Gilbert, Blanchard, Lindsay, Gambatese, and More to Star in Guthrie's PRAIRIE

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 5/28/08 at 10:51pm

"Melissa Gilbert, who played Laura Ingalls Wilder on NBC's long-running "Little House on the Prairie" series, will return to that work this summer. Gilbert will play Ma in the musical version of Prairie at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis.

Variety reports that the cast will also feature Steve Blanchard (Beauty and the Beast, Frankenstein) as Pa, Carnegie Mellon graduate Kara Lindsay as Laura, Jenn Gambatese (Tarzan, Is He Dead?) as Mary, Sara Jean Ford (The Phantom of the Opera) as Nellie and Kevin Massey (Big River, Tarzan) as Almanzo Wilder.

It was producer Ben Sprecher, who is attached to the project, who contacted Gilbert about appearing in the musical. Gilbert told Variety, "I'm very careful about the way the legacy is handled. My primary concern was that the material was done the right way."

Performances of Little House on the Prairie will begin at the Guthrie July 26 with an official opening Aug. 15. The limited engagement — directed by The Little Mermaid's Francesca Zambello — will run through Oct. 5..."

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/118173.html

[sidneybruhl]

Posted: 5/28/08 at 11:00pm

Looks like I may be making a theatre trip to Minneapolis. I'm a big fan of the books, the series, and Melissa Gilbert.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 5/29/08 at 7:10am

bump.

[broadwayjim42]

Posted: 5/29/08 at 9:04am

OK, it's kinda catty, but recently Melissa's been looking like she's been hitting the plastic surgeon....or the botox...or something. Kinda disconcerting to see a Ma with a face that barely moves.

Plus...has she ever done a musical before or sung publicly?