Asolo Rep's BACKWARDS IN HIGH HEELS Begins Rehearsals 4/21

The Cast and Creative Team are set for the Asolo Repertory Theatre production of Backwards in High Heels: the Ginger Musical, opening on the Asolo Rep mainstage on May 7,2010. Rehearsals began at New York City's Chelsea studios and will continue at Asolo Rep's studios in Sarasota, Florida, beginning April 21.

The Backwards in High Heels creative team consists of Director Scott Schwartz, Choreographer Patti Colombo, Music Director Tim Robertson, Scenic Designer Walt Spangler, Costume Designer AlejoVietti, Lighting Designer Jeff Croiter, Sound Designer Matthew Parker, Wig & Hair Designer MichelleHart, Stage Manager Sarah Gleissner, and Stage Management Intern Erin MacDonald.

The six member cast features Anna Aimee White as Ginger, Elizabeth Ward Land as Lela, Christianne Tisdale as Ethel Merman/ensemble, Matthew Labanca as Fred Astaire/ensemble, Benjie Randall asLew Aires/ensemble, and Craig Waletzko as Hermes Pan/ensemble, who combined play a total of 29 roles.

Anna Aimee White comes to the Asolo Rep production after performing the role of Ginger Rogers inthe International City Theatre production of Backwards in High Heels in Long Beach, California, where she and the musical delighted audiences and received rave reviews.

Asolo Rep is co-producing Backwards in High Heels with three other regional theatres - Arizona Theatre Company (David Ira Goldstein, Artistic Director; Kevin Moore, Managing Director), San Jose Repertory Theatre (Rick Lombardo, Artistic Director; Nick Nichols, Managing Director) and The Cleveland Play House (Michael Bloom, Artistic Director; Kevin Moore, Managing Director).

The production will originate with Asolo Rep and then move to each of The Other Theatres after it closes the Sarasota run. Backwards in High Heels is a celebration of the remarkable life and times of the multi-talented entertainment dynamo Ginger Rogers. The show takes an in-depth look at the public and private life of this timeless beauty, combining cherished standards from Berlin, Gershwin and Kern with new original songs, a compelling play, and stunning dance sequences. Funny, moving, and a visual feast, Backwards In High Heels is a complete and wonderfully satisfying night of theatre that will have bothaudiences and critics cheering.

Backwards in High Heels was originally produced by Florida Stage, Louis Tyrrell, producing director,Nancy Barnett, managing director. The development of Backwards in High Heels was partially funded by the National Alliance for Musical Theatre's Producer-Writer Initiative. This acclaimed new musicalbroke box office records when it sold out the entire run of its world premiere.Show times are Tuesday through Saturday at 8 p.m.; and Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 2p.m.

Backwards in High Heels performs in Asolo Rep's Mertz Theatre.

Previews: Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday, May 4, 5 & 6 at 8 p.m.

Opening Night is on Friday, May 7 at 8 p.m. The performance is followed by Asolo Rep's mingle-with-the-stars catered champagne reception/afterparty.

Press is invited to photograph and interview the cast and creative team at theparty.

Tickets: from $13 to $35 for previews; from $22 to $60 for other performances. Prices varydepending on date, time, seat location and method of purchase. Please call the Asolo Rep box officeat 941-351-8000, toll-free at 800-361-8388, or go to the website at www.asolo.org.