Will Chase Tapped for Broadway's Lennon Tuner

Broadway.com has learned that Will Chase is in talks to appear in the upcoming Broadway musical Lennon.

Chase recently appeared in the world premiere of the musical adaptation of A Little Princess. His Broadway credits include Miss Saigon, Rent, The Full Monty and Aida. His regional theater credits include Trask & Fenn, Son of Fire, Assassins, Electra and Mame. Chase was expected to appear in the Paper Mill Playhouse mounting of The Baker's Wife beginning in April; however, his commitment to Lennon would preclude him from taking part in that production.

Written and directed by Don Scardino, Lennon will feature 10 actors, all portraying John Lennon at different points in his life. Approximately 30 of Lennon's songs will be featured in the musical including "Imagine," "Instant Karma," "Give Peace a Chance," "Working Class Hero," and "Whatever Gets You Through the Night." The show will also feature three unpublished songs by Lennon "India, India" and "I Don't Want to Lose You," neither of which were ever published, and "Cookin' in the Kitchen of Love," which was recorded by Ringo Starr in 1976, but never by Lennon himself.

Lennon is being produced by Allan McKeown, Don Scardino and Edgar Lansbury, by arrangement with Yoko Ono. The musical's design team includes John Arnone sets, Jane Greenwood costumes and Natasha Katz lighting.

The musical is scheduled to begin previews at Broadway's Broadhurst Theatre on July 7. Prior to hitting New York, the show will play at the Orpheum Theatre in San Francisco, California from April 12 through May 14 and the Colonial Theatre in Boston from May 31 through June 25.

As we previously reported, Chuck Cooper, Julie Danao, Mandy Gonzalez, Marcy Harriell, Chad Kimball, Manu Narayan and Michael Potts are in talks for the show. Ken Mandelbaum wrote on December 10 that Terrence Mann and Julia Murney have also been mentioned for the cast.