Casting Announced For 'RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET'

New Line Theatre, "the Bad Boy of Musical Theatre," continues its eighteenth season of provocative, adult, alternative musical theatre with the St. Louis premiere of the outrageous sci-fi, rock and roll musical, Bob Carlton's RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET, running April 30-May 23, 2009, at New Line's new home, the Washington University South Campus Theatre (formerly the old CBC High School), 6501 Clayton Road, just east of Big Bend. Like a crazy cocktail of Rocky Horror and Star Trek, this smart, subversive piece of rock theatre taps into Americans' perpetual fear of technology (and sex!), and it reminds us of that famous quote by Lord Acton: "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

Ever feel like our world is getting more dangerous every day? Like technology is advancing faster than our ability to control it? If so, you're not alone... Come back to the future with us! The future of the 1950s, that is... when the atomic bomb had everyone scared of Mad Scientists and the ever lurking dangers of Science Run Amok. Fear was one of the main staples of 1950s sci-fi -- fear of science, fear of sex, fear of the Russians, fear of The Bomb. (The more things change, the more they stay the same...) It was a time when the most innocent lab experiments could result in giant monster bugs and mutated humans... or so the movies told us... And the only thing Americans feared more than Russia and the atom was rock and roll...

This quirky, rowdy musical throws together 1950s science fiction, some fake Shakespeare (we call it "Fakespeare"), and the muscle and untamed sexuality of early rock and roll. The show's score includes "Wipe Out" (1963), "It's a Man's Man's Man's World" (1966), "Great Balls of Fire" (1957), "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" (1964), "Good Vibrations" (1966), "The Shoop Shoop Song" (1963), "I'm Gonna Change the World" (1965), "A Teenager in Love" (1960), "Young Girl" (1968), "She's Not There" (1964), "Shakin' All Over" (1960), "Gloria" (1964), "Who's Sorry Now" (1958), "Tell Him" (1962), "Robot Man" (1959), "Shake, Rattle, and Roll" (1954), "Go Now" (1964), "Only the Lonely" (1960), "Mister Spaceman" (1967), and "The Monster Mash" (1962). For more about the show, visit www.newlinetheatre.com/rttfppage.html

Believe it or not, this crazy show actually won the 1990 Olivier Award (the British Tony Award) for Best Musical, beating out Miss Saigon. Don't ask us how it works. It just does. The show takes the audience on a routine survey flight under the command of Captain Tempest and his crew, as their spaceship is drawn mysteriously to the planet D'Illyria where rogue scientist Dr. Prospero and his lovely daughter Miranda are marooned, along with Prospero's trusty robot, Ariel. And an Id Monster. Rock and roll ensues.

London's Daily Telegraph wrote of the show, "It had the crowd bopping in the aisles and me standing on my seat screaming along to all the songs." The Guardian wrote, "Carlton's ingenious show, which splices plotlines from The Tempest with a 1950s sci-fi movie, and famous lines from other Shakespeare plays with rock'n'roll hits, won an Olivier award in 1990 and started a vogue for compilation musicals, but few have done it as well as this one." Theatre Week wrote, "Return to the Forbidden Planet is either a desecration, recreation, or consecration, depending on whom you ask."

The New Line cast includes Michael Amoroso (Capt. Tempest), Zachary Allen Farmer (Dr. Prospero), Nikki Glenn (Science Officer), Tara Lawton (Miranda), Ted Drury (Cookie), Scott Tripp (Ariel), Philip Leveling (Bosun), Kimi Short (Navigation Officer), Wayne Easter (Ship's Engineer), and Tawaine Noah (Weapons Officer). The show is directed by Scott Miller, with choreography by Robin Michelle Berger, sets by David Carr and Jeffery Brekel, costumes by Betsy Krausnick, and lighting by Hans Fredrickson.

New Line Theatre is a professional company dedicated to involving the people of the St. Louis region in the exploration and creation of daring, provocative, socially and politically relevant works of musical theatre. New Line receives funding from the Regional Arts Commission, the Fox Associates Charitable Foundation, and the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency. The New Line season will close with the first St. Louis production of "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee," July 16-August 8, 2009. For more about New Line, go to www.newlinetheatre.com/contact.html.

RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET runs April 30-May 23, Thursday through Saturday evenings, at 8:00 p.m. April 30 is a preview. Performances are at the Washington University South Campus Theatre (formerly the old CBC High School), 6501 Clayton Road, just east of Big Bend. All seating is general admission. For Thursday night performances, tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors. On Friday and Saturday nights, tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students and seniors. Tickets are on sale now through all Metrotix outlets, including Macy's stores, the Fox Theatre, and select Schnucks stores, or by calling 314-534-1111. FORBIDDEN PLANET contains some adult content.

New Line continues to offer the New Line Free Seats, ten seats put aside for every performance, free to anyone with a valid college student ID, one ticket per ID. The New Line Free Seats will be available at the theatre box office, from 7:00 p.m. to 7:55 p.m. on performance nights only.

For other information, visit New Line Theatre's full-service website at www.newlinetheatre.com. All programs are subject to change.