Michael Unger, Jeffrey Saver and More Set for SEUSSICAL for 1241 Foundation

By: Jun. 18, 2013
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Seussical: The Musical, one of Broadway's most joyous musicals, written by the esteemed, Tony Award winning team of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, will be presented at the Newtown High School this summer. Authors, Ahrens and Flaherty (Ragtime, Once on This Island, My Favorite Year, A Man of No Importance and the upcoming Rockymusical) have expressed their joy that this musical has been selected as the inaugural production of the 1214 Foundation.

The three main forces behind "From Broadway With Love: A Benefit Concert for Sandy Hook", which took place on January 28 at the Palace Theatre in Waterbury, CT, will reprise their roles on this production. Michael Unger (international theatre and opera director, A Christmas Carol - McCarter Theatre, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee - world premiere) will direct, Jeffrey Saver (End of the Rainbow, Chicago, Sister Act - and 15 other Broadway shows) will musical direct and Tony Award winning producer, Van Dean (Rodger and Hammerstein's Cinderella, Porgy and Bess, Matilda - and seven other Broadway shows) will executive produce. Jennifer Paulson Lee (City of Angels - Goodspeed, Annie Get Your Gun - Lincoln Center, Enter Laughing - York Theatre/Mark Taper Forum) will join them to choreograph. Other established theatre professionals will complete the creative team. Ahrens and Flaherty, the authors of Seussical and several Broadway performers will be visiting some of the rehearsals and performances.

In addition to the student performers, this production of Seussical will offer nearly 20 apprenticeship positions to junior and senior high school students in the fields of direction, choreography, musical direction, stage management, stage crew, lighting design, prop construction, costume design and construction, sound design, and technical direction. There will also be many volunteer opportunities for parents and adults in and around the Newtown community who may want to get involved, as well as opportunities for student and adult musicians to join the orchestra. The production expects to cast between 60 and 80 students from the Newtown area between the ages of 5 and 18. The rehearsal process will emulate a professional production with children working alongside New York professionals to give kids a "Broadway-type" of experience. The production will work as hard as possible to accommodate schedule conflicts which are known in advance, but certain extended conflicts may prohibit involvement.

Auditions will be held at Dance, Etc. - 117 Mt. Pleasant Rd. Newtown, CT 06470 on June 22, 23 and 29 with callbacks on June 30. Auditions are by appointment and must be scheduled from our website. Musicians as well as student and adult volunteers can also register by visiting our website (www.1214foundation.org/seussical).Rehearsals will start on Monday July 8th. Performances will be August 9 and 10 at 7PM and August 10 and 11 at 2PM. There will be two casts with two performances each. Performances will take place at Newtown High School, 12 Berkshire Rd, Newtown, CT 06482. Rehearsals will be held Mondays through Saturdays during the day, although older performers in principal roles will be rehearsing more often than younger cast members. As of Monday August 5th, however, the full cast will be required for all rehearsals. NOTE: This production is not affiliated with the Newtown school district.

Information about auditions, orchestra, student and adult volunteers, as well as tickets can be found at www.1214foundation.org/seussical

The 1214 Foundation was founded by Michael Baroody, M.D., a plastic surgeon and resident of Newtown. The board includes Richard Pilbrow (esteemed lighting designer and creator of Theatre Projects Consultants who have overseen the construction of over 1,200 major theatres and performing arts centers around the globe), Frederick Holahan (a software executive and entrepreneur). Richard Ticktin, (noted New York entertainment lawyer), and Michael Price (Founder and Chief Executive Director of Goodspeed Musicals). The Foundation's vision is to build The Newtown Performing Arts Center as a living remembrance of the events of December 14, 2012 with a focus on hope for the future. This haven of the arts will be inter-disciplinary in nature, offering programming in theatre, music, dance, opera and fine arts. More information can be found at www.1214foundation.org.



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