Connecticut Cabaret Theatre Presents THE QUEEN BEES

By: Jun. 27, 2018
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Connecticut Cabaret Theatre Presents THE QUEEN BEES

Connie, Diane, and Brenda are determined to rise above their rough and tumble Queens, NY neighborhood by topping the pop music charts with their girl group the Queen Bees.

They soon realize that their meteoric rise comes with a price, as relationships strain and their rebellious music falls quickly out of fashion. Featuring hit songs from the 60's such as "Leader of the Pack," "My Boyfriend's Back," and "The Boy From New York City," The Queen Bees revs up audiences with its high-octane musical score. Kris McMurray, owner and artistic director of Connecticut Cabaret Theatre is excited to be celebrating the theatre's 21st anniversary with such a talented cast featuring Amy Bentley, Kristin Iovene, and Maria Soaft.

"The Queen Bees has a nostalgic look and feel of the times in the 60's. It demonstrates what female vocal groups had to face to make it in the music industry, but it's still filled with joy and fun," explains director Kris McMurray. "I hope audiences will enjoy the show as they hum or sing along, with many of the great tunes that defined an era and generation."

The Queen Bees author, Rob Urbinati, is a freelance director and playwright based in New York City. He has directed at The Public Theater, Culture Project, Abingdon Theatre, Classic Stage Company, Pearl Theatre, Queens Theatre, Lincoln Center Directors Lab, New York Music Theatre Festival, New York University and theatres and universities across the country. He is Director of New Play Development at Queens Theatre.

Rob's first plays as a writer include, Hazelwood Jr. High, West Moon Street and Death by Design, all published by Samuel French. Cole Porter's Nymph Errant, The Queen Bees and UMW: University of Mostly Whites, are published by Stage Rights. Other plays include Miss Julie in Hollywood, Cruel & Barbarous Treatment and Karaoke Night at the Suicide Shack. His plays have received over one hundred productions world-wide. His book, "Play Readings: A Complete Guide for Theatre Practitioners" was published by Focal Press/Routledge.

Although I was very young in the years when the show takes place, stated Rob, my two sisters were older than me, and I saw the world through their eyes. They were both drum majorettes, but they were very different people. My oldest sister was straight-laced, and her values were rooted in the 1950s. She followed the rules. My other sister was rebellious, and anticipated the social revolutions of the later 1960s. She broke every rule. Years later, when I began to write The Queen Bees, I thought that basing two of the characters on my sisters had dramatic possibilities, what with their drastically opposed views.

I decided I would base the third characters in the girl group in The Queen Bees on one of these types of women, who represented a third choice for women in the sixties - pursuing a career. Despite the social politics and dark edges that underlie The Queen Bees, it was essential for me be sure that the show exuded the unbridled joy of pop music that I experienced then, experience to this day. The Queen Bees runs every Friday and Saturday at 8:00pm from July 6th thru August 4th, 2018.

Doors open at 7:15pm. Tickets are now on sale. ALL MAJOR CREDIT CARDS are accepted. To purchase tickets, please call the box office at 860-829-1248. Reservations are recommended. Ticket price $34.00. For more information, visit our website: www.ctcabaret.com The Connecticut Cabaret Theatre is located at 31 Webster Square Road, visit the website for detailed directions. The Connecticut Cabaret Theatre is Central Connecticut premiere cabaret-style theatre, patrons are welcome to bring whatever they like to eat or drink with them.

The Queen Bees is presented through special arrangements with Steele Spring Stage Rights, Los Angeles, CA



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