By Ernio Hernandez
29 May 2007

Darrell Hammond
NBC

"Saturday Night Live" star Darrell Hammond will make his Broadway debut this summer when he assumes the role of Vice Principal Douglas Panch in the musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

Replacing current star Mo Rocca (who departs June 10) in the role, Hammond will play his stint June 12-July 19.

He joins the current cast which features Jennifer Simard (Forbidden Broadway) as Bee coordinator Rona Lisa Perretti. The ensemble cast also includes Aaron J. Albano (Wicked national tour, Bombay Dreams) as Chip Tolentino, Stanley Bahorek (Big River national tour, A Little Night Music) as Leaf Coneybear, Jenni Barber (Henry and Mudge, The High Life) as Olive Ostrovsky, Jared Gertner (Anatomy 1968, My Favorite Year) as William Barfee, Sara Inbar (Mamma Mia!, Lizzie Borden) as Logainne Schwartzandgrubenierre, Greta Lee (No Boundaries - NYMF) as Marcy Park and James Monroe Iglehart (Showboat national tour, Memphis) as Mitch Mahoney.

Hammond — a regular "SNL" cast member for 12 seasons — is known for his impersonations of Regis Philbin, Jesse Jackson, Bill Clinton, Dick Cheney, Al Gore, Arnold Schwarzenegger and more. He has appeared in the films "The Devil and Daniel Webster," "Scary Movie 3," "Agent Cody Banks" and "Epic Movie" among others.  (Read more)