Northwestern University's 2010 Summer Music Theatre Festival Kicks Off 6/25

New works and old favorites performed by Broadway stars and Northwestern music theatre students are part of the 2010 Summer Music Theatre Festival (June 25 to Aug. 7) presented by the Theatre and Interpretation Center (TIC) at Northwestern University.

The Evanston campus events are open to the public. They will take place at the Josephine Louis Theater, 20 Arts Circle Drive; Hal and Martha Hyer-Wallis Theater, 1949 Campus Drive; Ethel M. Barber Theater, 30 Arts Circle Drive; or Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, 50 Arts Circle Drive, as noted.

The festival kicks off with "Capathia Jenkins and Louis Rosen in Concert: The Ache of Possibility" (June 25 to 27), a three-performance-only concert of jazz, blues, soul, pop and folk.

Other productions include "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown" (July 1 to Aug. 8) and a provocative new musical "Not Wanted on the Voyage" (July 16 to Aug. 8), presented by the American Music Theatre Project (AMTP) at Northwestern University.

The festival concludes with the annual Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project, which this year will pay special tribute to award-winning composer Stephen Schwartz ("Wicked," "Godspell") for his development of new songwriters in the tradition of the legendary Johnny Mercer. Events will include: "Songwriters Showcase" (Aug. 6), an evening of original pop, music theatre, hip hop, folk, Latin and country songs; and "The Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project: A Celebration of Stephen Schwartz" (Aug. 7), featuring performances of songs from Schwartz's landmark shows by Broadway star Shoshana Bean ("Wicked") and other top artists.

Prior to the "Celebration of Stephen Schwartz" concert, festival subscribers will enjoy a free private "Behind the Scenes with Stephen Schwartz" discussion with the composer beginning at 7 p.m. Hosted by American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Director of Musical Theatre Michael Kerker and AMTP Executive Director Dominic Missimi, the event will provide an opportunity for Schwartz to share stories about his successful professional career and a special song or two.

Subscriptions and single tickets to all productions can be purchased by phone through the Theatre and Interpretation Center Box Office at (847) 491-7282 or online at http://www.tic.northwestern.edu, except as otherwise noted. Single tickets to all performances range in price from $10 to $40. Subscriptions and single tickets are on sale now.

2010 SUMMER MUSIC THEATRE FESTIVAL EVENTS

"Capathia Jenkins and Louis Rosen in Concert: The Ache of Possibility," 8 p.m. Friday, June 25; 8 p.m. Saturday, June 26; and 2 p.m. Sunday, June 27, Josephine Louis Theater, 20 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston campus. Jenkins is a veteran Broadway actress and jazz and pop recording artist. Rosen is a multi-award-winning songwriter, guitarist and pianist. Together, the duo breaks new ground in a concert of smart and sexy songs from their three recent albums, including their latest, "The Ache of Possibility." Whether the words are by Rosen or African-American icons Nikki Giovanni, Langston Hughes or Maya Angelou, the jazz, blues, soul, folk and pop songs trace subjects including love, politics, loss, family, choices, memory and the passage of time. Jenkins and Rosen will be joined by virtuoso bassist Dave Phillips. Single tickets are $30 for the general public; $27 for seniors 65 and older and Northwestern faculty and staff and area educators and administrators; and $10 for full-time students.

