Ogunquit Playhouse announces casting for THE NUTTY PROFESSOR

Maine’s Ogunquit Playhouse has announced casting for its musical adaptation of the beloved film comedy The Nutty Professor, running from 1 July–3 August).

Featuring the final score from Pulitzer Prize, Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony winner Marvin Hamlisch, the cast includes Max Crumm (Grease) as Julius Kelp/Buddy Love, Elena Ricardo (Mamma Mia!) as Stella Purdy, Klea Blackhurst (Ogunquit’s A Very Brady Musical) as Miss Lemon, Mel Johnson Jr (The Lion King) as Harrington Winslow, and Jeff McCarthy (Side Show) as Dr. Warfield.

Completing the cast are Parker Aimone, Alyssa Carol, Jillian Hope Ferguson, Joseph Harrington, Fernell Hogan, Corinne Munsch, Chase Peacock, Larkin Reilly, Ethan Rogers, Vanessa Sierra, Kyra Louise Smith, Jordan Stephens, Jake Urban, Jerome Vivona, and Blake Zelesnikar.

The Nutty Professor, a new musical adapted from the classic 1963 Jerry Lewis film, brings us the nerdy Professor Julius Kelp and his transformation into the suave and sophisticated Buddy Love. Based on Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1886 gothic novella The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, the comedic film joined the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry in 2004 and became one of AFI’s 100 Funniest Films of all-time (2000).

In 2009, the Jerry Lewis film script was adapted as a musical comedy by writer Rupert Holmes and composer Marvin Hamlisch. Now The Nutty Professor has been given new life by Ogunquit Playhouse’s New Works Program, with Holmes significantly reworking the script alongside Marvin’s wife Terre Hamlisch, Ogunquit Playhouse Executive Artistic Director Bradford T. Kenney, director Marc Bruni, and choreographer JoAnn Hunter (School of Rock).

The Nutty Professor features orchestrations by Larry Hochman, music supervision and vocal arrangements by Todd Ellison, music direction by Matt Deitchman, set design by Wilson Chin and Riw Rakkulchon, lighting by Cory Pattak, costumes by Mara Blumenfeld, and sound by Kevin Heard.

For more information and to book tickets, please click here.