Full Cast Announced for L.A. Ten Commandments
Kennedy, who recently starred in Breakfast at Tiffany's at the St. Louis Muny, has appeared on Broadway in Side Show, Sunset Boulevard and Les Miserables. Ipalé played his Ten Commandments character, Pharaoh Seti, in The Mummy movies. Lambert played Phil Mackey in the recent Pasadena Playhouse mounting of 110 in the Shade starring Marin Mazzie and Jason Danieley. Porter, who appeared on Broadway in Footloose, is best known for playing the title character in the movie Curly Sue. Whitaker's theatrical credits include Me. and Mrs. Jones, Sweeney Todd and Ragtime. Mason has appeared on the Great White Way in Late Nite Comic, Sid Caesar & Company, The Will Rogers Follies, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Jekyll & Hyde and The Capeman. Pereira is a stage newcomer. Rodriguez has starred in European productions of Hair, Evita and Jesus Christ Superstar.
The Ten Commandments chronicles the story of Moses leading the Hebrews from captivity out of Egypt, and the passions that would drive the people to sacrifice their children, betray their kinsmen and ultimately rise up against the greatest imperial power the world had ever known.
A musical version of the epic tale has played at other locations throughout the world, but for its American premiere, the show is being retooled. It will feature a new score with music by Patrick Leonard best known for co-writing and co-producing the Madonna song "Like a Prayer" and lyrics by Maribeth Derry.
The Ten Commandments, directed by Robert Iscove, will begin performances at the Kodak Theatre on September 18 in preparation for a September 27 opening. It is then expected to hit other venues in North America, including a stop at New York's Radio City Music Hall in the winter.