Injured Christian Hoff Withdraws from Pal Joey; Matthew Risch Steps In

Due to a foot injury sustained during a preview performance on November 21, Tony Award winner Christian Hoff has withdrawn from Roundabout Theater Company’s revival of Pal Joey. The show, which began previews on November 14, will now star understudy Matthew Risch, who took over the role of song and dance man Joey Evans for weekend performances following Hoff’s Friday night injury. The Saturday matinee on November 22 was cancelled. The show will delay its official opening night previously scheduled for December 11 by one week to accommodate Risch, opening December 18 at Studio 54. Preview performances will continue as scheduled.

The news follows in the tradition of the original 1940 production, when, like Risch, chorus veteran and relative unknown Gene Kelly was cast in the title role after just two ensemble roles on Broadway. Risch’s past Broadway credits include the casts of Chicago and Legally Blonde.

The story of dancer Joey Evans Risch, a lovable heel with dreams of opening his own nightclub who woos wealthy socialite Vera Simpson Channing to fund his venture, Pal Joey is the 1940 musical by composer/lyricist team Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart and written by John O’Hara. The tuner is based on characters from O’Hara’s original series of short stories published by The New Yorker. In addition to Risch, the revival cast includes Stockard Channing and Martha Plimpton.

The original production of Pal Joey, starring Gene Kelly, opened at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on December 25, 1940, moving to two other theaters during its year-long run and playing a total of 374 performances before closing on November 29, 1941. The show was revived at the Broadhurst Theatre in 1952, playing a Tony Award-winning 540 performances. New York City Center gave a special presentation of the show, starring Bob Fosse in a Tony nominated title-role turn, during the summer of 1963. Pal Joey was last produced at Circle in the Square for a two-month run in 1976. A 1995 Encores! presentation starred Patti LuPone, Peter Gallagher and Bebe Neuwirth. The show was made into a feature film in 1957 featuring Frank Sinatra, Rita Hayworth and Kim Novak, which earned four Academy Award nominations.

Pal Joey‘s creative team includes musical direction by Tony Award winner Paul Gemignani, costumes by William Ivey Long, lighting by Jules Fisher and Peggy Eisenhauer, sound by Tony Meola and orchestrations by Don Sebesky. Roundabout’s revival will also feature a new book by Tony Award winner Richard Greenberg, based on the original by O’Hara.