Laura Benanti Joins the Cast of Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

Tony Award winner Laura Benanti will join the cast of Lincoln Center Theater’s forthcoming world premiere production of Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. Based on the 1988 film by Pedro Almodóvar, the new musical will begin performances on October 2 and open on November 4 at Broadway’s Belasco Theatre, directed by Bartlett Sher.

Benanti joins previously announced stars de’Adre Aziza, Danny Burstein, Nikka Graff Lanzarone, Patti LuPone, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Mary Beth Peil and Sherie Rene Scott. The show features music and lyrics by David Yazbek and a book by Jeffrey Lane, who collaborated on Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

Set in late 20th-century Madrid, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown tells the story of the intertwining lives of a group of women (Scott, Aziza, Benanti, Lanzarone and LuPone) whose relationships with men lead to a tumultuous 48 hours of love, confusion and passion.

A Tony winner for Gypsy, Benanti most recently appeared on Broadway in LCT’s production of In the Next Room or the Vibrator Play. Other Broadway credits include The Wedding Singer, Nine, The Sound of Music and Tony-nominated performances in Into the Woods and Swing. Off-Broadway credits include Why Torture Is Wrong and the City Center Encores! productions of Wonderful Town and Gypsy .

Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown will have choreography by Christopher Gattelli, musical direction by Jim Abbott, sets by Michael Yeargan, costumes by Catherine Zuber, lighting by Brian MacDevitt and sound by Scott Lehrer.