Attending the Tale

Clay Aiken, Michael Berresse, Matthew Broderick, Celeste Holm, Constantine Marolulis, Susan Stroman, and Frank Wildhorn join James Barbour, Aaron Lazar, and Brandi Burkhardt for the opening night of A Tale of Two Cities.

By Joseph Marzullo,Brian Scott Lipton • Sep 19, 2008 • New York

On Thursday night, the new musical A Tale of Two Cities opened at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. Tony Award winner Matthew Broderick was just one of the celebrities in the opening-night crowd.

Susan Stroman, who directed Broderick in The Producers, was also in attendance.

Recording superstar and former American Idol contestant Clay Aiken, who returns tonight to Monty Python's Spamalot as Sir Robin, came out for the show.

Here's Constantine Maroulis, another Idol alumni, who will star in the soon-to-open Off-Broadway musical Rock of Ages.

Oscar winner Celeste Holm and husband Frank Basile were on hand for the show.

Here's another Hollywood legend, Marge Champion (left), with Louise Hirschfeld, the widow of the theater's namesake.

After the performance, stars James Barbour and Brandi Burkhardt, who play Sydney Carton and Lucie Manette, were joined by composer Frank Wildhorn, Burkhardt's fiancé.

Aaron Lazar (right), who plays aristocrat Charles Darnay, caught up with his Light in the Piazza co-star (and [title of show] director) Michael Berresse.

Broadway favorite Gregg Edelman gives a fine performance as Lucie's father, Dr. Alexandre Manette.

Here are Catherine Missal, who plays Little Lucie, and Katherine McGrath, who portrays the crusty-yet-lovable Miss Pross.

Kevin Earley gives a charismatic performance as revolutionary Ernest Defarge.

The strong-voiced Natalie Toro stops the show as Ernest's vengeful wife, Therese.

The lovely Mackenzie Mauzy, who plays the Seamstress, has a touching second-act duet with Barbour.

British director-choreographer Warren Carlyle is making his Broadway debut with the show.

Finally, here's the woman behind the Tale, writer-composer-lyricist Jill Santoriello.

For TheaterMania's review of A Tale of Two Cities, click here.