FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Erin Doucette
504.558.1795
erin@theehrhardtgroup.com

NEW ORLEANS - (Nov. 10, 2016) - The New Orleans Theatre Association is delighted to announce the first U.S. National tour of the hit musical THE BODYGUARD, will play the Saenger Theatre from April 4 - 9, 2017 as part of the East Jefferson General Hospital Broadway in New Orleans 2016 - 2017 season.

Grammy® Award-nominated and multi-platinum R&B/pop recording artist and film/TV actress Deborah Cox will star as Rachel Marron. In the role of bodyguard Frank Farmer is television star Judson Mills.

Tickets for THE BODYGUARD start at $31.29 and will go on sale Friday, Nov. 18, at 10 a.m. Tickets will be available at the Saenger Theatre Box Office, 1111 Canal St., New Orleans, Louisiana 70112, BroadwayInNewOrleans.com, all Ticketmaster outlets and by phone at (800) 982-2787. Group sales are offered for groups of 10 or more and will be available by calling (504) 287-0372.

Based on Lawrence Kasdan's 1992 Oscar nominated Warner Bros. film, and adapted by Academy Award-winner (Birdman) Alexander Dinelaris, THE BODYGUARD had its world premiere on December 5, 2012 at London's Adelphi Theatre. THE BODYGUARD was nominated for four Laurence Olivier Awards including Best New Musical and Best Set Design and won Best New Musical at the Whatsonstage Awards. The UK production of the musical recently completed a sell-out 16-month UK and Ireland tour and made its triumphant return to London's West End at the Dominion Theatre on July 15, 2016.

Former Secret Service agent turned bodyguard, Frank Farmer, is hired to protect superstar Rachel Marron from an unknown stalker. Each expects to be in charge; what they don't expect is to fall in love. A romantic thriller, THE BODYGUARD features a host of irresistible classics including So Emotional, One Moment in Time, Saving All My Love, Run to You, I Have Nothing, I Wanna Dance with Somebody and one of the biggest selling songs of all time - I Will Always Love You.

Direction is by Thea Sharrock. Set & costume design is by Tim Hatley, lighting design by Mark Henderson, sound design by Richard Brooker and video design by Duncan McLean. Choreography is by Karen Bruce, orchestrations by Chris Egan, musical supervision by Richard Beadle and production musical supervision by Mike Dixon. The U.S. National tour of THE BODYGUARD is produced by Michael Harrison, David Ian and Nederlander Presentations, Inc.

Rounding out the principal cast are Alex Corrado (Gotham, Hannibal) as Tony Scibelli, Rachel's personal security guard, Charles Gray (Broadway: The Color Purple, Tour: The Lion King) as manager Bill Devaney, Jonathan Hadley (Broadway: Jersey Boys, A Class Act) as publicist Sy Spector, Jorge Paniagua (Regional: The Full Monty, Oregon Shakespeare Festival) as the Stalker, Jasmin Richardson (Tour: Memphis, Dreamgirls) as Rachel's sister Nicki Marron, and Douglas Baldeo (Broadway: Kinky Boots, Tour: Motown) and Kevelin B. Jones III (Idlewild Music Festival) alternating in the role of Rachel's son Fletcher.

The ensemble includes Arielle Campbell, Brendon Chan, Willie Dee, Jarid Faubel, Megan Elyse Fulmer, Emily Jenda, Alejandra Matos, Bradford Rahmlow, Benjamin Rivera, Sean Rozanski, Matthew Schmidt, Jaquez André Sims, Lauren Tanner, and Naomi C. Walley.

