Photo Flash: First Look At HOOKED ON HAPPINESS: The Musical For A Cooler Planet

HOOKED ON HAPPINESS, a new musical about a senior class' reaction to global warming is now playing at Theater For The New City (Crystal Field, Executive Director) for a limited engagement through December 1st. The world premiere has book and lyrics by Tom Attea, music composed by Arthur Abrams, direction by Mark Marcante, and choreography by Mackenzie Surbey. HOOKED ON HAPPINESS opens Sunday, November 17th. Tickets are $15 ($10 for students and seniors) and can be purchased at the box office (212-254-1109), online HERE or by phone at (888) 549-4106.

HOOKED ON HAPPINESS spotlights a high-school drama class that decides to create their own original musical about climate change instead of performing the show their drama teacher has suggested. Concerned they may not have a future, they decide to join voices with other young people across the globe to confront the threat our warming climate poses to their future. As one of the students says, "If 16-year-old Greta Thunberg could sail across the Atlantic to demonstrate against climate change, we should at least be able to do a show about it." Most of their parents are very conservative, and the often frank, passionate content of their lyrics outrages members of the audience.

When their drama teacher sees some of the material they've written - about parents being hooked on misery, glued to the news and, in the case of the parents who are Fundamentalist Christians, just waiting for the so-called End Times - she decides to let them go ahead with it. They pull no punches in their lyrics, and the parents who are outraged begin calling for the show to be shut down and the drama teacher to be fired.

HOOKED ON HAPPINESS is an inspiring new look at climate justice and what the generation that will have to endure its most dire effects is doing to ignite immediate action. As another student says, "Just remember - a fish can't be happy in hot water, a bird can't be happy in dirty air, a bear can't be happy in a dead forest, and people can't be happy in an environment that's collapsing beyond our control."

The cast of HOOKED ON HAPPINESS features Liz Bealko, Hannah Carne, Spencer Martinez, Leonard W. Rose, Jordan Rubio, Jazz Sunpanich, and Hannah Weaver.

HOOKED ON HAPPINESS has Set Design by Mark Marcante, Lighting Design by Alexander Bartenieff, Sound Design by Alex Santullo, Video and Projection Design by Dylan Vaughn Skorish, Costume and Prop Design by Lytza Colon; Assistant Director, Jordyn Prince; Assistant Costume Designer, Nikki Reed; Production Stage Manager, Melissa Mauer; and Assistant Stage Manager, Melanie Phaneuf.