City Theatre Presents Lisa Loeb's Musical CAMP KAPPAWANNA At The Kravis

THE KRAVIS CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS

PRESENTS CITY THEATRE'S

CAMP KAPPAWANNA 

The runaway hit musical, perfect for all ages

With music & lyrics by Grammy® Award-nominated singer/songwriter Lisa Loeb 

THIS SUMMER'S MUST-SEE MUSICAL

June 9 - 12, 2011

City Theatre is joining with Grammy-Nominated singer/songwriter Lisa Loeb to mount an engagement of the hit rock musical CAMP KAPPAWANNA, in the Rinker Playhouse at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach, June 9 through 12, 2011. 

The rollicking musical celebrates timeless summer camp experiences with hip, cool music and lyrics by Grammy® Award-nominated singer/songwriter Lisa Loeb along with veteran songwriters Michelle Lewis and Dan Petty and a script by rising national playwright and South Florida native Marco Ramirez. With this season's must-see musical, CAMP KAPPAWANNA, City Theatre set out to create a new classic for all ages: a fresh, original take on leaving home for the first time that, from start to finish, makes everyone in the audience feel as if they, too, are joining in the fun of summer camp. 

CAMP KAPPAWANNA runs Thursday, June 9 at 10:30 am and 1:00 pm, Friday June 10 at 10:30 am and 1:00 pm, Saturday June 11 at 11:00 am and 2:00 pm and Sunday June 12 at 1:00 pm. Tickets are $25 for reserved seating and may be purchased at the Kravis Center box office, 701 Okeechobee Blvd. in West Palm Beach, by calling 561.832.7469 or 800.572.8471, or by visiting www.kravis.org. Groups of 10 or more, please call 561-651-4438 or 561-651-4304. Group tickets: $10 for Thursday and Friday performances; $15 for Saturday and Sunday.

"CAMP KAPPAWANNA brings to the community a warm and witty theatrical work that combines top tier creative talent with a family friendly story that will appeal to all generations," said Stephanie Norman, City Theatre Producing Artistic Director. "CAMP KAPPAWANNA is an exciting new musical created and inspired by a creative team deeply rooted here in South Florida combined with noted national recording artist Lisa Loeb and her songwriting partners Michelle Lewis and Dan Petty. This production has all the right artistic ingredients to thrill and delight South Florida families and the potential to touch audiences of all ages."

CAMP KAPPAWANNA tells the story of Jenny Jenkins, awkward and adorable and 12, a kid who hasn't really found herself just yet. She's going away for the summer - her very first time leaving home. From the start, CAMP KAPPAWANNA makes audiences of all generations feel as if they, too, are joining in the fun of summer camp. CAMP KAPPAWANNA marks Grammy® Award-nominated multi-platinum selling singer/songwriter Lisa Loeb's first musical production. Loeb created CAMP KAPPAWANNA's music and lyrics along with collaborators Dan Petty and Michelle Lewis in celebration of her days at camp, where she first learned to play the guitar.

"Summer camp is one of those life-changing experiences that every child should have. It teaches you to try new things, explore and make new friends. It won't always be easy, but you can forge true friendships and make lifelong memories that will stay with you forever," said Loeb.

The CAMP KAPPAWANNA musical was conceived by City Theatre co-founder and producing artistic director Stephanie Norman, who tapped multi Heideman Award winning playwright Marco Ramirez to write the book. Says Norman, "We've produced seven of Marco's plays on our stages, starting with his first professional production, leading to many accolades recognizing him as one of the nation's rising talents. His writing is smart, funny and strikes the right chord with kids and adults." Ramirez is currently a writer on FX's "Sons of Anarchy" and trained at the prestigious Tisch School of the Arts and The Juilliard School.

The CAMP KAPPAWANNA ensemble features previous production standouts Melanie Leibner and Jameson Hammond performing alongside rising talents Zach Held, Anne Chamberlain, Lauren Tepper and Ryan Didato. CAMP KAPPAWANNA will be directed and choreographed by musical theatre veteran Michael Leeds, bringing his extensive experience on Broadway, Off-Broadway and regionally at the Broward Stage Door Theatre to the helm. The show's musical director, Jeff Hess, returns to work with production Sound Designer StEve Shapiro.

In a unique collaboration, the set will be designed by multiple Carbonell Award winning designer Sean McClelland in conjunction with illustrations created by the Candela Creative Group. The husband and wife design team of Rafols Morales and Candela Demarco created CAMP KAPPAWANNA's unique cartoon design, and are utilizing the same bold, bright cartoon like aesthetic in collaborating with scenic designer Sean McClelland. Their goal is to create a completely unique environment and experience for attendees.

As an artist, designer and producer, Candela Demarco brings her experience creating games, contests and websites for kids for companies such as the Discovery Channel to City Theatre's family musical. She says, "though I've never worked on musical theatre before, as a parent and an artist I saw an opportunity to bring my years of illustration and design experience to help create a cool, creative environment that will completely engage kids."

Together, the South Florida creative team will join with Grammy Nominated singer/songwriter Lisa Loeb, playwright Marco Ramirez and co-composers and lyricists Michelle Lewis and Dan Petty to put CAMP KAPPAWANNA on the cultural map throughout South Florida.

Lisa Loeb is a Grammy nominated, platinum selling singer/songwriter and actress. She launched her career in 1994 with the No. 1 hit song, "Stay (I Missed You)." To this day, she is still the only artist to have a number one single while not signed to a recording contract. Loeb carried the momentum of her early success into a multi dimensional career encompassing music, film, television, voice over work and children's recordings. Her five acclaimed studio CDs include her major label debut, the gold selling Tails and its follow up, the Grammy nominated, gold selling Firecracker. Loeb has starred in two television series, "Dweezil and Lisa," a weekly culinary adventure for the Food Network and "No. 1 Single," a dating show on the E! Network in 2006. She tours worldwide, and in recent years has captivated a younger audience as she released the award winning Catch the Moon in 2003, and 5 years later Camp Lisa in 2008. Catch the Moon included a companion board book that earned the prestigious Parent's Choice Award and led to a series of popular videos for Noggin Network.

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