Danny Rutigliano to Lead Cast of Cirque du Soleil’s Banana Shpeel

Cirque du Soleil has announced full cast and creative team for its new show Banana Shpeel, which as previously reported will begin New York City performances at the Beacon Theatre on April 29, with the run scheduled to conclude on August 29. David Shiner serves as writer and director.

Broadway veteran Danny Rutigliano will lead the cast as Schmelky, a fictional producer, and he will be assisted by Daniel Passer, Wayne Wilson, and Shereen Hickman. The company will also feature the comedic trio: Claudio Carneiro, Patrick de Valette and Gordon White; Russian hand balancer Dmitry Bulkin; Vietnamese hat juggler Tuan Le; Spanish foot juggler Vanessa Alvarez; Canadian Hand to Hand duo Preston Jamieson and Kesley Wiens; Russian contortionists Tsybenova Ayagma, Tsydendambaeva Imin and Zhambalova Lilia; and tap dance duo Joseph and Josette Wiggan.

The ensemble will include Robyn Baltzer, Kassie Brown, Adrienne Jean Fisher, DeWitt Fleming Jr., Karida Griffith, Luke Hawkins, Kathleen Hennessey, Adrienne Reid, Anthony J. Russo, Melissa Schott, Josh Scribner, Alexis Sims, and Steven T. Williams.

The Band, under the direction of Petros Sakelliou, will consist of Roland Barber (trombone), Bobby Brennan (bass), Mario Hébert Iohann Laliberté (drums), Jean-François Ouellet (saxophones), Roger Squitero (percussion), and Scott Steen (trumpet).

The creative team will include artistic guides Guy Laliberté and Gilles Ste-Croix; director of creation Serge Roy; composer and arranger Simon Carpentier; choreographer Jared Grimes; costume designer Dominique Lemieux; set designer and props co-designer Patricia Ruel; props co-designer Jasmine Catudal; lighting designer Bruno Rafie; sound designer Harvey Robitaille; and make-up designer Eleni Uranis.

For more information, visit www.schmelkyproductions.com.