Franz, Lyng, Myers, Ralston, et al. Will Wear Hats!

Leslie Alexander, Miche Braden, Joy Franz, Nora Mae Lyng, Pamela Myers, Teri Ralston, and Cheryl Stern will star in the world premiere production of Hats! The Red Hat Society Musical at the New Denver Civic Center, beginning October 7.

The musical will be directed by Lynne Taylor-Corbett, who received two Tony Award nominations for her direction and choreography of the Broadway musical Swing!. It has a book and lyrics by playwright Anthony Dodge and his wife, Marcia Milgrom Dodge. Doug Besterman, Susan Birkenhead, Gretchen Cryer, David Friedman, Kathie Lee Gifford, Carol Hall, Henry Krieger, Melissa Manchester, Amanda McBroom, and Pam Tills are among the noted songwriters who are contributing material to the show.

Hats! The Red Hat Society Musical focuses on a woman, about to celebrate her 50th birthday, who meets several members of the Red Hat Society, a real-life national group of women over 50 who come together to have fun. Officially formed in 1998, the group is named for the fact that its original six members dressed in red hats (and purple clothing) when getting together for tea. Today, the society has more than 40,000 chapters in all 50 states and in 30 countries around the world.

Alexander has starred on Broadway in The Boy From Oz and Mamma Mia! Braden is an actor, singer, and musician who played in Movin’ Out. Franz, whose Broadway credits include Into The Woods and Pippin, is currently appearing Off-Broadway in Brutality of Fact. Lyng has been seen on Broadway in Amour and Cabaret. Myers and Ralston were both in the original Broadway cast of Company. Stern’s Broadway credits include Laughing Room Only and The Women.