'Urinetown, The Musical' Makes Splash In Coral Gables

ACTORS' PLAYHOUSE AT THE MIRACLE THEATRE BRINGS THE BROADWAY HIT
URINETOWN, THE MUSICAL TO SOUTH FLORIDA

Making its professional regional theatre premiere in South Florida and featuring a stellar, Carbonell Award-winning cast, Actors' Playhouse presents the hilariously funny (and boldly named) Urinetown, the Musical at the Miracle Theatre in Coral Gables, playing Now-November 11, 2007.

This three-time Tony award-winning Broadway musical revolves around a town suffering from a 20-year drought. Private toilets are unimaginable in this town where an all-powerful corporation forces the town's citizens to pay to use the public amenities. From the oppressed townspeople, a young hero rises to lead a revolution against the establishment and learns the true meaning of the word, "Urinetown."
 
Urinetown, the Musical's laughs derive from a myriad of wacky and entertaining characters like Office Lockstock, Little Sally, Penelope Pennywise and Bobby Strong. Urinetown's varied score, winner of the Best New Musical Score Tony Award, offers something for everyone, from gospel to musical theatre to pop. The musical is a spoof on a pay-to-pee future and of the musical theatre genre in general, making for an innovative, hysterical and profoundly different theatre experience.
 
The New York Times said, "Urinetown is simply the most galvanizing theater experience in town" and Actors' Playhouse is opening its 2007-2008 Season with this celebrated musical.
 
"We're thrilled to be the first South Florida regional theatre to produce Urinetown," said Executive Producing Director Barbara S. Stein. "This is the one Broadway musical everyone has heard of but few have seen. This contemporary musical experience has great appeal to audiences of all ages and is just the show to open our celebratory 20th anniversary season".
 
Artistic Director David Arisco said, "Every four or five years a musical comes along that beckons me to produce it. Urinetown is that special show—funny, fresh and smart, brimming with an outrageously clever and melodic score. I hope you'll agree that it's the best new musical theatre piece you'll see this year."
 
To encourage the audience to become more involved in the bizarre world of Urinetown, attendees, dressed as "Urine Good Company" employees, will encourage patrons to contribute to use the theatre's facilities.  These "Pay-to-Pee" contributions will benefit a charity that works to keep the local community "green."
 
"We knew we wanted to bring Urinetown's premise to life for our audience, and we're excited to do it in a way that supports the environment," Stein said. "Urinetown is so hilarious and different that we had to engage our audience in a new and special way. We feel that every little 'drop' counts in making for a better town and global community."

The Carbonell Award-Winning creative team of director David Arisco, choreographer Chrissi Ardito and musical director David Nagy will steer Urinetown's talented cast, which includes a mix of Actors' Playhouse favorites and newcomers to the Miracle stage. Allan Baker, who was most recently seen playing FDR in the 30-year anniversary national tour of Annie, plays villain Caldwell B. Cladwell. Making his Actors' Playhouse debut, Jim Ballard, an established actor both in national tours and regional productions, leads the audience through Urinetown as Officer Lockstock. Miami-native Cherilyn Franco joins the cast as wide-eyed Little Sally. After a year on tour with Broadway's Little Women, for which she won a Carbonell Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Road Show, and most recently High School Musical Live, Gwen Hollander is thrilled to return to the Miracle Theatre as Hope Cladwell. Rachel Jones, who was featured in Actors' Playhouse productions of Evita, Songs for a New Worldand Johnny Guitar, brings sass to the scrappy Penelope Pennywise. Tally Sessions, a Carbonell Award-Winner for Actors' Playhouse Full Monty and Floyd Collins, tackles the role of hero Bobby Strong. Rounding out the creative team is costume designer Ellis Tillman and set designer Gene Seyffer, with lighting design by Patrick Tennant and sound by Lane Starrat.
 
Ticket prices are $38.50 for weeknights and matinees, and $46 for Friday and Saturday evenings. The theatre offers a 10 percent senior discount rate the day of performance and $15 student rush tickets 15 minutes prior to curtain, with identification. All discounts are based on availability and exclude Saturday and Sunday performances.
 
Group discounted rates are offered for 15 or more. Theatre/dining packages are available with Coral Gables' select restaurants through their group sales department. Group and single tickets may be purchased through the box office at 305-444-9293 or online at www.actorsplayhouse.org .
 
Actors' Playhouse 20th Anniversary Mainstage season also includes the thought-provoking play Martha Mitchell Calling (November 28 – December 23, 2007), the current Off-Broadway musical sensation, Altar Boyz (January 16 – February 10, 2008), FOOTLOOSE, The Musical(March 5 – April 6, 2008), the new comedy-thriller THUMBS  (May 7- June 1, 2008) and Mid Life! The Crisis Musical (July 9 – August 10, 2008).
 
Subscribers receive premium seating, best savings, and benefits and discounts to the area's choice restaurants and establishments. Season subscriptions for the 2007-2008 season are on sale now, with prices ranging from $160 for preview performances, $214 for Wednesday and Thursday evenings and Sunday matinees, $250 for Friday and Saturday evenings, and $256 for VIP Flexible/Anytime tickets for choice reserved seats in every performance. Opening night tickets, including a gala party and complimentary bar, are $394. Miracle Maker donor subscriptions, including two tickets to opening nights, donor acknowledgement, and two tickets to the annual Reach for the Stars Gala Auction 2008 are $1250. Subscriptions for children 18 years and younger with a full paid adult subscription, and college students, are $100 (restrictions apply).

Actors' Playhouse at The Miracle Theatre, 280 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, Florida, 33134. Phone: (305) 444-9293. www.actorsplayhouse.org

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