Florence Lacey to Star in World Premiere Musical KALEIDOSCOPE at Creative Cauldron

Creative Cauldron announces the world premiere of Kaleidoscope, a new musical written by Matt Conner and Stephen Gregory Smith, starring Broadway's Florence Lacey.

The production is Conner and Smith's third installment in Creative Cauldron's "Bold New Works for Intimate Stages" five-year commissioning project, following Helen Hayes Awards Recommended productions of The Turn of the Screw (2015) and Monsters of the Villa Diodati (2016).

Kaleidoscope is the poignant story of a legendary Broadway performer's comeback tour of her one-woman show revealing her star-studded life in the theatre. As the tour moves on, her memory of these stories starts to elude her. As her stage manager and director come to her aid, the symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease become clear. Press night is Saturday, May 13 at 8 PM.

Kaleidoscope stars real-life Broadway legend Florence Lacey, best known for replacing Patti LuPone as Eva Peron in the original 1979 run of Evita - a role she would go on to perform over 3,000 times on Broadway and multiple world tours. Lacey also appeared on Broadway in Les Miserables as Fantine (1987), in Hello, Dolly! as Irene Molloy (1978 and 1995 revivals), and most recently in Follies as Sandra Crane (2011 revival). Locally, Lacey has appeared in Signature Theatre's Titanic (2016), Sunset Boulevard (2010) and Nevermore (2006).

Kaleidoscope will also mark a return for Creative Cauldron favorites Susan Derry (Monsters..., The Turn of the Screw), Catherine Purcell (Monsters...) and Sophia Manicone (Ruthless! The Musical).

The creative team for Kaleidoscope includes Warren Freeman (Music Director), Strauss-Award Winner Margie Jervis (Scenic Designer), Alison Johnson (Costume Designer) and Lynn Joslin (Lighting Designer).

Conner and Smith are a Helen Hayes Awards Nominated duo whose critically-acclaimed musicals have been produced internationally. In addition to their multiple "Bold New Works" premieres with Creative Cauldron, Conner and Smith recently premiered their original musical Silver Belles (written with Allyson Currin) at Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA. Matt Conner's other musical compositions include Nevermore, The Hollow, and Crossing. He is one of six recipients of Signature Theatre's "American Musical Voices Project: The Next Generation." Stephen Gregory Smith is a Helen Hayes Award-winning local actor, director and writer. He has performed at Arena Stage, Wolf Trap, the Kennedy Center, Ford's Theater, Signature Theater, Metro Stage, Roundhouse Theatre and Olney Theater in both leading and supporting roles. Smith wrote the book for, and directed, Creative Cauldron's musical revue, Cole Porter: You're the Top! (2012), and directed Thunder Knocking on the Door (2013). Together, Conner and Smith received a 2015 Helen Hayes Awards © Nomination for Outstanding Director of a Musical - HELEN Production for Creative Cauldron's The Turn of the Screw.

Post-show discussions with the Creative Team will be staged after each preview performance from Thursday, May 4th through Sunday May 7th. For the remainder of the performance run, after Thursday and Sunday performances, Creative Cauldron staff will be joined in discussions by experts in senior memory care and members of the professional staff of The Kensington Falls Church, an assisted living care facility.

Tickets for Kaleidoscope can be purchased at creativecauldron.org or by calling 703-436-9948.

Creative Cauldron is a non-profit arts organization whose innovative programs in the performing and visual arts embody collaboration, experimentation and community engagement. Creative Cauldron was founded by Producing Director Laura Connors Hull in 2002. In June of 2009, Creative Cauldron acquired a permanent home in ArtSpace Falls Church, a 3,000 square foot flexible arts space that provides a venue for year-round classes, live performances of theater, music and dance and visual art exhibits. Programs are presented in part through grants from the Virginia Commission for the Arts, The National Endowment for the Arts, the Arts Council of Fairfax County, the City of Falls Church and the Little City CATCH Foundation. Creative Cauldron's programs are also supported by generous corporate and individual sponsors.