Howard McGillin to Join the Cast of Broadway’s Rebecca

Two-time Tony nominee Howard McGillin will join Sierra Boggess and James Barbour in the upcoming Broadway musical Rebecca. McGillin will play the role of Frank Crawley instead of the previously announced John Dossett. Michael Blakemore and Francesca Zambello will jointly direct the production, a musical adaptation of the novel by Daphne du Maurier, which begins previews at the Broadhurst Theatre on March 27, 2012 and opens on April 22.

Based on the classic novel (later turned into an Oscar-winning film by Alfred Hitchcock), Rebecca is the story of Maxim de Winter, his new wife (“I”) and Mrs. Danvers, the controlling and manipulative housekeeper of Maxim’s West Country estate of Manderley, where the memory of his first wife, the glamorous and mysterious Rebecca, still casts a shadow.

McGillin is best known for his record-setting performance as the Phantom in Broadway’s Phantom of the Opera. He earned Tony nominations for Anything Goes and The Mystery of Edwin Drood. His other Broadway credits include She Loves Me, Kiss of The Spider Woman and Sunday in the Park with George. He is currently appearing in A Child’s Christmas in Wales at the Irish Repertory Theatre.

Rebecca features an original book and lyrics by Michael Kunze, music by Sylvester Levay, English book adaptation by Christopher Hampton and English lyrics by Hampton and Kunze. Graciela Daniele will create musical staging for the Broadway production. Scenic design is by Peter J. Davidson, costumes by Jane Greenwood, lighting by Mark McCullough, sound by Peter Fitzgerald, special effects by Gregory Meeh and projections by Sven Ortel. Musical direction and supervision is by Kevin Stites.