AMELIE Musical, Starring Samantha Barks, Makes World Premiere Tonight at Berkeley Rep

Berkeley Rep presents its 2015-16 season opener, the theatrical world premiere presentation of AMÉLIE, A NEW MUSICAL, starring LES MISERABLES' Samantha Barks. The show opens tonight, September 11, and runs through Sunday, October 4, 2015.

AMÉLIE captured our hearts in the five-time Academy Award-nominated 2001 French film. Now she comes to the stage in an inventive and captivating new musical directed by Tony Award winner Pam MacKinnon, who is known for her work on Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and Clybourne Park. With a book by Craig Lucas (An American in Paris, Prelude to Kiss), the musical features a stirring score by Daniel Messé of the band Hem and lyrics by Messé and Nathan Tysen (The Burnt Part Boys).

Featuring musical direction by Kimberly Grigsby and musical staging/choreography by Sam Pinkleton, the world premiere of AMÉLIE runs at Berkeley Rep's Roda Theatre (2015 Addison Street @ Shattuck Berkeley, CA), produced by special arrangement with Aaron Harnick, Triptyck Studios, and SBR Productions.

The cast of AMÉLIE also features David Andino (Blind Beggar/Garden Gnome), Randy Blair (Hipoloto), Adam Chanler-Berat (Nino), AlisonCimmet (Amandine/Philomene), Savvy Crawford (Young Amélie), Carla Duren (Gina), John Hickok (Raphael/Bretodeaux), Alyse Alan Louis (Georgette), Maria-Christina Oliveras (Suzanne), Tony Sheldon (Dufayel/Colignon), Perry Sherman (Lucien), Paul Whitty (Joseph), Shannon O'Boyle (Swing), and Jacob Keith Watson (Swing).

The creative team for AMÉLIE includes David Zinn (scenic and costume designer), Jane Cox (lighting designer), Kai Harada (sound designer), Peter Nigrini(projection designer), Kimberly Grigsby and Daniel Messé (vocal arrangers), and Bruce Coughlin (orchestrator).

Embark on a mesmerizing journey with inquisitive and charmingly shy Amélie as she turns the streets of Montmartre into a world of her own imagining, while secretly orchestrating moments of joy for those around her.

Photo Credit: Kevin Berne, kevinberne.com