The Heart Sets Complete Off-Broadway Cast, Including Joaquina Kalukango and Heidi Blickenstaff
Christopher Ashley directs the new musical, beginning performances at the Laura Pels Theatre on October 8
(Photos: c/o Polk & Co.)
What to Know
- Tony winner Joaquina Kalukango, Heidi Blickenstaff, Drew Gehling, Bre Jackson and Jason Tam are among the newly-announced cast of The Heart off-Broadway
- The complete The Heart cast also features Lincoln Clauss, Nick T. Daly, Max McKenna and Wren Rivera
- Christopher Ashley directs, with choreography by Mandy Moore, a book and additional lyrics by Kait Kerrigan, and music and lyrics by Anne Eisendrath and Ian Eisendrath
The complete cast and creative team is set for The Heart off-Broadway. The musical, directed by Tony Award winner Christopher Ashley, begins performances on October 8 at the Laura Pels Theatre in the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre, with an official opening night set for October 29. It will play a limited engagement through December 6.
Featured in the cast will be Heidi Blickenstaff as Claire, Lincoln Clauss as Thomas Driscoll, Nick T. Daly as Simon Lamar, Drew Gehling as Dr. Breva, Bre Jackson as Cordelia Owl, Tony Award winner Joaquina Kalukango as Marianne Lamar, Max McKenna as Juliette Brooks, Wren Rivera as Marthe and Jason Tam as Sean Lamar. Daniel Brackett, Gareth Keegan, Q. Smith and Emily Somé round out the cast as understudies.
Blickenstaff has been with The Heart from the beginning of its development to its world premiere at the La Jolla Playhouse last season. Her Broadway credits include Jagged Little Pill, Something Rotten!, [title of show] and The Full Monty. Clauss also reprises his performance from the La Jolla Playhouse production. His stage credits include Rent at The Muny and Fly at La Jolla Playhouse. Daly made his Broadway debut in MJ. Gheling’s Broadway credits include & Juliet, Almost Famous and Waitress.
Jackson joins The Heart following her performance in Giulia: The Poison Queen of Palermo off-Broadway. Her Broadway credits include MJ and SIX: The Musical. Kalukango won a Tony Award for Paradise Square and was nominated for Slave Play. Her other Broadway credits include The Color Purple and Into the Woods. McKenna makes their off-Broadway debut, reprising their role in The Heart. Rivera made their Broadway debut in Jagged Little Pill and reprises their role in the production. Tam’s Broadway credits include Be More Chill, If/Then and A Chorus Line.
Based on Maylis de Kerangal's novel Réparer les Vivants, the musical features a book and additional lyrics by Kait Kerrigan with music and lyrics by Anne Eisendrath and Ian Eisendrath. Music supervision is by Ian Eisendrath. Choreography is by Mandy Moore.
The Heart will feature scenic design by Robert Brill, costume design by Sarafina Bush, lighting design by Amanda Zieve, sound design by Gareth Owen, video design by Lucy Mackinnon and hair and wig design by Alberto “Albee” Alvarado. Music direction is by Wendy Bobbitt Cavett and music production by Juan Ariza and Elin Sandberg.
A young surfer’s life is cut short. A stranger suddenly has a second chance. And the life-force of one beating heart drives two families and a medical team through 24 hours that couldn’t matter more.
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