THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES to Bring the '50s & '60s to the Grange Theatre

ArtisTree Music Theatre Festival will bring this small off-Broadway hit, THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES, to the Grange Theatre.

The show, which The New York Times called "One irresistible musical! An utter charm bomb!", features more than thirty 50's and 60's songs sung by a quartet of incredible women, The Wonderettes.

The story begins at their 1958 Springfield High Senior Prom and continues at their 10th High School Reunion. Included in the pure fun, over-the-top score are classics such as: Lollipop, Dream Lover, Stupid Cupid, Lipstick on Your Collar, It's My Party, Son of a Preacher Man, Respect, Sincerely.

Gary John La Rosa directs and choreographs. Gary John has directed 250 productions nationally including the 10th Anniversary Tour of Footloose. On Broadway, he conceived and directed Raising the Roof, the star-studded gala celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Fiddler on the Roof. Regional credits include: Barrington Stage Company, St. Louis MUNY, Kansas City Starlight, Sacramento Music Circus, Ogunquit Playhouse, Maine State Music Theatre, Westchester Broadway Theatre, Phoenix Theatre, Fulton Theatre, Playhouse on the Square, Theatre-by-the-Sea, Opera Memphis among many others. Corporate shows include: Intel, Choice Hotels, Goodyear, Dunkin' Donuts, Canon, NCR and Samsung. He is an adjunct professor at Montclair State University (NJ) and has been a visiting artist at numerous universities. La Rosa has been the recipient of two Loewe Fellowships, a Connecticut Critics Circle, three BroadwayWorld awards, an Ostrander, Judy, Clifton Webb, and Phoenix awards. He was formerly an actor, appearing on Broadway, national and international tours. www.garyjohnlarosa.com

The cast includes Christina Carlucci (Suzy), Bailey Seeker (Betty Jean), Amanda Downey (Cindy Lou) and Renée Kathleen Koher (Missy). All of these actresses were last seen in the ArtisTree Music Theatre Festival production of Godspell also at the Grange Theatre.

The production and design team include Josh D. Smith (Festival Artistic Director/Musical Direction), Jessie Jardon (Stage Manager), Carl Tallent (Scenic Design), Janine Woods Thoma (Lighting Design), Stephen Drueke (Costume Design), Rider Q. Stanton (Sound Design) and Brad Dorsogna (Producing General Manager). The live five-piece Wonderettes Band includes Josh D. Smith (Piano/Conductor), Brent C. Mauldin (Keyboards), Paul Wyatt (Guitar), Katie Runde (Reeds), and Ken Swinkin (Drums).

Single ticket prices range from $20 - $25. ArtisTree Music Theatre Festival performs in the intimate, 100-seat Grange Theatre 65 Stage Road in South Pomfret, VT. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (802) 457-3500 or visit www.artistreevt.org/the-marvelous-wonderettes.html.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

Roger Bean (The Marvelous Wonderettes, Author)
Roger created the long-running off-Broadway hit The Marvelous Wonderettes (Westside Theatre), along with the sequels Wonderettes: Caps & Gowns, Winter Wonderettes, and Wonderettes: Dream On. Original cast albums for all Wonderettes shows are available from iTunes and Amazon. The Marvelous Wonderettes received the 2007 LA Ovation Award for Best Musical for its record-breaking Los Angeles run, and continues to be an audience favorite in regional and amateur theater companies throughout the country. MR. Bean revisits Springfield, USA with his newest jukebox hit Life Could Be A Dream. With a record-breaking 12-month run in Los Angeles, the show received the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award, the LA Weekly Theatre Award and the Backstage Garland Award for Outstanding Musical. MR. Bean wrote and created the popular jukebox musicals Summer of Love, The Andrews Brothers, Route 66, Honky Tonk Laundry and Why Do Fools Fall In Love? and all currently available through licensing agent Steele Spring Stage Rights. Additional musicals created by MR. Bean include Don't Touch That Dial!, That's Amore and Beach Blanket Bash. MR. Bean is currently the president of Steele Spring Stage Rights, the foremost independent theatrical publisher in the United States.

Christina Carlucci (Suzy)
ArtisTree Theatre Debut! Christina was most recently seen as Sophie in Mamma Mia! at Capital Repertory Theatre in Albany. Tours: Shrek World Tour (Gingy), Annie (1st Nat'l), Disney Cruise Line (Belle / Pocahontas) NYC: Pink Floyd's The Wall, Angel on My Shoulder (Barbara), Charlie Brown (Lucy) Regional favorites: Spelling Bee (Olive - twice) Wedding Singer (Holly), Legally Blonde (Margot) and Hairspray (Amber) for which she won the Ruby Griffith Award. Proud USO Show Troupe Member performing for service members at home and abroad. @christina_carlucci ChristinaCarlucci.com

AMANDA DOWNEY (Cindy Lou)
Amanda is based out of New York City and is so delighted to be playing this role again as well as making her debut here at ArtisTree! Past favorite credits include: Into The Woods (Cinderella); New York Musical Festival-A Wall Apart; Regional Premiere of Rock of Ages (Constance/u/s Sherrie); Crazy For You (Polly); Batboy (Shelley); I Love You, You're Perfect Now Change (Woman 1); Rocky Horror, Sister Act (Tina/u/sMary Robert); 9 to 5 (Maria); and Spamalot. Proud member of member of the USO Show Troupe.

RENÉE KATHLEEN KOHER (Missy)
Renée is so excited to be a part of Artistree Music Theatre Festival here in beautiful Woodstock, VT. Renee has performed all over the the world! Regional and International credits include: Kiss Me, Kate (Kate), Best Little Whorehouse... (Doatsy Mae), Fiddler on the Roof (Fruma-Sarah), Carousel (Mrs. Mullins), A Christmas Carol (The Ghost of Christmas Past), Camelot (Nimue/Morgan LeFey). Cabaret (Sally Bowles), Oliver! (Mrs. Sourberry), 9 to 5 (Violet Newstead), Footloose (Vi), Pippin (Fastrata), Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Sister Act, Sweeney Todd, JCS, Disney Cruise Line and Tokyo Disney Resort. Renee is also an accomplished aerialist having performed in many national and international venues. www.reneekathleenkoher.com

Bailey Seeker (Betty Jean)
Bailey is thrilled to make her ArtisTree Theatre debut in Godspell and The Marvelous Wonderettes! She holds a BFA from NYU Tisch School of the Arts, CAP 21. Bailey is currently a company member of Titan Theatre Company. Off-Broadway: Swingtime Canteen (Cherry Lane Theatre). Other Theatre Credits: Oliver! (Nancy), A Christmas Carol (Belle/Fred's Wife), Into the Woods (Baker's Wife), Reefer Madness (Mary Lane), The Velveteen Rabbit (Velveteen), and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Olive).