"You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown," 7 p.m. Thursday, July 1; 7 p.m. Friday, July 2; 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, July 3; 7 p.m. Thursday, July 8; 7 p.m. Friday, July 9; 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, July 10; 2 p.m. Sunday, July 11; 7 p.m. Thursday, July 15; 7 p.m. Friday, July 16; 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, July 17; 2 p.m. Sunday, July 18; 7 p.m. Thursday, July 22; 7 p.m. Friday, July 23; 2 p.m. Saturday, July 24; 2 p.m. Sunday, July 25; 7 p.m. Thursday, July 29; 7 p.m. Friday, July 30; 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, July 31; 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 1; 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 5; 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 6; 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 7; and 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 8, Hal and Martha Hyer Wallis Theater, 1949 Campus Drive, Evanston campus. Based on cartoonist Charles M. Schultz's classic comic strip, "Peanuts." "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown" features everything from the trials of first loves and little league championships to battles with book reports and kite-eating trees. The musical captures a day in the life of the inept but ever-hopeful Charlie Brown, who, in his efforts to be a good person, learns unexpected lessons from his beloved childhood gang -- bossy Lucy, brainy Linus, Beethoven super-fan Schroeder, sister Sally, savvy beagle Snoopy and the elusive Little Red-Haired Girl. The Tony Award-winning Broadway revival features new music and lyrics by award-winning composer Andrew Lippa ("The Addams Family"). Single tickets are $25 for the general public; $22 for seniors 65 and older and Northwestern faculty and staff and area educators and administrators; and $10 for full-time students.

American Music Theatre Project, "Not Wanted on the Voyage," 8 p.m. Friday, July 16; 8 p.m. Saturday, July 17; 2 p.m. Sunday, July 18; 8 p.m. Thursday, July 22; 8 p.m. Friday, July 23; 8 p.m. Saturday, July 24; 2 p.m. Sunday, July 25; 8 p.m. Thursday, July 29; 8 p.m. Friday, July 30; 8 p.m. Saturday, July 31; 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 1; 8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 5; 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 6; 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 7; and 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 8, Ethel M. Barber Theater, 30 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston campus. "Not Wanted on the Voyage" is a provocative new musical about an ordinary family faced with extraordinary circumstances. Secrets lie just beneath the surface in this darkly funny, modern re-imagining of the Great Flood. Broadway writers Neil Bartram and Brian Hill have teamed up with award-winning director and Northwestern faculty member Amanda Dehnert and choreographer Maija Garcia, music director David Holcenberg and set designer Eugene Lee to create an epic production, complete with rain, fire, magic and an eclectic score. The production is presented by the American Music Theatre Project at Northwestern University. For more information visit http://www.notwantedonthevoyage.com. Single tickets are $30 for the general public; $27 for seniors 65 and older and Northwestern faculty and staff and area educators and administrators; and $10 for full-time students.

Songwriters Showcase, 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 6, Josephine Louis Theater, 20 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston campus. For the fifth year, emerging songwriters from across the country will entertain audiences in an evening of original pop, music theatre, hip hop, folk, Latin and country songs. Seating is limited to the first 300 All-Inclusive subscribers and reservations are required. General admission is $10 or admission-free to All-Inclusive festival subscribers.

Behind the Scenes with Stephen Schwartz, 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 7, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, 50 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston campus. This free event is open only to 2010 All-Inclusive subscribers who will enjoy a complimentary private discussion with composer Stephen Schwartz prior to the Aug. 7 "A Celebration of Stephen Schwartz" concert. Hosted by American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Director of Musical Theatre Michael Kerker and AMTP Executive Director Dominic Missimi, the event will feature stories from Schwartz about his Broadway career, as well as his performance of one or two select songs. Reservations are required.

"The Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project: A Celebration of Stephen Schwartz," 8 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 7, Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, 50 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston campus. This star-studded evening celebrates award-winning composer Stephen Schwartz ("Wicked," "Godspell," "Pippin") for his mentorship of young songwriters in the tradition of Johnny Mercer. The program will feature performances of songs from Schwartz's landmark shows by Broadway artist Shoshana Bean ("Wicked"), Tony-nominated composer and lyricist Craig Carnelia, Grammy Award-nominated composer and lyricist Andrew Lippa and Grammy Award-winning Nashville singer and songwriter Lari White. It also features young songwriters from the Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project and Schwartz himself. Single tickets are $40 for the general public; $35 for seniors 65 and older and Northwestern faculty and staff and area educators and administrators; and $10 for full-time students.

 

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