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'HEIGHTS' Star Dacal Is 'Alice' In Wildhorn's WONDERLAND At Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center
By: Eddie Varley Jul. 20, 2009
Tampabay.com reports the news that IN THE HEIGHTS star Janet Dacal will play the leading role of Alice in the upcoming Wonderland, the Frank Wildhorn musical which is inspired by Alice in Wonderland and is slated to premiere at Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center in December. Other casting for the musical includes Karen Mason, Nikki Snelson and Eugene Fleming.
As the first initiative of the Broadway Genesis Project at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, TBPAC will produce the new Frank Wildhorn musical, to debut in Tampa late this year. The new show, Wonderland: Alice's New Musical Adventure, will begin performances on November 24, 2009 at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.
TBPAC spokesman Paul Bilyeu told the website Thursday that he couldn't confirm the casting for Wonderland because contracts haven't been finalized. He said an official announcement would be made "sooner rather than later.' It is expected all the announced actors will be in the production, to read the full scoop click here.
Plans for the show are extensive and the web site has already launched at Wonderlandthemusical.org featuring song clips, video interviews and other exciting content.
Wonderland: Alice's New Musical Adventure, slated to have its world premiere in Tampa on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2009 in TBPAC's Ferguson Hall. The music for Wonderland is by Frank Wildhorn, the composer of The Civil War and Jekyll & Hyde, with lyrics by Jack Murphy and a book by Phoebe Hwang. Gregory Boyd will direct. Other members of the creative team will be announced at a later date.
Wonderland will play TBPAC then quickly "hop" over to Houston's Alley Theatre Jan. 9-Feb. 14 where Boyd is artistic director.
Wonderland is set in present-day Manhattan and a timeless Wonderland. The new musical tells the story of author Alice Cornwinkle (a descendent of Lewis Carroll's muse Alice Liddell), who is struggling with her career and her daughter, Chloe.
With a chaotic Wonderland in danger of disappearing into nothingness, only Alice can restore balance and joy. Audiences will journey with her through the Looking-Glass from New York City to a strange-yet-familiar place where she must reclaim her daughter, defeat the Queen of Hearts and learn to follow her heart.
Tony and Grammy nominated composer Frank Wildhorn, who, in 1999, had three shows running on Broadway simultaneously, is about to duplicate that feat in Europe, with three new original musicals, RUDOLF: THE MAYERLING AFFAIR, CARMEN, THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO and CYRANO all open or opening later this year. Now, he's back in the United States as well, which is good news for the composer's many fans.
TBPAC, one of the largest and most prolific performing arts facilities in the country, will serve as lead producer for Broadway Genesis - using its facility, administrative structure and other resources. "I am so excited about the Broadway Genesis Project," said Judith Lisi, president of the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. "This is the next logical step in TBPAC's artistic development. Our wonderful facility and dedicated staff will provide the ideal creative workplace for extraordinary works of theater for years to come."
"We've assembled a top-notch team that is going to take this new musical in magnificent directions as we move into pre-production, casting, rehearsal and beyond," Lisi said.
Wonderland will be part of TBPAC's 2009-2010 Bank of America Best of Broadway Tampa Bay series, which will be announced in full later this year. Numerous community partnerships, master classes and workshops will be connected to the production.
Wildhorn and Wildhorn Productions will join forces with MG Sound/HitSquad Records in Vienna to both produce and internationally distribute the concept recording of Wonderland. The partnership, known as MWB (Music Without Borders), has produced several chart-topping European successes including recordings of Carmen, Rudolf - The Last Kiss, Dracula and the concept recording of The Count of Monte Cristo. The concept recording of Wonderland is scheduled for a summer 2009 release in the United States and a fall/winter 2009 release internationally.
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