Spring Awakening Vet Andrew Durand & More Set to Join Broadway Cast of War Horse

Andrew Durand, a vet of Spring Awakening on Broadway and the off-Broadway musicals The Burnt Part Boys and Yank!, is among 16 new cast members set to join the Tony-winning play War Horse on January 12, 2012. Durand will replace original star Seth Numrich in the central role of Albert Narracott, owner of the title horse, at Lincoln Center Theater’s Vivian Beaumont Theater. Numrich will play his final performance on January 8.

In addition to Durand, current cast member Sanjit De Silva will replace Stephen Plunkett as Lt. James Nicholls, David Manis will replace T. Ryder Smith as Arthur Narracott, current cast member Stephen James Anthony will replace Matt Doyle as Billy Narracott, Andy Murray will replace Boris McGiver as Ted Narracott and David Lansbury will replace Peter Hermann as Hauptmann Miller. Also set to join the cast on January 12 are Harlan Bengel, Toby Billowitz, Lute Breuer, Hunter Canning, Anthony Cochrane, Ben Horner, Leah Hofmann, Tessa Klein, Nat McIntyre, Geoffrey Murphy, Tommy Schrider and Jack Spann.

In addition to the principals already listed, Zach Appelman, Austin Durant, Joby Earle, Ariel Heller, Ian Lassiter, Prentice Onayemi, Bhavesh Patel, Liam Robinson, Zach Villa and Cat Walleck will play their final performances on January 8.

The new cast members will join Alyssa Bresnahan, Richard Crawford, Joel Reuben Ganz, Ben Graney, Alex Hoeffler, Brian Lee Huynh, Jeslyn Kelly, Tom Lee, Jonathan Christopher MacMillan, Jonathan David Martin, David Pegram, Kate Pfaffl, Leenya Rideout, Jude Sandy, Hannah Sloat, Elliot Villar, Enrico D. Wey, Isaac Woofter and Madeleine Rose Yen.

Based on the novel by Michael Morpurgo, War Horse was adapted by Nick Stafford, with Handspring Puppet Company, and directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris. After opening on April 14, the play won five 2011 Tony Awards, including Best Play.