Matthew James Thomas, Derek Klena & More to Star in World Premiere of Sheryl Crow's Diner

Matthew James Thomas (Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Pippin), Derek Klena (Wicked, The Bridges of Madison County) and more will star in the previously reported world premiere of the Sheryl Crow-Barry Levinson musical Diner. After initially being Broadway-bound, Diner will play December 9 through January 25, 2015 at Virginia’s Signature Theatre.

Along with Thomas as Fenwick and Klena as Boogie, the ensemble cast will include Whitney Bashor (Bridges of Madison County) as Barbara, Bryan Fenkart (Memphis) as Modell, Aaron Finley (Rock of Ages) as Billy, Adam Kantor (Rent) as Eddie, Tess Soltau (The Addams Family) as Elyse, John Schiappa as Older Boogie (Rocky), Josh Grisetti as Shrevie and Erika Henningsen as Beth. The cast is rounded out by Nova Y. Payton, John Leslie Wolfe, MaryLee Adams, Mitch Marois, Maria Egler, Colleen Hayes, David Little, Ben Lurye, Lou Steele and Russell Sunday.

Based on Levinson’s 1982 film, with direction and choreography by Kathleen Marshall, a book by Levinson and music and lyrics by Crow, Diner tells the story of burgeoning adulthood and friendship. Christmas, Baltimore: 1959. A circle of childhood friends reunite for the upcoming wedding of one of them. Well, only if his fiancée passes a football trivia test. From the comfort of their all-night diner, the men, now in their early-twenties, confront the realities of adulthood: marriage, careers, money and the ever-mysterious opposite sex. But no matter where life takes them, they know they’re welcome back at the diner, the one place they’ll always belong.

The production will feature set design by Derek McLane with scenery adapted by James Kronzer, costume design by Paul Tazewell, lighting design by Peter Kaczorowski, sound design by Lane Elms and music direction by Lon Hoyt.