'ACE' Musical Soars into Signature for Pre-Broadway Engagement

The new Broadway-aimed musical adventure ACE will play a limited engagement this fall at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Va. Directed by Signature Theatre Artistic Director Eric Schaeffer (Broadway's Putting It Together), ACE begins performances on Tuesday, August 26, 2008 and continues through Sunday, September 28, in preparation for a Broadway bow in spring 2009.

"Set in the American heartland in 1952, ACE is the epic story of one young boy's search to come to terms with his past, find his place in the present, and unlock his future. When ten-year-old Danny Lucas receives a toy plane as an unexpected gift from his foster parents, a parallel world of dreamtime adventures begins to unfold. With an ace fighter pilot as his guide, Danny is transported back in time; flying into the gathering storm over Europe and the aerial dogfights of WWI, and soaring with the daring Tiger squadrons of WWII in the skies above Southeast Asia. A Tale of triumph, transcendence, humor and heart, through the prism of a child's eyes, ACE magically explores the heroic lives and unforeseen legacies of the men and women of our greatest generations," describe press notes.

With book and lyrics by Robert Taylor and Richard Oberacker, and music by Oberacker. ACE first premiered as part of the 2005 National Alliance for Musical Theatre's Festival of New Musicals in New York City. Since then, it has played in various incarnations at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (September 2006), the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park (October 2006) and most recently at San Diego's Old Globe Theatre (January 2007).

Longtime Resident Director of the Signature Theatre in Washington, D.C., Eric Schaeffer's previous New York credits include the Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim's Putting It Together, starring Carol Burnett, and the City Center Encores! production of Sweet Adeline. He also directed the first national tour of Big the musical, and more recently made his West End debut with The Witches of Eastwick at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane & Prince of Wales theatres. Casting for the Signature Theatre production of ACE is set to begin in April.

The Signature Theatre is located at 4200 Campbell Avenue in Arlington, Va. Visit the Signature online at www.signature-theatre.org for updates and more details, or call the Signature Box Office at 703-820-9771.

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