Burkhardt, Martsolf, Rigby, Willard, et al. Set for Li'l Abner

Bainbridge Performing Arts Changes Sprin...

By Brian Scott Lipton • Jan 18, 2008 • New York

Brandi Burkhardt
(© Joseph Marzullo/WENN)

Eric Martsolf will play Abner and Brandi Lynn Burkhardt will play Daisy Mae in the Reprise! Broadway Best production of the musical Li'l Abner, to run February 5-17 at the UCLA Freud Playhouse.

The production will be directed by Michael Michetti, with choreography by Lee Martino and musical direction by Daryl Archibald. Based on the comic strip by Al Capp, the show has a book by Norman Panama and Melvin Frank, music by Gene DePaul, and lyrics by Johnny Mercer. The original 1956 Broadway production, directed and choreographed by the late Michael Kidd, ran for nearly 700 performances.

In addition, Cathy Rigby will play Mammy Yokum, Fred Willard will play General Bullmoose, John Ganun will play Earthquake McGoon, Robert Towers will play Pappy Yokum, and Michael Kostroff will play Marryin' Sam.

Martsolf and Burkhardt both appeared on the NBC soap opera Passions. His stage credits include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Happy Days. Burkhardt's stage credits include Jekyll & Hyde, Oklahoma!, and The Sound of Music.