Adrian Zmed Will Now Headline New Off-B'way Musical The Ark

Adrian Zmed will now star as Noah in the upcoming off-Broadway musical The Ark, which is scheduled to begin performances at 37 Arts on October 14. Janeece Aisha Freeman has also joined the cast as Egyptus, the wife of Noah's prodigal son, Ham. Zmed and Freeman are the third pair of actors to be announced for those roles--Zmed is following Paul Harmon who left the tuner early last month and David Hess. Freeman is going on instead of Carla Hargrove who left at the same time as Harmon and Jenelle Lynn Randall.

"It just wasn't a match," producer Erik Orton said as an explanation for why Hess and Randall left so late in the rehearsal process. "We decided to go in a different direction."

Zmed has appeared on Broadway in Grease, Falsettos also starring in the national tour of the tuner and Blood Brothers. His other theatrical credits include Chicago, Same Time, Next Year and The Pirates of Penzance. Zmed's has played Noah before; he was Adam/Noah in the world premiere of Steven Schwartz's Children of Eden at the Paper Mill Playhouse. Zmed starred in the movie musical Grease 2 and has also appeared in the films The Final Terror, Bachelor Party, Eyewitness to Murder, The Other Woman, Improper Conduct, Unconditional Love, Running From the Shadows, Until Morning, The Drone Virus and Sex Sells: The Making of Touche. His small screen credits include regular stints on Flatbush, Goodtime Girls and T.J. Hooker.

Freeman appeared on Broadway in Urinetown. Her regional credits include Constant Star, Ain't Misbehavin' and Let Yourself Go.

The cast of The Ark also includes Annie Golden, Marie-France Arcilla, D.B Bonds, Justin Brill, Julie Foldesi, Jacquelyn Piro, Chuck Ragsdale and Rob Sutton.

Directed and choreographed by Ray Roderick, The Ark is scheduled to officially open on November 14.