HOW NOW, DOW JONES With Paige, Hanlon, Berman Opens At Minetta Lane Theatre 8/15-23

The new developmental production of How Now, Dow Jones (www.HowNowDowJones.com) starring Cristen Paige (Spelling Bee, The Visit, Cry-Baby), Colin Hanlon (Rent, I Love You Because) and FrEd Berman (The Normal Heart, Room Service) will be presented at the Minetta Lane Theatre (18 Minetta Lane) as part of the 2009 New York International Fringe Festival. With book by Max Shulman, music by Academy Award winner Elmer Bernstein and lyrics by Tony Award nominee Carolyn Leigh, this new version - revised and directed by Ben West (Old Acquaintance) - will play the following dates and times:

*Saturday, August 15 at 12 Noon
*Monday, August 17 at 10:30 PM
*Tuesday, August 18 at 8 PM
*Thursday, August 20 at 8:15 PM
*Sunday, August 23 at 5:45 PM

How Now, Dow Jones is a zany 1968 musical comedy that follows Kate, the voice of Dow Jones, whose fiancé won't marry her until the Dow Jones Averages hit 1,000! Bribery, adultery and neurotic Republicans abound in this madcap and timely tale set in the heart of Wall Street.

This new version will be performed without an intermission by a cast of eight. The Tony-nominated score will feature three new songs: "Don't Let a Good Thing Get Away", "Where You Are" and "Touch and Go"; all cut from the original Broadway production. Four major roles and the ensemble have been eliminated while five musical numbers have been cut. Additionally, the musical's signature song "Step to the Rear" will take its own advice and close the show, replacing the previously existing finale.

Jefferson Award nominee Cristen Paige replaces Sarah Litzsinger, who has withdrawn from the production due to a scheduling conflict. Jim Middleton (Goodspeed's 1776) completes the cast which includes the previously announced Shane Bland (Bombay Dreams), Dennis O'Bannion (White Christmas), Elon Rutberg (The Black Monk) and Cori Silberman (Movie Geek). Choreography is by Rommy Sandhu (Applause, Mary Poppins) with music direction and arrangements by Fran Minarik (Sessions, The J.A.P. Show).

Tickets go on-sale this Friday, July 24 by visiting www.FringeNYC.org or calling 866-468-7619. Visit: www.HowNowDowJones.com. The Minetta Lane Theatre is located at 18 Minetta Lane in Greenwich Village, NYC.

The original Broadway production of How Now, Dow Jones opened on December 7, 1967 starring Tony Roberts, Marlyn Mason and Brenda Vaccaro. The David Merrick production was directed by George Abbott with choreography by Gillian Lynne (and an uncredited Michael Bennett). It played 220 performances and was nominated for six Tony Awards including Best Musical, winning one for co-star Hiram Sherman. The musical, originally presented with a cast of over 40 actors, has been rarely performed since.

Cristen Paige Regional: Signature Theatre, Goodman Theatre: The Visit w/ Chita Rivera; Broadway in Chicago: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (director James Lapine); La Jolla Playhouse: Cry Baby; Dallas Theatre Center: Sarah Plain & Tall; About Face: Loving Repeating (director Frank Galati); Court Theatre: Travesties, The Importance of Being Earnest, James Joyce's The Dead; Marriott Theatre: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Joseph Jefferson nomination, Best Supporting Actress), Charlie Brown, Honk!, Bye Bye Birdie; Drury Lane Oakbrook: Dames at Sea (Joseph Jefferson nomination, Best Supporting Actress), Lucky Stiff; Chicago Shakespeare: Peter Pan, The Wizard of Oz; Peninsula Players: Into the Woods, The Taffetas. Workshops: iSondheim, Promises, Promises. Ms. Paige received her BFA in acting from Boston University.

JIM MIDDLETON National Tours: 1776 (Dickinson), Annie Get Your Gun (Charlie), Titanic (Ismay). Original Cast: Banjo Boys (Meredith Willson). Stock/Regional: Goodspeed, 1776 (Standby for Dickinson, Livingston). Stage Door Theatre, Barnum (Barnum), Guys and Dolls (Sky), Best Little Whorehouse (Ed Earl Dodd). Mac-Haydn Theatre: The Music Man (Harold Hill), South Pacific (Emile), City of Angels (Stone), Damn Yankees (Van Buren). Hundreds of commercials/voiceovers, including: IBM, Xerox, Cuisinart, Pizza Hut, Home Shopping (with Frankie Avalon and Ruta Lee). Founder, Camelot Theatre Company, Griffin, GA.

UNSUNGMUSICALSCO. INC. (Ben West, Artistic Director) is an independent non-profit Production Company dedicated to the preservation of musical theatre through the presentation of infrequently performed works. It is the belief of UMC that the musical form must be advanced by looking to the musicals of the past, particularly those that are lesser-known. UMC does not seek to present these shows simply as they existed but rather to present them anew, treating each property as a new musical thereby providing a unique collaboration between the artists of today and those of the past.

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