HIT HER WITH THE SKATES is now available for streaming on all platforms including iTunes, GooglePlay, Spotify, AmazonMusic, Pandora, YouTube Music and for FREE download on CD Baby.
Written by Christine Rea & Rick Briskin, HIT HER WITH THE SKATES is GREASE meets HAIRSPRAY with a dash of XANADU! It's 1994 and Pop/Rockstar, Jacqueline Miller has a lot to celebrate. She's headlining her first national tour and returning to her hometown to kick off the gala re-opening of her beloved Windy City Skates. When complications hit her head on, Jacqueline comes face-to-face with her 12 -year-old self and all the things she learned during the golden age of the roller rink in 1977. From the wisdom of the Ouija Board to the power of All-Skate Saturday, HIT HER WITH THE SKATES explores the magic and hope of finding your one true love, while still being true to yourself.
"With every presentation of Hit Her With The Skates, from our intimate special presentations to our fully staged production, what seems to stand out the most is the music, and over the past two years we've had so many requests to create and release an album. We are so are thrilled to finally be able to announce that the music to HHWTS is available, for FREE, to the public, as we gear up for a run in New York." Hit Her With The Skates' Christine Rae
The album features performances by American Idols and real-life couple, Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young with Roy Bennett, Rick Briskin, Madeline Fansler, Christine Rea, Amy Toporek, and Sky Seals. HIT HER WITH THE SKATES album is produced by .... With music direction by??? (DO WE NEED TO INCLUDE).
Available songs include: Skating Nation, A Simpler Time (Diana DeGarmo), Could It Be (Amy Toporek), Believe (Ace Young & Diana DeGarmo), Shazizzle (Madeline Fansler), Crushin' on You (Diana DeGarmo & Ace Young), Forward Motion (Diana DeGarmo & Amy Toporek), and You're the One (Christine Rea & Rick Briskin).
After a sold-out run at Hamilton Stage in New Jersey and a very well received industry presentation in the fall, HIT HER WITH THE SKATES will get its official Off-Broadway debut in 2019. For more information on the show visit www.HitHerWithTheSkates.com.
Diana DeGarmo has been blowing away audiences with her powerful voice and irresistible charm over a decade. Fans first grew to love Diana on the cultural phenomenon, "American Idol," where she placed second at the mere age of 16. Shortly after, Diana released her first single "Dreams" that reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart. She made her Broadway debut at only 18 in the role of Penny Pingleton in HAIRSPRAY, solidifying her spot amongst the Broadway Divas. Her comedy chops and big voice brought down the house again in the Off-Broadway cult hit, THE TOXIC AVENGER as Sarah the blonde, blind, librarian. Splitting her time between her beloved home in Nashville and the rest of the world, Diana made a name for herself on the #1 Daytime TV Drama, "The Young and The Restless", creating the vivacious and wild character, Angelina. While in Los Angeles, Diana revised her beloved role as Penny Pingleton in HAIRSPRAY at the Hollywood Bowl starring Drew Carey and Corbin Bleu. All the while releasing two of her own EPs, "Unplugged in Nashville" and "Live to Love" that included the hit song "Good Goodbye" that was showcased during her reign on "The Young and The Restless". In 2010, she joined the Broadway revival of HAIR where she met now husband, Ace Young. Soon the two became a dynamic duo writing and singing songs for TV Shows and Films and touring together in JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT and multiple times with the USO. Diana has also taken her talents on the road with the First National Broadway Tours of BKYLN: THE MUSICAL and 9 TO 5, where she was handpicked to play Doralee by the one and only Dolly Parton herself! She recently returned home to Nashville from touring South Korea while starring as Lucy in JEKYLL & HYDE alongside Kyle Dean Massey. Diana was an active actor as a child growing up in Georgia, but her most recent films include Alto, After The Sun Fell and The First Ride Of Wyatt Earp. Diana is a one-of-a-kind entertainer who has always wanted her career to not be just a shooting star but an entire galaxy. She is represented by Headline Talent.
Ace Young is a creative chameleon. He has made it his life's purpose to wear every hat in the entertainment industry he can from acting, singing, writing songs for artists and brands, composing for films, touring his own music, directing and more. This Grammy Nominated songwriter has written Number 1 hits in both the US and Overseas. He says, "A true artist will do whatever the next project needs and never stop learning." Long before he was introduced to the world on the biggest season of American Idol history, Ace had already performed, created and produced music for a major motion picture and toured the country with R&B royalty. His career has taken him to stages around the world from Afghanistan and Bahrain with the USO, New York City with Broadway hits GREASE and HAIR, and Los Angeles TV sets from "Bones" to "Born Again Virgin." He and wife, Diana DeGarmo, toured the country together in the show JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT with Ace in the title role. Proudly wearing his producer hat, Ace is currently leading the creation of Diana's new album, GEMINI. His first film, Clinton Road, starring alongside Ice T, will be released in 2018. Growing up in Colorado as the youngest of five boys, Ace has never once backed down from a challenge and doesn't plan on starting any time soon. He is honored to be represented by Headline Talent and active member of AEA and SAG-AFTRA.
CHRISTINE REA (Book, Lyrics) began her journey of producing, playwriting and performing as a kid on her parents suburban Chicago backyard patio. Upon pursuing a Master's Degree at DePaul Theater School, Christine toured the US, Canada and Europe performing; most notably as Mary Magdalene in the National Tour of Jesus Christ Superstar w/Ted Neeley & Carl Anderson, and more recently with Mr. Neeley and Corey Glover of the groundbreaking rock band, Living Colour. Christine formed HHWTS Productions LLC with writing partner and husband, Rick Briskin, with the goal of developing and nurturing new plays & musicals. With over 60 years of theater and music business between the two of them, and a goal of combining art with commerce; HHWTS Productions strives to deliver universal appealing shows with timeless & enduring messages. Upcoming: Off-Broadway, Hit Her With The Skates: A New Musical about Life, Love & the Roller Rink. Recent: Off-Broadway, The Crusade of Connor Stephens, a new play; World Premiere, Hamilton Stage (UCPAC) 2017, Hit Her With The Skates. Christine holds a History BA from the University of Illinois, Champaign/Urbana, is a proud member of The Dramatists Guild, Actors Equity Association and 2016 14-Week Commercial Theater Graduate. Christine is a dollhouse enthusiast, loves a good joke and believes everything is better with sprinkles. www.HHWTSProductions.com
RICK BRISKIN (Music, Lyrics) attended the acclaimed Berklee College of Music as a drummer and discovered his true love of songwriting. At that point, he picked up the guitar and began his journey as a singer/ songwriter. Born in NYC, his parents instilled a love and appreciation for musical theatre. When approached to collaborate on HIT HER WITH THE SKATES, Rick's extensive knowledge of musical genre and style, coupled with his enthusiasm for musical theatre made him a natural. As a mainstay of the NYC music scene, he has produced and worked with a diverse group of artists in a wide range of styles. As a sideman, Rick has shared the stage with many artists including: Diana Ross, Frankie Valli, Cindy Lauper, Sheryl Crow and Anita Baker. Additionally, he can be heard on national jingles including spots for: Coca Cola, Mercedes Benz, Tanqueray, Huggies and Equitable Life. Rick is a proud member of AFM Local 802.
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