Prospect Theater Company (Cara Reichel, Producing Artistic Director / Melissa Huber, Managing Director), producers of this summer's critically-acclaimed With Glee, will present the New York premiere of Susan DiLallo and Stephen Weiner's multiple award-winning musical comedy Once Upon a Time in New Jersey at The Hudson Guild Theatre beginning October 2, 2010.
Winner of the coveted Kleban Prize and Richard Rodgers Award, Once Upon a Time in New Jersey is an Italian-American fairy tale set in 1956 Hoboken. Vinnie LoBianco (David Perlman), an unassuming sandwich-maker, is in love with counter girl Angie Moscato (Briga Heelan). But Angie's got it bad for Rocco (Jeremy Cohen), the local hunk, whose sights are set on sexy dance teacher Celeste (Catherine LeFrere). When Rocco runs afoul of Celeste's husband Billy (Jonathan Gregg), the result is a series of hilarious misunderstandings and madcap misadventure.
The Chicago Sun-Times praises Once Upon a Time in New Jersey's "delicious songs" and "huge audience appeal". BBC Liverpool calls it "An engaging, light-hearted musical in the tradition of Little Shop of Horrors". And The Daily Herald describes it as a "Tuneful, good-hearted, humorous and-most importantly-original show".
Brought to you by the co-authors and creative team behind Prospect's 2006 hit production of Iron Curtain, and presented as a partner event of The New York Musical Theatre Festival, Once Upon a Time in New Jersey is directed by Cara Reichel with choreography by Christine O'Grady (associate choreographer, Broadway's Hair). The musical director is Remy Kurs. Scenic design is by Jen Price Fick. Lighting design is by Isabella F. Byrd. Sound design is by Asa F. Wember. Costume design is by Sidney Shannon. Orchestrations and vocal arrangements are by Dimitri Nakhamkin.
The cast is as follows: Jeremy Cohen*, Jason Collins*, Denise DeMirjian*, Mishaela Faucher*, Jonathan Gregg*, Briga Heelan, Jason Kappus*, Theresa Kloos, Alex Krasser, Catherine LeFrere, John Mervini, Samia Mounts*, David Perlman*, Darcy Yellin* and Noah Zachary.
Once Upon a Time in New Jersey was initially developed at The Muhlenberg Summer Music Theater Festival in Allentown, PA. Following a series of readings at The Director's Company, it played to sold-out houses at the Marriott Lincolnshire Theater in Chicago, the Village Theater in Seattle and the Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts. Once Upon a Time in New Jersey was one of six musicals selected from across the globe for the Global Search for New Musicals Competition in Cardiff Wales. It received rave reviews at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival where it was performed by the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.
Once Upon a Time in New Jersey will be performed October 2-31 with performances Thursdays through Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 3pm (except on Sunday, October 3 when the performance will be at 7pm). There are added 8pm performances on Monday, October 4 and Wednesday, October 27. Tickets ($25) can be purchased by calling (212) 352-3101 or by visiting www.ProspectTheater.org. Specially-priced student tickets ($22) are also available. The October 9 performance features a pre-show patron dinner with the composers at Pepegiallo Restaurant. Tickets for the patron dinner and performance are $65.
The Hudson Guild Theatre is located at 441 West 26th Street (between Ninth and Tenth Avenues).
(*Member, Actors' Equity Association.)
About the Authors and Creative Staff
Susan DiLallo (Book & Lyrics) won the Kleban Prize for Once Upon a Time in New Jersey. The show also won a Richard Rodgers Award (given by the American Academy of Arts & Letters) and the Global Search for New Musicals Competition, Cardiff. Other credits include: libretto for Iron Curtain (Jonathan Larson Award), a 2009 NAMT Festival selection opening at the Village Theatre in 2011; book and lyrics for The Clear Channel/Mattel production of Barbie Live! In Fairytopia; lyrics for That's Life (Outer Critics Circle nominee); Wild About Harry, commissioned and originally presented by NYMF; Pinocchio, a Family Musical About Adoption (winner, KIDDSTUFF New Play Competition); the revised libretto for the classic Dorothy Fields/Arthur Schwartz/George Abbott musical, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn; and book and lyrics to Angelina Ballerina, commissioned by Vital Theatre Company, currently running in NYC. Member: ASCAP, Dramatists Guild.
Stephen Weiner (Music) A two-time Richard Rodgers Award winner, in 2010 for Rocket Science (Book by Patricia Cotter, Lyrics by Jason Rhyne) and in 2003 for Once Upon A Time in New Jersey (Book and Lyrics by Susan DiLallo), Stephen Weiner has also composed the scores for The Hudsucker Proxy (Book and Lyrics by Glenn Slater), MTC's newyorkers (Lyrics by Glenn Slater), Prospect Theater's Iron Curtain (Book by Susan DiLallo, Lyrics by Peter Mills), Spittin Image (Book by Karin Kasdin, Lyrics by Laura Szabo Cohen). Film: The Soprano State, directed by Peter LeDonne. Upcoming: The Honeymooners with Lyrics by Pete Mills, Book by Bill Nuss and Dusty Kay. Recipient of a 2005 Jonathan Larson Development Grant and the 2000 ASCAP New Horizons Richard Rodgers Award.
