Michael Berresse Set for Broadway's Upcoming The Light in the Piazza
"I think it's going to be a really beautiful show," Berresse told Broadway.com. "This is exactly the kind of thing I want to be doing. If you like [composer] Adam Guettel's work at all, this takes it to the next level. It's very inspiring."
Berresse was nominated for Tony, Astaire and Outer Critics Awards for his performance as Bill Calhoun in Kiss Me, Kate. He also earned an Olivier Award nomination when he appeared in the tuner in the West End. He originated the role of Fred Casely in the Broadway revival of Chicago before taking over as Billy Flynn both on Broadway and on tour. His other Broadway credits include Damn Yankees, Guys and Dolls, Carousel, Fiddler on the Roof and The Gershwins' Fascinating Rhythm. Berresse appeared on the big screen in AI: Artificial Intelligence. He recently directed and choreographed the new musical [title of show] at the New York Musical Theatre Festival.
Berresse is known in the theater community for his dancing abilities, but The Light in the Piazza is far from a dance-heavy show. "It is something different--I was always trained as an actor, but because I had these abilities, did a lot of dance shows," he said. "Now I need to reassert myself in a different capacity."
Based on the 1960 novel by Elizabeth Spencer, The Light in the Piazza unfolds in Florence and Rome in the summer of 1953. Margaret Johnson, the wife of a successful American businessman, is traveling abroad with her daughter Clara, a beautiful young woman who is not all that she seems. Clara's chance encounter with a young Italian develops into a passionate love affair that Margaret opposes for reasons only she understands. The show features music and lyrics by Guettel and a book by Craig Lucas.
The Light in the Piazza, directed by Bartlett Sher, is scheduled to begin performances at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre on March 17 in preparation for an April 18 opening.