Nancy Anderson to Star in York Theatre Company’s Fanny Hill

Nancy Anderson will play the title role in the York Theatre Company’s production of Fanny Hill, Ed Dixon’s new musical based on John Cleland’s classic novel, February 1-March 26. Directed by James Brennan, the show will open officially on February 14.

The cast also includes Patti Allison, David Cromwell, Michael J. Farina, Gina Ferrall, Adam Monley, Emily Skinner, Christianne Tisdale, and Tony Yazbeck. The production will feature scenic and costume design by Michael Bottari and Ronald Case, lighting design by Phil Monat, and musical direction by Stan Tucker.

Written in 1749, Fanny Hill: Or Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure is the story of a beautiful but poor country girl who travels to London to make her fortune and ends up doing so in the world’s oldest profession. The book is considered to be history’s first “erotic” novel, and Cleland was arrested shortly after its publication. Fanny Hill was banned in the United States and became the subject of a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case in 1966, where it was determined that it did not meet the standard of obscenity.

Dixon is well-known as a performer whose credits include The Best Man, Les Misérables, Under the Bridge, and Here Lies Jenny. He is the author of the musicals Shylock, Cather County, and Richard Cory, which was also directed by Brennan.

Anderson has been seen on Broadway in Wonderful Town and A Class Act. She co-starred in the York’s production of Jolson & Co., for which she received a Drama Desk nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical, and most recently played Emma Fairfax in the touring production of Dr. Dolittle.