The Menier Chocloate Factory has officially announced casting for the world premiere or Paradise Found and revealed a few new details about the plot. Kate Baldwin, John Cullum, Shuler Hensley and Judy Kaye will all join Mandy Patinkin in the show, which tells the tale of the Shah of Persia’s trip to Vienna with his Eunuch (Patinkin) in tow for some new adventures, during which the Shah (Cullum) promptly falls in love with the Empress of the Empire, much to the dismay of her husband, so a resident of the local brothel – who is a double for the Empress – is substituted for a night of passion. As it happens, she’s in love with a Baron, who’s having an affair with the Soap Manufacturer Wife.

It sounds a bit like A Little Night Music meets the Arabian Nights. It’s interesting, then, that the music for this will be provided posthumously by “The Waltz King” himself, Johann Strauss II, whose music for the show has been adapted and arranged by Jonathan Tunick, with lyrics provided by Ellen Fitzhugh.

With a book by Richard Nelson, based on Joseph Roth’s novel The Tale Of The 1002nd Night, the show will be co-directed by Harold Prince and Susan Stroman, opening for a limited run at the Menier Chocloate Factory on 19 May.

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FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:
1. The Tale of the 1002nd Night by Joseph Roth.