McCarter Theatre To Present Sleeping Beauty Wakes 4/29-6/5

McCarter Theatre is proud to announce complete casting and creative team for Sleeping Beauty Wakes, a new musical featuring a book by Rachel Sheinkin (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), and a score by composer Brendan Milburn and lyricist Valerie Vigoda, both of the acclaimed trio GrooveLily. The production, which runs from April 29 through June 5, will be directed by Rebecca Taichman, who delighted McCarter audiences with her 2009 production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. Opening Night is set for Friday, May 6. Following the McCarter run, the production will move to La Jolla Playhouse.

In Sleeping Beauty Wakes, a young beauty is brought to a sleep disorder clinic, and soon all the patients find themselves sharing a familiar dream. The show reunites two members of the acclaimed rock trio GrooveLily - Brendan Milburn and Valerie Vigoda - with Tony Award-winning librettist Rachel Sheinkin, who last collaborated on the inventive holiday tale Striking 12. With beguiling characters, hypnotic lyrics, and a rocking score, Sleeping Beauty Wakes delves into the magical space between dreaming and waking in an unexpected twist on a classic tale.
The cast will feature Broadway veterans Kecia Lewis-Evans (Broadway: Chicago, The Drowsy Chaperone, Once on This Island, Ain't Misbehavin', The Gospel at Colonus, Big River, Dreamgirls); Bryce Ryness (played Woof in the recent hit revival of HAIR, Drama Desk nomination); Bob Stillman (Broadway: Grey Gardens, Dirty Blonde, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Grand Hotel); and Aspen Vincent (Broadway: American Idiot).

Rounding out the ensemble will be Adinah Alexander (Broadway: Wicked); Jimmy Ray Bennett (Encore's Damn Yankees, and White's Lies with Betty Buckley); Steve Judkins (London's West End: The Full Monty); and Donna Vivino (Broadway: Les Miserable, Hairspray, Saturday Night Fever, and Fame Becomes Me opposite Martin Short).

The production will feature choreography by Doug Varone, musical direction by James Sampliner, scenic design by Riccardo Hernandez, costume design by Miranda Hoffman, lighting design by Christopher Akerlind, projection design by Peter Nigrini, and sound design by Leon Rothenberg. Production Stage Manager is Cheryl Mintz.

Tickets for Sleeping Beauty Wakes start as low as $20 (student tickets $15). For tickets, call (609) 258-2787; toll-free at (888) 278-7932; visit online www.mccarter.org; or in person at the McCarter Theatre Ticket Office at 91 University Place, Princeton, NJ.

Groups of 10 or more save and receive premium seating. For more information, call (609) 258-6526 or e-mail groups@mccarter.org

McCarter Theatre Center is easily accessible by car via US Route 1, Interstate 95/295 and NJ Route 206. Or take the train to McCarter: New Jersey Transit serve Princeton Junction via the Northeast Corridor Line. Then it's a ride of four minutes on New Jersey Transit's "Dinky" train to Princeton Station-McCarter is directly across the street at 91 University Place.

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