Rehearsals Are Underway For UNDERNEATH THE LINTEL Starring Sally Wingert

Rehearsals are underway for Underneath the Lintel, starring Sally Wingert. As part of Theater Latté Da's commitment to developing new works, this production of Glen Berger's acclaimed play features original music commissioned by Latté Da from Grammy award-winning composer Frank London, founding member of The Klezmatics. Theater Latté Da Artistic Director Peter Rothstein directs the production with Music Director Dan Chouinard and vocalist Natalie Nowytski. Performances begin May 30 at the Ritz Theater (345 13th Avenue NE in Minneapolis). Single tickets go on sale May 1 and can be purchased at Latteda.org or by calling 612-339-3003.

Underneath the Lintel chronicles the journey of a librarian who finds herself caught up in a cosmic puzzle that makes the Da Vinci Code seem like a game of hide and seek. A clue scribbled in the margin of a returned library book that is 113 years overdue leads her on an unforgettable odyssey that spans the globe and the ages. As the librarian travels around the world on her obsessive search, she finds herself unlocking ancient mysteries and new revelations about her place in the universe.

Theater Latté Da is thrilled to bring together the talents of the Emmy award-winning playwright Glen Berger and the Grammy award-winning Frank London, who with The Klezmatics won a Grammy in Contemporary World Music. Berger has received commissions from the Children's Theater of Minneapolis and Berkeley Repertory Theatre. He has written over a dozen plays including and co-wrote the book for Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, which appeared on Broadway in 2010. Frank London co-founded The Klezmatics in 1986. He plays trumpet and keyboard and sings with the group and has written many of The Klezmatics' most popular songs. London has also added virtuosity to hundreds of concerts and recordings by everyone from John Zorn to They Might Be Giants, Mel Torme to Iggy Pop, Pink Floyd, Youssou N'dour, LaMonte Young, Allen Ginsberg and LL Cool J. Called the "mystical high priest of Avant-Klez jazz," London has made 30 solo recordings and is featured on over 400 CDs.

"When Peter Rothstein approached me with the idea of setting original music to this play that I thought I was done with fifteen years ago, and to commission my genius colleague and some-time collaborator Frank London to compose that music, I thought...hell yes," says playwright Glen Berger. "All my plays are first inspired by music, and Underneath the Lintel was inspired particularly by certain Klezmer/Yiddish music from the 1920s and earlier." There's no better artist on the planet to take my initial inspiration and run with it than Frank London. It's a thrilling opportunity and I'm grateful to Theater Latté Da for making it possible."

"Klezmer and Cantorial music has the ability to take us to another place-to evoke nostalgia, sentimentality, spirituality and mystery," says Composer Frank London. "It's been an interesting exploration into how to take a play and heighten not only emotions, but relationships both inner and outer."

Underneath the Lintel features scenic design by Michael Hoover, costume design by Willene Mangham, and lighting design by Barry Browning.

Theater Latté Da is an award-winning Twin Cities musical theater company that combines music and story to illuminate the breadth and depth of the human experience. The company seeks to create new connections between story, music, artists, and audience by exploring and expanding the art of musical theater. www.latteda.org

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