Michael Park in Applause at Encores!

New York City Center Encores! begins its 2008 season with the 1970 Tony Award-winning hit, Applause, starring Christine Ebersole, Kate Burton, Mario Cantone, Tom Hewitt, Michael Park, Megan Sikora, Chip Zien and Erin Davie. Directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall with Music Direction by Rob Berman.

Applause, based on the classic Bette Davis film, All About Eve, is the ultimate backstage musical – the story of the great Broadway star Margo Channing (Christine Ebersole) and her duplicitous understudy, Eve Harrington (Erin Davie).

The Encores! cast also features Tony Freeman, Bob Gaynor, David Studwell, J.D. Webster, Cole Burden, John Carroll, Paula Leggett Chase, Susan Derry, Sarah Jane Everman, Lisa Gajda, Gregg Goodbrod, Justin Greer, James Harkness, Joe Komara, Raymond Lee, Monica Patton, Manuel Santos, Jennifer Savelli, Chaunteé Schuler, Steven Sofia, Kevin Vortman and Kristen Beth Williams.

Book by Betty Comden and Adolph Green
Music by Charles Strouse
Lyrics by Lee Adams
Based on the film All About Eve and the original story by Mary Orr
Original production directed and choreographed by Ron Field
Originally produced by Joseph Kipness and Laurence Kasha