Broadway stars Judy Kaye, Erin Davie join cast of La Jolla Playhouse’s world-premiere musical ‘Diana’
La Jolla Playhouse is adding a pair of top Broadway veterans (and San Diego returnees) to the cast of “Diana,” the world-premiere musical about the late British princess.
The theater has announced that two-time Tony Award-winner Judy Kaye will play Queen Elizabeth in the much-buzzed show, and Erin Davie — last seen at the Playhouse in the Broadway-bound revival of “Side Show” five years ago — will portray Camilla Parker Bowles.
The Playhouse also has named Roe Hartrampf, a stage and screen actor whose credits include “The Bad Guys” off-Broadway, to play Prince Charles.
As announced last fall, the England-raised Jeanna de Waal will play the title role in the musical, which runs Feb. 19 to April 7 in the Playhouse’s Mandell Weiss Theatre. The piece is directed by Playhouse artistic chief Christopher Ashley, and created by writer-lyricist Joe DiPietro and composer David Bryan — Ashley’s collaborators on the previous La Jolla-launched, Tony-winning Broadway show “Memphis.”
The production’s just-announced ensemble members include Holly Ann Butler, Taylor Coleman, Eric Coles, Bruce Dow, Evan Duff, Madison Noelle Hall, Shaye Hopkins, Nicole Javier, Justin Keats, Gareth Keegan, Nathan Lucrezio, Tomas Matos, Allyn Moriyon, Lauren Livia Muehl, Jamen Nanthakumar, Enrico Nassi, Katheryne Penny, Lindsay Roberts, Tara Shoemaker and Bethany Ann Tesark.
Kaye has been a major Broadway star for years, appearing in 13 shows there and originating roles in such huge hits as “The Phantom of the Opera,” “Mamma Mia!” and “Ragtime.” She won Tonys for “Phantom” in 1988 and “Nice Work If You Can Get It” in 2012, , and was nominated for “Mamma Mia!” and “Souvenir.”
In 2010, Kaye came to San Diego’s Old Globe to play a key role in a revival of Neil Simon’s “Lost in Yonkers.” (See my chat with her about that show here.)
Davie likewise has considerable Broadway credits, originating the role of Young “Little” Edie Beale in “Grey Gardens” and appearing in the 2017 revival of “Sunday in the Park With George.”
She was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for her work in “Side Show” after it transferred from La Jolla to Broadway. (See my video chat with Davie and “Side Show” co-star Emily Padgett.)
The Playhouse also announced the full creative team for “Diana,” including scenic designer David Zinn, costume designer William Ivey Long, lighting designer Natasha Katz, sound designer Gareth Owen and orchestrator John Clancy. Gabriel Greene is dramaturg and Martha Donaldson is stage manager.
Twitter: @jimhebert
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