SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE Up Next at Peninsula Players, Now thru 8/11

"Sunday in the Park with George," a Pulitzer Prize winning musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine, begins performances today, July 24, 2013 at Peninsula Players Theatre, America's oldest professional resident summer theater and Door County, Wisconsin's theatrical icon. "Sunday in the Park with George"" has a three week run with performances Tuesday through Sunday through August 11, 2013.

"Sunday in the Park with George" explores relationships and the creative process. It received the Olivier Award for Best New Musical, two Tony Awards, two New York Drama Critics Circle Awards and numerous Drama Desk Awards. Lapine and Sondheim also collaborated on "Into the Woods," "Passion" and "Assassins."

"Sunday in the Park with George" is the inspiring journey that follows the joy and heartbreak of an artist committed to realizing his vision. This insightful musical was inspired by Georges Seurat's pointillist masterpiece "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" that now resides in the Art Institute of Chicago.

"'Sunday in the Park with George' is one of my absolutely favorite musicals," said Greg Vinkler, Players Artistic Director and director of 'Sunday in the Park with George.' "This musical is a beautiful piece of work about the driven world of the artist Seurat and about anyone who strives in life for creativity and purpose. I go to this musical whenever I feel the need for inspiration in my life."

Set in the 1880s, George is immersed in his new technique of painting and ignores his mistress and model, Dot. Dot tries to maintain a relationship, but to George art is everything. As his friends and other people become characters in his painting, and the painting comes to life, George struggles with his personal conflicts.

Act two takes place 100 years later as George's great-grandson contends with his artistic vision midst pressure of a commercially driven market. "'Sunday in the Park with George' is a beautiful, funny, moving musical filled with intricate music and poetic lyrics that will leave one never looking at a painting the same way again," Vinkler said.

Cast in the roles of Dot and George are two Players' veterans Cassie Slater and Sean Fortunato. Slater played Audrey in "Little Shop of Horrors," Sally Bowles in "Cabaret" and Petra "A Little Night Music." She works extensively in the development of new musicals with BMI and William Finn's Musical Theater Lab at BSC. She originated the roles of Lauren and Judy in BSC's "See Rock City and Other Destinations." In 2009 Slater won the New York Music Theatre Festival's Next Broadway Sensation Competition, which led to her solo show, "Chimera."

At The Players Fortunato has played Billy Flynn in "Chicago," Carl-Magnus in "A Little Night Music," the Emcee in "Cabaret" and many other comedic and dramatic roles. He has received four Jeff Award nominations and an After Dark Award. His regional credits include "Rose Rage" at New York's The Duke on 42nd, "Willy Wonka" at Chicago Shakespeare, Travels with My Aunt" at Writers' Theatre and "Curtains" at Drury Lane-Oakbrook as well as work with Northlight, About Face, the Goodman Theatre and many more.

Additional Players' veterans include McKinley Carter, ("A Little Night Music," "The Taffetas"); Linda Fortunato, ("Wait Until Dark," "The Importance of Being Earnest"), Neil Friedman, ("A Little Night Music," "Lombardi"); Erin Noel Grennan ("Making God Laugh," "Murder on the Nile"); James Rank, (Fredric in "A Little Night Music"); Peggy Roeder, (Fraulein Schneider in "Cabaret," Madame Armfelt in"A Little Night Music") and Paul Slade Smith (Amos in "Chicago" and "Once a Ponzi Time").

Players veterans have performed in numerous musical and regional theaters across the country as well as in national tours. In addition to their Players' credits, Slade Smith was on the national tour of "Wicked" for seven years; Roeder garnered four Jeff Awards, three After Dark Awards and three Artisan Awards; Rank played Cord Elam in "Oklahoma!" at Lyric Opera of Chicago and won a Jeff Award winning performance of Glencoe Sam in "The American Dreams Songbook;" Carter's recent credits include "Title of Show" with Northlight Theatre and "Ragtime" with Drury Lake Oakbrook; Fortunato choreographed for Marriott Theatre's "Into the Woods;" Friedman performed with Long Wharf Theatre, Steppenwolf and The Court Theatre; and Grennan received of a Wilde Award and After Dark Awards.

Newcomers to The Players include Naama Friedman, Amanda Hartley and Rachel Klippel. Friedman's work includes "A Little Princess" with the Children's Theater of Knoxville and "A Christmas Carol" with Clarence Brown Theatre. Hartley's credits include "My Fair Lady" with Paramount Theatre and "Moon Over Buffalo" with Buffalo Theatre Ensemble. Klippel's credits include James Joyce's "The Dead" with Court Theatre and "The Light in the Piazza" with Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre.

Musical Director Margaret James returns to The Players, where she musical directed "Chicago," "Little Shop of Horrors," "The Taffetas" and "Dames at Sea." Musicians include Maureen Milbach on percussion, Tammy Naze on harp, Andrew Olson on trombones and euphonium, Jason Palmer on keyboards and Eric Schultz playing multiple reeds.

Peninsula Players is a member of Actors' Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers, and employs professional actors for all of its productions and of United Scenic Artists, the union of professional scenic, lighting, sound and costume designers. Company members work in theaters from Los Angeles to New York as well as in film, television and radio.

"Sunday in the Park with George" has award-winning designers whose work has graced the stages of regional theaters as well as past shows at The Players. Designers include scenic designer Jack Magaw ("Opus," "Heroes"); costume designer Kärin Simonson Kopischke ("Chicago," "Lombardi"); lighting designer Charlie Cooper ("Chicago," "Around the World in 80 Days"); sound designer Nick Keenan ("Panic" and "God of Carnage") and propertie s designer Sarah E. Ross ("Chicago," "A Little Night Music.")

Peninsula Players performs Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7:30 p.m. with a 4 p.m. matinee August 11. Discount tickets are available for groups of 15 or more. Individual tickets are also available. Individual ticket prices to "'Sunday in the Park with George'" range from $37 to $43. There are no performances on Mondays. For more information or to reserve tickets phone the Peninsula Players box office at 920-868-3287 or visit the website at www.peninsulaplayers.com.