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is the official makeup sponsor for the US tour of The Bodyguard www.jaymanuelbeauty.com

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DEBORAH COX (Rachel Marron) Grammy® Award-nominated and multi-platinum R&B/pop recording artist and film/TV actress Deborah Cox made her Broadway debut in the lead role in Elton John and Tim Rice's musical, Aida. She most recently starred on Broadway in 2013 as Lucy in Jekyll & Hyde, and starred as legendary Josephine Baker in Josephine at Asolo Repertory Theatre in the spring of 2016. Cox began her recording career as a background singer with Celine Dion, before securing her first recording contract with Clive Davis at Arista Records. She has recorded six award-winning and critically-acclaimed albums, and has written and recorded on numerous celebrated soundtracks. Her platinum selling debut album Deborah Cox earned her an American Music Award nomination. She won her first of 3 Juno Awards including a Female Vocalist of the Year nomination. From her second CD One Wish, came the double platinum "Nobody's Supposed To Be Here" which held the record for being the longest running #1 R&B Single for 14 consecutive weeks and earned her an NAACP Image Award nomination, a Soul Train Award, A Lady Of Soul Award, Best Female vocalist Juno nomination and a Billboard Music Award Nomination for R&B Single Of The Year. Cox has collaborated with such artists as Andrea Bocelli, David Foster, Josh Groban, The Isley Brothers, Cyndi Lauper, Sarah McLachlan and numerous others. The Canadian born star has an impressive list of #1 Billboard hit records, including twelve #1 songs on Billboard's Hot Dance Club Play chart. In 2000, Cox collaborated with Whitney Houston to record the duet "Same Script Different Cast" for Houston's Greatest Hits CD. Cox has been recognized for her longstanding commitment to various social issues in the LGBTQ community. In January 2015, she received the Out Music Pillar Award. In 2014, she received the California State Senate Award and in 2007, she received The Civil Rights Award from the New York Senate for her efforts in the fight for Human Rights and Equality. She was recently honored by The Harvey Milk Foundation at the 2015 Diversity Honors for all of her efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS in the LGBTQ community. On June 12, 2016, she was given the Liberty Bell and Proclamation in Philadelphia by Mayor James Kenney to proclaim June 12 as LGBTQ Philadelphia Pride Parade and Festival Day. www.deborahcox.com @Deborah_Cox www.facebook.com/DeborahCoxDRG

JUDSON MILLS (Frank Farmer) was born in Washington, DC and grew up in Northern Virginia in a little stone house in the woods built by George Washington before he was President. Mills grew up hunting and fishing, and up through high school enjoyed a small town life. After high school, Judson went on to major in Theatre at Barry University in Miami. From there, it was off to NY where Mills attended the prestigious American Academy of Dramatic Arts. After school, he booked his first audition and spent 3 years on the soap opera "As The World Turns." Mills has since done over 35 guest starring roles on television including "Law and Order," "The X Files," "Dexter," "The Mentalist," ABC's new "Notorious" and can be seen on HBO's new hit series from JJ Abrams, "Westworld." Judson was also a series regular alongside Chuck Norris on the popular action show "Walker, Texas Ranger" from CBS. He went on to star with Mr. Norris in "The Presidents Man: A Line in the Sand" for CBS as well. Mills has also appeared in 20 feature films including Major League 3: Back to the Minors, Mighty Joe Young, Chill Factor and the Academy Award nominated Gods and Monsters. Mills is thrilled to be back on stage and is honored to be working with Deborah Cox and the amazing cast of The Bodyguard. @JudsonMills

About Broadway Across America
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Saenger Theatre
Originally built in 1927, the Saenger Theatre was designed to reflect a magnificent 15th century Italian courtyard and gardens, with a starlit evening sky ceiling, arched surroundings, statuary, columns and decorative moldings. In January 2012, the City of New Orleans, Canal Street Development Corporation (CSDC) and ACE Theatrical Group formed a public-private partnership to carry out a $52 million restoration project after the iconic theatre was severely damaged during Hurricane Katrina. The Saenger Theatre reopened in the fall of 2013, authentically restored to the finest level of detail, with state-of-the-art technological improvements and updated first-class amenities. The theatre hosts a wide variety of performing arts attractions including live theater, comedy shows and musical acts. The Saenger Theatre is located at the corner of Canal and North Rampart streets in downtown New Orleans and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Visit http://www.saengernola.com for more information.

New Orleans Theatre Association (NOTA) is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation whose mission is to attract and present the finest theatrical and performing arts attractions available in New Orleans. NOTA is also dedicated to financial and technical support of local non-profit institutions in New Orleans that are dedicated to the furtherance of theatrical and musical education and production.