Wild Women of Planet Wongo, presented by The New York Musical Theatre Festival and Not Too Fancy Productions LLC, will open tonight, September 13th at Theatre Row's Beckett Theatre (410 West 42nd Street); it will run through September 25th. Based
on a concept by Ben Budick with music by Dave Ogrin, lyrics by O'Neill
Music Theatre Conference-winners Ben Budick, Steve Mackes & Dave
Ogrin, and a book by Steve Mackes (Boobs: The Musical), the original
60's-inspired rock musical "follows the sci-fi adventures of two lost
astronauts and their sensitive, under appreciated robot who crash land
on a mysterious planet of sexy, beautiful, powerful women. In this true
original that boldly goes where no musical comedy has gone before,
youth, lust, idealism, true love, revolution and even snack food
triumph over warped authority," according to production notes.Wild Women of Wongo
recently won the 2005 National Music Theater Network's prestigious
Directors Choice Award; Patricia Birch and Kathleen Marshall were two
of the judges who evaluated over 125 works and selected 3 to receive a
grant of $2000 and an invitation to participate in NMTN's new
BroadwayUSA! program of regional Musical Theatre Festivals. The musical
was first workshopped in 2002 as part of the University of Michigan's
New Works Festival. Wongo also won "Best Musical" in the Chameleon
Circle Theatre Contest, was a finalist in the 2003 Richard Rodgers
Awards, received a concert reading at NY's Ensemble Studio Theatre and
had its first full production at the YES Festival in Cincinnati. As an
Official Next Link Selection, Wongo was chosen from over 400
submissions by a jury of Broadway pros.
John Cariani, who received a Tony nomination for playing Motel the Tailor in Fiddler on the Roof, plays the
Robot Hermie. Heath Calvert (Good Vibrations) plays Captain Ric with
Max Perlman (Kiss Me, Kate) as his sidekick Louie. Alicia Irving (Les
Miserables) plays the evil Queen Rita with Natalie Silverlieb as her
daughter Princess Belinda. The wild women of Planet Wongo are played by
Tracy Jai Edwards (Amber in Hairspray), Sarah Glendening (Good Vibrations), Lauren Lebowitz (The Vagina Monologues) and Lesley Shires. The show is directed by Doug Moser (Danger: People at Large), with musical direction by Eugene Gwozdz (Thrill Me),
choreography by Ginger Thatcher, production design by Andrew Rubenoff,
costumes by Marie Anne Chiment, lighting by Herrick Goldman, wig design
by Jon Jordan and sound by Jeremy Lee. The performance schedule for Wild Women of Planet Wongo
at Theatre Row's Beckett Theatre, 410 West 42nd street (near 9th Ave)
is: Tuesday, Sept. 13 at 8 PM, Friday, Sept 16th at 4:30 PM, Sunday,
Sept 18th at 8 PM, Friday, Sept 23rd at 8 PM, Saturday, Sept 24th at 1
PM and Sunday, Sept 25th at 4:30 PM $15 tickets are available via www.nymf.org or (212) 352-3101 or Toll Free at (866) 811-4111.
