 19th only.
*Pasquale played the same part in the 2017 Encores! Off-Center production.
Photo: John Weidman and Will Swenson (Photo by Ahron R. Foster/Courtesy Classic Stage Company)