New Line Throws a Birthday Party for Sondheim

New Line Theatre has produced many musicals by composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim over its 17 years (Anyone Can Whistle, Company, Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, Assassins, Passion, and two revues of his songs), but they've never been performing one of his shows on his birthday -- till now! On Saturday, March 22, during the current run of Sondheim and John Weidman's Assassins, New Line will throw Sondheim a 78th birthday party, complete with birthday cake for the audience.
 
New Line Theatre, "The Bad Boy of Musical Theatre," continues its seventeenth season of provocative, alternative musical theatre, with the return of Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman's political masterwork Assassins, running March 6-29, 2008, at the brand new Ivory Theatre, 7622 Michigan at Ivory, in South St. Louis City.
 
"Just in time for the Presidential primary season comes one of the true stage masterpieces of the twentieth century, the powerful, hilarious, and disturbing Assassins, a musical that gives voice to the men and women who have tried to kill American presidents, exploring their neuroses, their passions, their delusions, and their reasons, all in a wild vaudeville of American politics," press notes state.
 
The assassins include Matthew Korinko as John Wilkes Booth, Aaron Allen as Lee Harvey Oswald, Brian Claussen as Sam Byck, Christopher "Zany" Clark as Leon Czolgosz, Cindy Duggan as Sara Jane Moore, Zachary Allen Farmer as Charles Guiteau, Amy Leone as Squeaky Fromme, Scott Tripp as Giuseppe Zangara, and Jeffrey Wright as John Hinckley. The cast also includes Alison Helmer, Andrew Keller, Aaron Lawson, John Sparger, and Kimi Short. The show is directed by Scott Miller, with set design by David Carr and Jeff Breckel, lighting by Stephen Moore, and costumes by Russell Bettlach.
 
New Line Theatre is a professional company dedicated to involving the people of the St. Louis region in the exploration and creation of innovative, provocative, socially and politically relevant works of musical theatre. New Line receives funding from the Regional Arts Commission, the Fox Associates Foundation, and the Missouri Arts Council. For more about New Line, go to www.newlinetheatre.com/contact.html
 
Assassins runs March 6-29, 2008, on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., at the Ivory Theatre, 7622 Michigan at Ivory, in the Carondelet neighborhood, about one mile from Highway 55 and Loughborough. March 6 is a preview. For Thursday night performances, tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. On Friday and Saturday nights, tickets are $18 for adults and $15 for students and seniors. Tickets are on sale now through all Metrotix outlets, including Macy's stores, the Fox Theatre, and select Schnucks stores, or by calling 314-534-1111. Most New Line performances sell out, so get your tickets early! This show contains some strong language and content.
 
New Line Theatre also announces the creation of the New Line Free Seats, ten seats put aside for every performance, free to anyone with a valid college student ID. One ticket per ID. The New Line Free Seats will be available on performance nights only, at the theatre box office, from 7:00 p.m. to 7:55 p.m.

For other information, visit New Line Theatre's full-service website at www.newlinetheatre.com. All programs are subject to change.