Nick Blaemire-Led TICK, TICK... BOOM!, World Premiere & More Slated for Keen Company's 17th Season

Today, Keen Artistic Director Jonathan Silverstein announced his plans for the upcoming season: "I am thrilled to announce Keen Company's 17th season offering two productions that explore themes of self-discovery.

"In the fall we will present a revival of Jonathan Larson's Tick, Tick...BOOM!, the late composer's only other musical apart from Rent. Larson's moving and entertaining piece is a natural fit as Keen's third 'intimate' musical, following our successful productions of Marry Me a Little and John & Jen. We're excited to reunite with David Auburn, who refashioned Larson's one man show to create this beautiful three-character musical. Dave was an early supporter of Keen and adapted The Journals of Mihail Sebastian in our 2003-'04 season.

"This spring, for the first time, we will produce a work developed in Keen's Playwrights Lab dedicated to fostering the work of mid-career playwrights. Courtney Baron has written an incredibly timely tale about gun violence in contemporary America. Ever since I read it, I knew we had to produce it - and sadly the story becomes more and more relevant with every day. Courtney has had a long history with Keen, including writing for our Keen Teens program and we are incredibly proud to be presenting her work as part of our main season."

Before Rent, there was Tick, Tick... BOOM! This autobiographical musical, by the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning Jonathan Larson, is the story of an aspiring composer questioning his life choices on the eve of his thirtieth birthday. His girlfriend wants to get married and move out of the city, his best friend is making big bucks on Madison Avenue, but Jon is still waiting on tables and trying to write the great American musical. This exhilarating, funny, and moving work by the late Larson will speak to anyone who's ever gotten lost on their way to finding their dreams.

Nick Blaemire stars in this thrilling work by the late, great Jonathan Larson. Tick, Tick...BOOM! has book, music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson; David Auburn serves as Script Consultant; Joey Chancey will be Musical Director; Jonathan Silverstein directs, with choreography by Christine O'Grady. Additional casting and design team will be announced shortly.

Nick Blaemire recently played the scheming Plankton in the World Premiere of The SpongeBob Musical. Other stage credits include the Broadway productions of Godspell and Cry-Baby (original casts), the Off-Broadway productions of Found (Atlantic), Dogfight (Second Stage), and the 1st National Tour of Altar Boyz. He's been seen on screen in the Whit Stillman film Damsels in Distress and in recurring roles on TV's "The Big C," "Crossbones," and "The Good Wife." As a writer, he wrote the one night Broadway sensation Glory Days (with James Gardiner), as well as the musicals A Little More Alive (Kansas City Rep, Barrington Stage), Soon (Signature Theatre) and Fallout (with Kyle Jarrow, in development). He is currently mixing a new EP of original songs. Proud University of Michigan graduate. @nickblaemire

Performances for this limited Off-Broadway engagement of Tick, Tick... BOOM! at The Clurman Theatre at Theatre Row will begin Tuesday, Oct 4th, and continue through November 19th only, with opening night set for Thursday, October 20th.

When It's You, a world premiere by Courtney Baron, is a personal look at the ripple effects that follow gun violence in contemporary America. Ginnifer is single, thirty-seven, and has just lost her mother to illness. She moves back to her hometown and learns her first love from high school is now at the center of a violent crime. Ginnifer must confront her relationship to the heinous act as well as her changing place in society, all while living in her dead mother's home. Timely and moving, When It's You complexly and honestly explores America today.

"I couldn't be more excited to be a part of the Keen Company's 2016-'17 season. The connections run deep: the founding artistic director, Carl Forsman, directed my first production after I finished grad school. It is wonderful to now get to work with the incredibly talented current Artistic Director, Jonathan Silverstein, who will direct, and his excellent team. I was also very fortunate to be a part of the amazing Keen Teens program which provides teens with the opportunity to work on commissioned plays by working New York-based playwrights. My new play, When It's You was written in the Keen Company Playwright's Lab. When Mark Armstrong approached me about being a part of the Lab, specifically for mid-career writers, I jumped at the chance. The lab was one of the most supportive writer's groups I have been a part of and this play wouldn't have happened without it. To now be offered this production is a testament to how dedicaTed Keen is to fostering its artistic partners. I am grateful to be one of them," said Baron.

Courtney Baron's play Eat Your Heart Out premiered as part of the Humana Festival of New American Plays and was subsequently produced at Rivendell Theater in Chicago. Her play A Very Common Procedure was produced at MCC, the Magic Theater and as part of the Cherry Lane Theater Mentor Program. Here I Lie was produced as part of the Rising Phoenix Rep's Cino Nights. To Know Know Know You was written and produced for Keen Teens. Her plays Consumption and Purge are both commissions from the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. Consumption was produced at the Guthrie Lab. Her short film "18" (directed by Michelle Bossy) premiered at the Austin Film Festival. She wrote for "Almost There" on DirecTVs Audience Network.

Performances for this limited Off-Broadway engagement of When It's You by Courtney Baron, directed by Jonathan Silverstein, will begin Tuesday February 21st, and continue through Saturday April 8th, only, with opening night set for Thursday March 9th. Casting and design team will be announced shortly.

All performances will be at The Clurman Theatre at Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street, between 9th and 10th Avenues) and will be Tuesday through Thursday evenings at 7pm; Fridays at 8pm; Saturdays at 2pm & 8pm; and Sunday matinees at 3pm.

Tickets for Tick, Tick...BOOM will be $75; premium tickets will be $90; for When It's You, tickets will be $65; premium tickets will be $80. (All ticket prices include restoration fees.)

A subscription package for both shows of the season is only $100 which includes unlimited exchange privileges, invitations to Keen Company readings, and more! Save over 35% off full ticket price ($140.00). Subscribers also get discounts on the purchase of Keen's new cast recordings of Keen's productions of Marry Me a Little and John & Jen, as well as advance notice and discounted tickets to The Keen Teens festival of New Work, The Playwrights Lab Series, and Keen Company's Annual Gala.

Keen patrons 30 or under see both shows for just $25 each with a KEENConnect Subscription at only $50. Save over 65% off the full ticket price! (Please note, government issued ID must be presented at box office).

Individual tickets and subscriptions are on sale NOW! To purchase tickets visit Telecharge.com or call 212-239-6200. For subscriptions, call the Subscriber Hotline at 212-560-2185.

For more information, visit www.keencompany.org.

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