0 1 7 , ▁and ▁the ▁production ▁opened ▁on ▁February ▁ 2 3 ▁to ▁g low ing ▁reviews . ▁The ▁production ▁was ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁Center ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁concert ▁version , ▁which ▁also ▁star red ▁Gy ll en ha al ▁and ▁Ash ford . ▁It ▁featured ▁Bro oks ▁Ash m ansk as ▁( Mr ./ Char les ), ▁Phill ip ▁Boy kin ▁( Bo at man / Le e ), ▁Clay bourne ▁E lder ▁( S old ier / Alex ), ▁L iz ▁McC art ney ▁( M rs ./ Har ri et ), ▁Ruth ie ▁Ann ▁Mil es ▁( F ried a / B et ty ), ▁David ▁Turner ▁( Fran z / D ennis ), ▁Jordan ▁Gel ber ▁( Louis / B illy ), ▁Er in ▁Dav ie ▁( Y v onne / Na omi ), ▁Pen ny ▁Full er ▁( Old ▁Lady / B la ir ), ▁and ▁Robert ▁Se an ▁Leonard ▁( J ules / Bob ). ▁The ▁production ▁team ▁included ▁Sar na ▁Lap ine ▁( direct or ), ▁Ann ▁Y ee ▁( mus ical ▁st aging ), ▁Be ow ulf ▁Bor itt ▁( sc en ic ▁design ), ▁Cl int ▁Ram os ▁( cost ume ▁design ), ▁Ken ▁Bill ington ▁( light ing ▁design ) ▁and ▁K ai ▁Har ada ▁( sound ▁design ). ▁The ▁produ cers ▁with d rew ▁the ▁production ▁from ▁Tony ▁Award ▁consideration ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 6 - 1 7 ▁season ▁due ▁to ▁its ▁limited