Robert McClure & Ashley Brown to Play Charlie & Oona Chaplin in New Musical Limelight

The life of one of Hollywood's most enduring icons will get the musical treatment when Limelight: The Story of Charlie Chaplin premieres at California's La Jolla Playhouse in September. Cast in the title role is Robert McClure, most recently seen on Broadway in Avenue Q, while Mary Poppins star Ashley Brown will take on the role of Chaplin's young fourth wife, Oona.

In addition to the Broadway and touring production of Avenue Q, McClure was seen on Broadway in I'm Not Rappaport. Regional credits include A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Grease, Parade, The Skin of Our Teeth, Oliver!, Carousel and The Bomb-itty of Errors.

After opening Mary Poppins on Broadway, Brown took the role of the lovable nanny on the road in the recent national tour of the Disney hit. Brown earlier appeared on Broadway as Belle in Beauty and the Beast.

Limelight also features LJ Benet as Young Sydney, Jenn Collella (Urban Cowboy) as Hedda Hopper, Eddie Korbich (The Little Mermaid) as Karno, Janet Metz (Falsettoland) as Hannah, Brooke Sunny Moriber as Mildred, Rob Orbach as Mr. Chaplin, Roland Rusinek as Alf, Jake Schwenke (Billy Elliot) as Young Charlie/Jackie, Matthew Scott as Sydney and William Youmans as Older Charlie. The ensemble includes Aaron Acosta, Courtney Corey, Matthew Patrick Davis, Justin Michael Duval, Sara Edwards, Ben Liebert, Alyssa Marie, Jennifer Noble, Kürt Norby, Carly Nykanen, Jessica Reiner-Harris and Kirsten Scott.

Limelight features a score by Christopher Curtis and a book by Curtis and Tony Award winner Thomas Meehan (Hairspray, The Producers). Michael Unger will direct this premiere production, with choreography by Warren Carlyle (Finian's Rainbow).

The musical will run at the La Jolla, California theater from September 7 through October 17, 2010, with an opening night set for September 19.