Geva Theatre Center Presents COMPANY, 5/9-6/10

Geva Theatre Center's 2011-2012 Wilson Mainstage Season concludes with Stephen Sondheim and George Furth's musical Company, which begins performances on May 9 and runs in the Elaine P. Wilson Mainstage through June 10.

Single and eligible, Bobby can't commit to a long-term relationship, let alone marriage. His friends are all married; some happily, some unhappily and some…just coasting along. He is their best friend, confidante, mediator and babysitter all wrapped up in a charming bachelor. In the search for one perfect person to share his live with, will Bobby end up losing himself? 

Considered one of America's greatest composer/lyricists, Stephen Sondheim's career spans nearly 60 years. He is one of the most honored living musical theatre composers with an Academy Award, eight Tony Awards, including the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, multiple Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize and a Kennedy Center Honor, to name a few. He has been described by Frank Rich of the New York Times as "the greatest, and perhaps best-known, artist working in musical theatre."  In addition to Company, his most notable scores include A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park with George and Into the Woods. He was the lyricist for Broadway classics such as Gypsy and West Side Story and his contributions to film include a song for the 1981 motion picture,Reds and five songs for the 1990 movie Dick Tracy. In 2010 Broadway's Henry Miller Theatre was renamed the Sondheim Theatre in his honor. 

Although known primarily for his work as a writer and his collaborations with Stephen Sondheim, George Furth was a successful Broadway, TV and film actor. In addition to Company, Furth collaborated with Sondheim on Merrily We Roll Along and a drama,Getting Away with Murder. Other Furth plays include Twigs, The Supporting Cast, Precious Sons and the book for the Tony-nominated Kander and Ebb musical, The Act written for Liza Minnelli. 

Company opened on Broadway in April 1970 at the Alvin Theatre where it played for 705 performances. It was nominated for twelve Tony Awards and won six including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score and Best Lyrics. The 1995 Broadway revival was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical and in 2006, a second Broadway revival was presented which won the Tony and Drama Desk Awards for Best Revival of a Musical. This production was filmed and was broadcast on PBS in 2008.  A recent New York Philharmonic Concert of Company was presented starring Neil Patrick Harris as Bobby with a supporting cast featuring Patti LuPone and Stephen Colbert. This latest production was filmed and broadcast in movie theatres nationwide.   

Geva's production of Company features a stellar ensemble cast of Broadway, Off-Broadway and National Tour veterans. Jim Poulos stars as Bobby. Mr. Poulos (Broadway's Rent and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer) is a frequent visitor to Geva having appeared in Convenience, Amadeus, and A Christmas Carol. Anne Allgood's (Joanne) Broadway credits include The Most Happy Fella, Carousel and Beauty and the Beast; and Bobby Daye (David) has appeared on Broadway in The Book of Morman, Shrek,The Color Purple and The Lion King. Native Rochesterian Nicolette Hart (Marta) returns home with a host of Broadway credits including Million Dollar Quartet, Legally Blonde, Rent and The Wedding Singer. Leslie Henstock (Kathy) has appeared in national tours of The Light in the Piazza and Les Misérables, and Jessie Hooker (Jenny) is the veteran of several national tours includingLegally Blonde and Ragtime.  Kristen Mengelkoch (Amy) was most recently seen in Geva's production of Perfect Wedding as well as last season's The Music Man and Five Course Love in 2010. Michele Ragusa's (Sarah) Broadway credits include Young Frankenstein, and Ben Roseberry (Paul) has appeared in the national tours of The Lion King and Rent. Bruce Sabath (Harry) returns to his native Rochester having appeared in the 2006 Tony Award-winning production of Company and NYC productions ofHello, Again and Platinum, among others. Emily Stockdale (April) appeared in the New York Philharmonic Concert of Companystarring Neil Patrick Harris, and Elisa Van Duyne's (Susan) Broadway credits include Finian's Rainbow, Beauty and the Beast, 110 in the Shade, and 42^nd Street. Kevin Vortmann (Peter) most recently was seen in the Broadway revival of A Little Night Music and in the Off-Broadway production of Death Takes a Holiday, and Jeff Williams' (Larry) Broadway credits include Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Pirate Queen and The Music Man.

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