‘Nervous Breakdown’ Musical Lines Up Its Women (and Men) - ArtsBeat Blog - NYTimes.com

The cast of the musical adaptation of Pedro Almodóvar’s “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown” will include a few well-known Broadway stalwarts – and will not include at least one well-known newcomer who had been previously connected to the project. On Monday, Lincoln Center Theater said that Patti LuPone, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Sherie Rene Scott, de’Adre Aziza, Danny Burstein, Mary Beth Peil and Nikka Graff Lanzarone will be featured in the musical, which is adapted from Mr. Almodóvar’s absurdist 1988 film about the intertwining love lives of a group of men and women. Not on that roster, however, was Jessica Biel, the “7th Heaven” and “A-Team” star, who was thought to be headed for a starring role, according to reports in the spring.

Bartlett Sher (“South Pacific,” “Light in the Piazza”), who is directing “Women on the Verge” for Lincoln Center Theater, said at that time that he could not confirm any casting decisions. A representative for the theater company said on Monday that Ms. Biel would not be in the cast, and that additional casting would be announced in the weeks ahead.

The musical, which features a book by Jeffrey Lane and music and lyrics by David Yazbek, will begin previews at the Belasco Theater on Oct. 2 with an opening night set for Nov. 4.

via artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com