The Hub's THE MAGI Cast and Creative Announced

The Hub Theatre will present a World Premiere musical, THE MAGI from critically-acclaimed and award winning playwright Helen Murray Pafumi with music by award-winning singer/songwriter Eli Pafumi. This marks the first collaboration between the mother-son pair. THE MAGI is an indie-rock love story that riffs on the short holiday story by O. Henry, The Gift of the Magi. When Nix and Jude (the power couple behind the fictional band The Magi) find themselves dealing with their relationship issues on stage during the show, the tour and the duo seem headed for breakup. This heart-warming musical comedy explores the sacrifices that are made for love.

Part concert and part love story, each performance of THE MAGI will feature a real-life opening performances from local up-and-coming area musicians including appearances by THE MAGI composer Eli Pafumi. What's more, cast members Daugherty and Ralston, are available for concert booking as The Magi. Interested parties should email TheMagiDC@gmail.com.

THE MAGI stars Hub newcomers Rex Daugherty as Nix and Daven Ralston as Jude. Daugherty is a three-time Helen Hayes Award nominee and the Artistic Director of the recently remounted Solas Nua. He has performed at The Kennedy Center, Signature Theatre, Folger and more. As a director, Daugherty's credits include the world premiere of Kathleen Akerley's NIGHT FALLS ON THE BLUE PLANET (Theatre Alliance) and Sarah Ruhl's LATE: A COWBOY SONG (No Rules Theatre Company). Ralston was recently seen in the critically-acclaimed A BID TO SAVE THE WORLD at Rorschach Theatre and as Puck in WSC Avant Bard's recent A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM (which the Washington Post described as "enjoyably daring and mischievous"). This is not the first collaboration between the two - Ralston was featured in the Daugherty-directed WILD SKY at Solas Nua. THE MAGI marks a return to The Hub for director Kelsey Mesa, who helmed 2015's Hub Company holiday musical review WISH LIST. Mesa has directed for The Source Festival, Rorschach Theatre, Theatre Alliance, and is a "Saucy Lackey" with Taffety Punk Theatre Company and will direct their upcoming THE TROJAN WOMEN.

Helen Murray Pafumi is a playwright, director, and the Artistic Director and co-founder of The Hub Theatre. Her original plays have been produced by The Hub, Theatre Alliance, ArtsWest, Malibu Playhouse, JCCNV and been seen at the Kennedy Center's Page to Stage Festival. Recently her play REDDER BLOOD (produced by The Hub earlier this year) is the winner of the 2016 Jewish Playwriting Contest with the Jewish Plays Project. She was nominated for a Helen Hayes Award, Outstanding New Play for her co-adaptation of WONDERFUL LIFE, and her play ABOMINABLE was nominated for the Steinberg New Play Award. She is the recipient of the Puffin Foundation Award and the Washington Canadian Partnership Award.

Eli Pafumi is a seventeen-year-old singer/songwriter and composer. He is a two-time finalist for the Bernard/Ebb Songwriting Award. His original song Scarlett McQueen won the Bring It! Talent Competition, and was the winner of the Loudon Youth Fest Battle of the Bands. He has opened for acts like We The Kings, Grace and Tony, Native Run and Casey Abrams. His theatrical work has been heard at The Hub Theatre and at Shippensburg University. His debut EP, Finding North was released in February 2016 and is available on iTunes , CD Baby, Amazon Music, Spotify and Google Play. The Creative Team for THE MAGI includes: Jonathan Dahm Robertson (Scenic Design) Johnathan Alexander (Lighting Design), and Curt Gavin (Stage Management).

THE MAGI By: Helen Murray Pafumi Music & Lyrics: Eli Pafumi Director: Kelsey Mesa Scenic Design: Jonathan Dahm Robertson Lighting Design: Johnathan Alexander Stage Management: Curt Gavin Opening Acts: Eli Pafumi, Sean Fri, Erin Weston, Ari Jacobson, Ricky Drummond, Rebecca Speas, Andrew Tufano & more Where: The Hub Theatre, in residence at The John Swayze Theatre Theatre Address: New School of Northern Virginia, 9431 Silver King Court, Fairfax, Virginia 22031 Performance Dates: December 2-18, 2016 Curtain Times: Fridays: 8:00 pm; Saturdays: 2:00 & 8:00 pm; Sundays: 2:00 & 7:00 pm Ticket Prices: $22 - $32 Tickets Available: www.thehubtheatre.org

The Hub Theatre is a professional, 501c3 nonprofit theatre organization, member of Theatre Washington, and is generously supported by the Arts Council of Fairfax, Microsoft, The Kennedy Center's Keenan Fellowship, Fairfax City Commission on the Arts, Virginia Commission for the Arts, Integrity Applications, and Silverwood Associates.