While reading La Dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas fils, the melodies in her head wouldn’t go away.

In the Fall of 1995, while performing on Broadway in Hal Prince’s Showboat, Julia decided it was time to write her own musical. Soon after, she took on the daunting task of adapting Dumas fils’ novel into a Les Misérables-style musical. Within a year she had completed the book, score and lyrics for the show Camille.

Camille had its first public reading on July 29, 1996 at the Puerto Rican Traveling Theater on W. 47th Street in Manhattan. The house was filled to capacity for this performance in fact many people were unfortunately turned away.

The first cast featured Christiane Noll (Jekyll & Hyde; It Ain’t Nothin But the Blues; Urinetown) in the title role as the irresistible Camille and Joseph Cassidy (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Les Misérables, Showboat) as the passionate Armand. John Cudia (Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables) played the hunky Gaston, Cyndi Neal (Showboat, Les Misérables) the jaded and sarcastic Prudence, and William Thomas Evans (The Scarlet Pimpernel, Camelot) played the not-so charming and villainous Varville.

Also lending their talents to the cast were Peggy Taphorn (Urinetown, Showboat, Smokey Joe’s Café) as the demure country girl Nichette and Christopher Patrick Mullen as her well-mannered, optimistic husband Gustave. Betsy Morrison (The Sound of Music) portrayed Camille’s delicate and caring lady-in-waiting Julie. Ron Brown tackled the intense role of M. Duval, Armand’s father.

The All-Star ensemble included: sopranos – Diana Brownstone (Parade, Candide, Joseph…), Meghan Brunsvold, Jennifer Marshall, Cate Collins-Donovan; altos – Louise-Marie Mennier (Showboat), Jennifer Clippinger (The Producers), Christina Fanizzi tenors- Michael Farina (Seussical, My Fair Lady), John Wasiniak (Phantom of the Opera) and David Kelso (Cats, Wagner’s opera Siegmund); baritones - Roosevelt Credit (Showboat), Matt Loney (King Lear, The Sound of Music), Dossie McGraw, Brian Grace, and Carl Cavalier; and basses Paul Malamphy and Ron Brown.

Approximately one year after this performance a benefit production for Equity Fights Aids featured many of the same performers as well as other Broadway veterans. They all took turns performing the title roles and singing songs from the show in an event titled The Camille Act.

Christiane Noll, Tamara Jenkins (Les Misérables, Cats), Sherrita Duran (Showboat, Candide), Roberta Gumbel (In My Life, Showboat) and the composer herself Julia Gregory, each had an opportunity to play Camille for the night.

Joseph Cassidy, Jose Llana (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Flower Drum Song, Rent, The King and I) and Hal Beasley (Showboat) held down the role of Armand for the evening. Jose also had the duties of holding down the part of Gaston. Joanna Borts (Fiddler on the Roof) and Dezur Kenna each played Prudence while Paul Malamphy and Michael Farina split the role of Varville. Panchali Null (Showboat) sung the role of Julie.

Other ensemble members were Diana Brownstone, Christina Fanizzi, Marianna Giancarla Biribin, Kate Collins, Victoria Reed, Ron Brown, Carl Cavaliere, Brian Grace, JD Webster (Wonderful Town, Ragtime, Showboat) John Wasiniak, and Christopher Youngsman (Grease, Urinetown).

After that performance, Julia and Renato continued to workshop Camille. Once they relocated to the West Coast they began recording more of the songs for a complete demo piece for submissions to producers and regional theaters.

Featured throughout the demo recordings are Christiane Noll and Julia Gregory as Camille. Joseph Cassidy sings the role of Armand. Daniel Guzman handles most of the Gaston vocals, and Tracey-Venner Warren sings the role of Julie in her ballad Rest Your Head and Sleep.

Julia and Renato still receive requests to mount concert versions of Camille. Though it has been considered for production by various Broadway and Regional Theaters, it has yet to find the right home. However, it is only a matter of time before this piece finds its way onto a bigger stage.