Theatre News Wire

The world premiere of a highly anticipated new musical is coming to the Goodman Theatre's 856-seat Albert Theatre. Adapted from John Berendt's acclaimed non-fiction book, "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" features a book by MacArthur Fellow Taylor Mac, music and lyrics by Tony Award-winning composer Jason Robert Brown, direction by Tony winner Rob Ashford, and choreography by Tanya Birl-Torres. This powerhouse creative team promises to bring Berendt's iconic portrait of Savannah to vivid life on stage.

"In his brilliant non-fiction book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, John Berendt nails the fascinating, messy adjacency of people and places that infuse Savannah. But his best seller endures because America, writ large, is nothing if not wonderfully messy in its multiplicity of people, places and polemics," said Artistic Director Susan V. Booth. "I'm thrilled to welcome this truly remarkable company, artists who understand that the social strata of a place is a compelling and complicated set of constructs. They are building a world you're not going to want to leave."

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil at Goodman Theatre

Savannah, Georgia is a city of genteel charm, but secrets and ulterior motives lurk behind its residents' polite facades. When a wealthy antiques dealer stands accused of murder, the dramatic trial that follows lays bare hidden truths and reveals how blurry the line between good and evil can be. This eye-opening event galvanizes characters like Lady Chablis to transform the city in lasting ways. In this new musical adaptation of the famed true-crime bestseller, the book's unforgettable characters are brought to vivid life by an all star cast. Together they craft an enthralling portrait of a city and its colorful inhabitants grappling with morality, deception and the repercussions of a sensational crime.

John Berendt's 1994 blockbuster non-fiction book, a Pulitzer-Prize finalist that was on The New York Times Best-Seller list for 216 weeks, becomes a seductive new musical. Southern charm is bountiful in Savannah, Georgia. But behind polite smiles, the eccentric residents are filled with secrets and motives. When wealthy antiques dealer Jim Williams is accused of murder, the sensational trial uncovers hidden truths and exposes the fine line between good and evil - which sparks Lady Chablis and other Savannahians to change the city forever.

The cast features Tony- and Grammy-Award winning actor J. Harrison Ghee in the role of The Lady Chablis; Tony Award nominee Tom Hewitt as Jim Williams; and Olivier Award nominee Sierra Boggess as Emma Dawes; along with stage and screen notables Lance Roberts (The Best Man) as Bobby Lewis; Austin Colby (The Great Gatsby) as Danny Hansford; Bailee Endebrock (Parade) as Corrine Strong; Shanel Bailey (The Book of Mormon) as Lavella Cole; Jessica Molaskey (Sunday in the Park with George) as Alma Knox Carter; Brianna Buckley (the ripple, the wave that carried me home) as Minerva; Mary Ernster (War Paint) as Serena Barnes; McKinley Carter (Turn of the Century) as Vera Strong; and more.