Broadway Vets Michele Ragusa and Timothy Gulan to Play For the Boys in Chicago

For the Boys, a new World War II musical adapted from the 1991 film starring Bette Midler and James Caan, will premiere at Chicago’s Marriott Theatre, directed and choreographed by Marc Robin. Broadway veteran Michele Ragusa will star as USO entertainer Dixie Leonard, the role originated by Midler, and Timothy Gulan will star as Eddie Sparks, the part created by Caan. Previews of the show will begin on August 17 ahead of an August 26 opening night.

In addition to Ragusa and Gulan, the cast will include Anne Gunn as Loretta Brooks, Summer Smart as Margaret, Michael Lindner as Sam Schiff, Bernie Yvon as Wally Fields, Johanna McKenzie Miller as Luanna Trott, Holly Stauder as Gloria, Michael Weber as Art Silver, Melissa Zaremba as Victoria Lee, Katheryn Patton as Evelyn, Rod Thomas as the Band Singer, and Jameson Cooper as Michael. Also featured are John Michael Coppola, Alex Goodrich, Karl Hamilton, Andrew Mueller, Brandon Springman, Zachary Keller, Johnny Rabe, Daniel Coonley and Conlan Ledwith.

For the Boys follows the story of 1940s big-band singer Dixie Leonard and America’s favorite song and dance man, Eddie Sparks. The world was at war and together Dixie and Eddie entertained American troops, in times of war and peace. Their act was sensational and their relationship extraordinary. Offstage, they fought their own personal war, but when the nation needed them they were there. The score includes hits from three decades of popular music, including “PS I Love You,” “GI Jive,” “Stuff Like That There,” “Come Rain or Come Shine” and “What a Wonderful World.”

Ragusa has starred on Broadway in Young Frankenstein, A Class Act, Ragtime, Titanic and Cyrano. Gulan’s Broadway credits include The Frogs and Blood Brothers, and has appeared in the national tours of South Pacific, Some Like It Hot, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Les Miserables.

For the Boys was adapted for the stage by Marriott Theatre co-artistic director Aaron Thielen and will feature music direction by Dr. Ryan Nelson, orchestrations by David Siegel, set design by Thomas M. Ryan, costume design by Nancy Missimi, lighting lesign by Diane Ferry Williams, sound design by Robert E. Gilmartin, projection design by Sage Carter, and properties design by Sally Weiss. The show will run through October 16.