Photo Flash: First Look at Strange Tree Group's THE DEAD PRINCE

The Strange Tree Group, in association with the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, is pleased to kick off its 2013-14 Season with the world premiere of THE DEAD PRINCE, an original, rambunctious, fairly-family-friendly, fairy tale muzikal, with book, music and lyrics by Jeff Award-winning playwright Emily Schwartz and directed by Lifeline ensemble member Paul Holmquist. THE DEAD PRINCE plays now through December 22, 2013 at The DCASE Storefront Theater, 66 E. Randolph St. in Chicago. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

THE DEAD PRINCE features: Cory Aiello, Elizabeth Bagby, Dan Behrendt, Scott Cupper, Michael Thomas Downey, Kate Nawrocki, Stuart Ritter, Amber Vaughn Robinson, Sarah Scanlon, Zachary Sigelko, Ann Sonneville, Jen Starewich and Thomas Zeitner.

Epic, goofy, comedic and romantic, THE DEAD PRINCE follows the story of a put-upon princess who is told by every magic mirror in the land that her true love has died and the two were destined never to meet: for he was dead and she alive! We join the play on the day she discovers it is possible to sneak across the void and steal him back; but does pulling someone from the brink do more damage than you think? A musical comedy full of corpses, bat attacks, horrible misunderstandings and quests... glorious quests.

In the tradition of the smash hits Mr. Spacky and The Mysterious Elephant, THE DEAD PRINCE showcases Strange Tree's patented mash-up of literary styles, which playfully bend the rules of normal theatrical narrative while drawing on the deep (and deeply eccentric) musical talents of the Strange Tree ensemble. Lively, inventive, and completely original, for the past nine years Chicago's Strange Tree Group has playfully toyed with the entire notion of storytelling, featuring a hand-made "twigs and twine" aesthetic replete with bright bursts of magical realism in highly detailed, audience-interactive environments.

The production team for THE DEAD PRINCE includes: Joe Schermoly (scenic design), Delia Baseman (costume design), Rebecca Jeffords (lighting design), Michael Huey (sound design & original incidental music), Zachary Sigelko (music arrangement), Kitty Campbell (props design), Matt Engle (fight choreography), Noah Ginex and Sarah Scanlon (puppet design), Nic Belanger (technical director), John Kelly (master electrician), Sarah Luse (production manager) and Becky Bishop (stage manager).

The show plays The DCASE Storefront Theater, 66 E. Randolph St. in Chicago. Previews: Sunday, November 17 at 2 pm, Monday, November 18 at 7:30 pm, Wednesday, November 20 at 7:30 pm and Thursday, November 21 at 7:30 pm. Press performance: Friday, November 22 at 7:30 pm. Regular run: Saturday, November 23 - Sunday, Dec. 22, 2013. Curtain Times: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at 7:30 pm, Sunday at 2. Please note: there will not be a performance on Thursday, November 28 (Thanksgiving). Tickets: Previews: Pay-what-you-can. Regular run: $15. Tickets are available at www.strangetree.org.

Photo Credit: Emily Schwartz

Kate Nawrocki as Tasha, Scott Cupper as The Dead Prince, Elizabeth Bagby as The Captain, Sara Scanlon as Sallie, Jenifer Starewhich as Pea, Stuart Ritter as Wilkes, Dan Behrendt as Leopold, Cory Aiello as Diggs, Thomas Zeitner as Dennis and Michael Thomas Downey as Maldorf the Mirror

Ann Sonneville as Princess Sara and the cast

Dan Behrendt as Leopold, Michael Thomas Downey as Maldorf the Mirror, Sarah Scanlon as Sallie and Kate Nawrocki as Tasha

Scott Cupper as The Dead Prince and the cast