Signature Presents PARTIAL ECLIPSE, A Rock Song Cycle By Matt Conner 6/10-13

Signature Theatre presents Partial Eclipse, a rock song cycle by Matt Conner directed by Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer, running June 10 through 13 in Signature’s MAX Theatre.  Written by the composer of the musical Nevermore, Partial Eclipse is a fascinating evening of songs about six strangers all on the never-ending quest for love and happiness.  With titles ranging from “Cinderella” to “Bed and Breakfast” to “Sympathy,” Conner’s songs evoke visions of love from the simple to the edgy in the straight, gay, and lesbian worlds.  Six of Signature’s favorite actor/singers, Kurt Boehm, Eleasha Gamble, Sam Ludwig, Eric Ulloa, Weslie Woodley, and Rachel Zampelli, will perform the song cycle accompanied by a four-man rock band.

Performance dates and times for Partial Eclipse are June 10 and 11 at 8:30 pm and June 12 and 13 at 7:30 and 9:30 pm.  Tickets are $30 each and can be purchased at the box office or by calling Ticketmaster at (703) 573-SEAT (7328) or visiting www.signature-theatre.org.  Patrons arriving early to the Theatre can enjoy a glass of wine or a cocktail from Ali’s Bar in the lobby, then take their drink and a savory dish right into the Theatre.

Matt Conner is one of Signature’s Theatre’s Next Generation Composers, part of the American Musical Voices Project funded by The Shen Family Foundation.  He is currently working on the lyrics and music for the musical The Hollow with book by Hunter Foster, which will presented at Signature’s “21/24” performances on July 23 and 24.  Mr. Conner has been performing, composing, teaching, and music directing in the Washington, DC metropolitan area for the last 12 years. His world premiere musical, Nevermore, was produced at Signature Theatre in 2006 (directed by Eric Schaeffer with orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick). He recently wrote the book/lyrics/music to A Carol Christmas for the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington DC, produced December 2007, as well as a new commissioned work for Signature Theatre entitled Crossing, which had its first reading in October 2007. Among Mr. Conner's stage credits are: Thenardier/Ensemble in Les Misérables, Aurelio/Ensemble in Kiss of the Spider Woman, Scotty in Merrily We Roll Along, Toby in Witches of Eastwick, Steward in Into the Woods, John Hinckley in Assassins, Tamate in Pacific Overtures (all for Signature Theatre); Riff in West Side Story (Olney Theatre Center); and The Page of Herodias in Oscar Wilde's Salome (Synetic Theatre). Mr. Conner received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music Theatre from Shenandoah Conservatory of Music and has been music director for numerous shows including Brigadoon, Grease, Crazy for You, Shenandoah, and his original score, A Christmas Carol. Mr. Conner is currently writing Senior Moments/Silver, a Signature Theatre commissioned musical still in the pre-workshop phase. Mr. Conner is also working on a children's show called The King of Pizza, about diversity and working together.  Mr. Conner is a proud voice on the Grammy Award®-winning recording of Benjamin Britten's War Requiem, a teaching artist with Creative Cauldron, Inc., and a member of the Actors Equity Association. For more information on Matt Conner, visit www.mattconner.org.

Under the leadership of co-founder and Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer and Managing Director Maggie Boland, Signature is a non-profit professional theater company dedicated to producing contemporary musicals and plays, reinventing classic musicals, and developing new work.  Recipient of the 2009 Regional Theater Tony Award®, Signature has presented over 25 world premiere productions and is renowned for combining Broadway-quality productions with intimate playing spaces.  In addition to the finest talent from the DC metropolitan area and New York, Signature has been a home to such theater luminaries as John Kander and Fred Ebb, Cameron Mackintosh, Terrence McNally, and the company’s signature, Stephen Sondheim.  Signature has been nominated for 276 Helen Hayes Awards for excellence in the professional theater and has been honored with 69 Helen Hayes Awards, including Outstanding Musical in 1992, 1993, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009, and Outstanding Play in 1999.

Signature Theatre is supported by grants from the Arlington Commission for the Arts, Virginia Commission for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Signature Theatre is just nine minutes from downtown Washington, DC in Arlington’s Shirlington Village.  The new theater complex is located at 4200 Campbell Avenue (22206) off I-395 at the Shirlington exit.  After the exit, blue Signature signs mark the way to the Theatre.  Free parking is available in two adjacent public garages.  Please note that Campbell Avenue is a new street and some GPS online mapping systems do not yet recognize Signature Theatre's address.  For directions visit www.signature-theatre.org.