Shuler Hensley to Star in The Great American Trailer Park Musical

Broadway.com has learned that Shuler Hensley will star as Norbert, a toll collector with a taste for infidelity, in the upcoming off-Broadway production of The Great American Trailer Park Musical. Linda Hart and Leslie Kritzer will also be featured in the cast as Betty and Pickles, two of the tuner's three narrators.

Hensley is best known for his portrayal of the sinister farmhand Jud Fry in Oklahoma!. He also appeared on Broadway as Javert in Les Miserables. Hensley's other stage credits include the title role in the German production of The Phantom of the Opera, The Most Happy Fella, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and leading roles in the operas Don Giovanni, La Boheme and Carmen. Since he left Broadway, Hensley has shot two films. He played The Frankenstein Monster in Van Helsing and has the role of Pike in The Legend of Zorro which will be released on October 28. Next month, he will star in a Texas production of Sweeney Todd opposite Betty Buckley.

Hart was most recently was featured on the New York stage as part of the original company of Hairspray, in which she played Velma von Tussle. She also appeared on Broadway in Bette! Divine Madness, Anything Goes for which she won a Theatre World Award and Sid Caesar & Company. Her off-Broadway credits include Surviving Grace, Gemini and Livin' Dolls. Hart's Trailer Park character is the no-nonsense owner of the trailer park where the show is set.

Kritzer, who is currently making her Broadway debut as Shelley in Hairspray, is probably best known for her acclaimed turn as Fanny Brice in the Paper Mill Playhouse production of Funny Girl. She appeared in off-Broadway productions of Godspell and Bat Boy. Her other theatrical credits include the national tour of Urinetown and Babes in Arms at Goodspeed Musicals. In Trailer Park, Kritzer's Pickles suffers from "hysterical pregnancies."

The Great American Trailer Park Musical focuses on what happens when a hot young stripper with an agenda moves into a North Florida trailer park called Armadillo Acres and compromises the married man next door. Spray cheese, roadkill, magic marker huffing and plenty of nostalgia are all components the show. The musical features music and lyrics by David Nehls and a book by Betsy Kelso.

The Great American Trailer Park Musical was a part of the New York Musical Theatre Festival last year. In that staging, Dan Sharkey played Norbert, Robin Baxter was Betty and Amanda Ryan Paige took on the role of Pickles.

The Great American Trailer Park Musical is expected to begin performances at Dodger Stages Stage I in late August.