Under the mentorship of Tony Award-winning composer/lyricist William Finn, Barrington Stage Company will present a new musical, The Burnt Part Boys, the inaugural production of its new Musical Theatre Lab. The show will be presented June 21 through July 9, at BSC's Stage II space, The Berkshire Athenaeum, 1 Wendell Avenue in Pittsfield.
"A joyful, bittersweet, often comic musical adventure,
The Burnt Part Boys is directed by
Joe Calarco, with a book by Mariana Elder, music by Chris Miller and lyrics by Nathan Tysen. Deep in Virginia's coal country; six teenagers struggle to come to terms with the loss of their fathers in a devastating mining accident. As they set off for the long-shuttered mine, they embark on a coming-of-age-journey that transforms their relationships with one another and the world around them," state press notes.
The Burnt Part Boys features Charlie Brady (Jake), Joseph Breen (Miner Ensemble), Robert Dalton (Miner Ensemble), Drew Davidson (Miner Ensemble), Brandon Ellis (Chet), Tim Ewing (Pete's Movie Fantasy Men/Dad), Robert Krecklow (Dusty), Brian Litscher (Miner Ensemble), Katherine McClain (Frances), Halle Petro (Annie), and Daniel Zaitchik (Pete). The production is designed by Brian Prather, with costumes by Elizabeth Flauto and lighting by Chris Lee.
Deborah Abramson (BSC's
Elegies) is musical director.
Developed by Artistic Director Julianne Boyd in conjunction with Finn, the Lab is a three-year program designed to nurture and assist musical theater writers, composers, and lyricists as they create new works.
Finn (Musical Theatre Lab Artistic Producer): is currently represented on Broadway with
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee which was workshopped and originally produced here at the Barrington Stage Company. Always a writer before (
Falsettos, A New Brain, Elegies), this is his first foray into the world of producing. He graduated from Williams College where he was recently awarded an honorary Doctorate of Letters, and currently teaches a weekly Master Class at NYU's Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program.
"Barrington Stage Company, a professional award-winning Equity theatre,
located in the heart of the Berkshires, in Pittsfield, MA, was
co-founded in 1995 by artistic director Julianne Boyd. BSC is
committed to presenting new productions of undiscovered musicals and
plays, in addition to developing new works for the American Theatre.
BSC garnered national attention with
William Finn and
Rachel Sheinkin's
Tony Award-winning musical hit
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling
Bee, which began as a workshop at BSC in February, 2004, was produced
in its world premiere to critical acclaim that summer season, prior to
taking New York by storm at Second Stage Theatre and later transferring
to Broadway's Circle-in-the-Square Theatre where it is currently
running."
Performances, Wednesday through Sunday evening at 7:30pm, with matinees on Sunday at 3pm, will take place at The Berkshire Athenaeum, 1 Wendell Avenue in Pittsfield. Tickets are $25-$30 and will go on sale next month. For information on a Musical Theater Lab pass, call 413-236-8888 or from South County call 413-528-8888. www.barringtonstageco.org
