Photo Coverage: BE MORE CHILL Stars Sit Down With Ilana Levine
By: Genevieve Rafter Keddy Jun. 04, 2018
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Ilana Levine sat down with Be More Chill composer Joe Iconis, producer Jennifer Ashley Tepper and co-stars Lauren Marcus and George Salazar this past Sunday afternoon at Subculture to discuss this summer's hotly anticipated off-Broadway musical. Little known facts were revealed about the upcoming off-Broadway production and the real side of what it is to pursue a career in the arts. After the talk, there was live performance of songs from the musical as well as a Q&A session. The afternoon was co-produced by Ilana Levine and John Zeitoun.
Be More Chill, the original musical with music and lyrics by Joe Iconis (NBC's "Smash", The Black Suits, Broadway Bounty Hunter) and a book by Joe Tracz (The Lightning Thief, Netflix's "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events") will have its long anticipated New York premiere production this summer. Stephen Brackett directs and Chase Brock choreographs the limited 9-week, off-Broadway engagement July 26 - September 23 at The Irene Diamond Stage at The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street, NYC). Tickets are now on sale at TicketCentral.com, (212) 279-4200.
Based on the cult sensation novel by Ned Vizzini, Be More Chill is the story of Jeremy Heere, your average, nothing-special teenager at Middleborough High in nothing-special New Jersey. That is, until the day he finds out about "The Squip." Thus begins a journey that pits Jeremy's desire to be popular against his struggle to remain true to his authentic self. Be More Chill is an honest, edgy, super-hilarious look at coming of age in the digital age, set to some of the most exciting songs in contemporary musical theater. This original musical comedy looks at modern issues like depression, bullying, and anxiety through the lens of sci-fi films of the 50s, horror flicks of the 80s, and teen movies of the 90s. Little Shop of Horrors meets The Breakfast Club in this celebration of outcasts, teenaged or otherwise.
The New York premiere production of Be More Chill features cast members from the 2015 Two River Theater production and original cast recording including Gerard Canonico (Spring Awakening, Groundhog Day) as Rich, Katlyn Carlson (Dirty Dancing, The Unavoidable Disappearance of Tom Durnin) as Chloe,Stephanie Hsu (SpongeBob SquarePants) as Christine, Lauren Marcus (The Humans at St. Louis Rep, Company at Barrington Stage) as Brooke, and George Salazar (tick tick BOOM!, Godspell, The Lightning Thief) as Michael; as well as Will Roland (Dear Evan Hansen, The Black Suits) as Jeremy, Jason Tam (NBC's "Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert," KPOP) as The Squip and Jason SweetTooth Williams (Freaky Friday, Benny and Joon, Bloodsong of Love) as Jeremy's Dad/Mr. Reyes. For more information, visit www.BeMoreChillMusical.com.
Little Known Facts is a weekly podcast hosted by stage and film actress Ilana Levine featuring intimate and hilarious conversations with today's most successful artists working in Film, Television and on Broadway. Listen and feel like a fly on the wall as Levine's guests share their secrets and fears, inspirations and challenges .... and along the way expose Little Known Facts. Previous podcast guests include Allison Janney, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Julianne Moore, Ben Platt, Laura Linney, Cynthia Nixon and more. Listen to past episodes here!
Photo Credit: Genevieve Rafter Keddy
Be More Chill at Subculture
Lauren Marcus, George Salazar, Ilana Levine (Little Known Facts Host), Joe Iconis and Jennifer Ashley Tepper
Lauren Marcus, George Salazar, Ilana Levine (Little Known Facts Host), Joe Iconis and Jennifer Ashley Tepper
Lauren Marcus, George Salazar, Ilana Levine (Little Known Facts Host), Joe Iconis and Jennifer Ashley Tepper are joined by John Zeitoun
Joe Iconis, George Salazar, Ilana Levine, Lauren Marcus and Jennifer Ashley Tepper
Joe Iconis, George Salazar, Ilana Levine, Lauren Marcus and Jennifer Ashley Tepper
Joe Iconis, George Salazar, Ilana Levine, Lauren Marcus and Jennifer Ashley Tepper
George Salazar, John Zeitoun, Jennifer Ashley Tepper, Joe Iconis, Ilana Levine and Lauren Marcus
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