GEORGIA O'KEEFFE PAINTS PARADISE Will Have Benefit Performance at the Hatbox Theatre

Saturday, March 2nd at 4 pm the award-winning musical by William Ogmundson of New London and Tom Dunn of Henniker, Georgia 0'Keeffe Paints Paradise, is doing a benefit performance at the Hatbox Theatre in Concord prior to opening March 4th at the Hudson Guild Theatre off Broadway in NYC.

A new cast is being featured in these 2019 performances: Jocelyn Duford of Londonderry plays famed painter Georgia O'Keeffe and newcomer, Nen Horan of Sandown, is making her professional debut in the work as Patricia, O'Keeffe's real-life Hawaiian guide. The Alchemists' Workshop musical has won awards off-off Broadway in NYC at the Midtown International Theatre Festival hosted by the Jewell Theatre and critical praise in every one of the 47 communities they have played in since opening in November 2016. While at the Jewell Theatre the composer, Will Ogmundson, won the Best Music & Lyrics Award and the actress originally playing Patricia won the Best Supporting Actress Award.

Most recently the musical had a run at the Derek Walcott Theatre in Boston where critics wrote, "It is delicious, delicious..." a "hidden gem of a company and a masterwork of intimate musical theatre" and "one of the most memorable musical scores I've ever heard-can't get those Ogmundson songs out of my head!".

The story the musical is based on is a real one. After finishing a commission for Radio City Music Hall internationally known and controversial artist, Georgia O'Keeffe, was sent to Hawaii by the Dole Pineapple Company to do for the pineapple what she had done for the Iris and the Magnolia. When she arrived in prewar Hawaii, Georgia discovered that she hated the islands, the planter class that ruled the islands, and the pineapple as a subject for a painting. She struck up a friendship with the daughter of the biggest Dole planter, Patricia, and this friendship continued for over 60 years through letters they wrote back and forth.

Tickets are $17, $14 for members, seniors and students and $12 for senior members. Tickets can be purchased in advanced at www.hatboxnh.com or by calling 603-715-2315. Hatbox Theatre is a live performance arts space with a mission to create a cooperative community to develop unique, intimate experiences for both audiences and artists.

The Hatbox Theatre is located at the Steeplegate Mall, 270 Loudon Road, NH.