Lippa's Asphalt Beach to Premiere at Northwestern in Fall

Asphalt Beach, a new Andrew Lippa musical, will have its premiere as a stage musical at Northwestern University.

Asphalt Beach, which was originally announced as an upcoming movie musical (with Kristin Chenoweth attached to star), will be the third premiere musical of the university's American Music Theatre Project (AMTP).  The show will run from October 27th through November 12th at the Josephine Louis Theatre (20 Arts Circle Drive) on the Evanston campus. The official press opening will be November 3rd.

"The hilarious new 'rock' musical is set in Asphalt Beach, N. J., home of 'Our Lady of Suppressed Desire Academy for Rambunctious Young Girls,' where a rag-tag band of misfit girls struggle daily to break free from the dominating head-mistress, Sister Severia. The adversity leads them to discover that family isn't just something you inherit; it also is something you create," state AMTP notes on the musical.  Directed by Amanda Dehnert, it will feature music and lyrics by Lippa (The Wild Party, john & jen, new songs for You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown revival) with book by T. C. Smith and Peter Spears.

No casting has been announced for the premiere.  Students fill the majority of roles in AMTP productions, although some professional actors are also enlisted to play roles that students cannot.  Previously, AMTP unveiled the premiere of the new musicals WAS (by Barry Kleinbort and Joseph Thalken).  The Boys Are Coming Home (by Leslie Arden and Berni Stapleton) will be directed by The Color Purple's Gary Griffin and runs from July 28th through August 13th.

"Asphalt Beach was initially developed for MTV, but the authors reversed course and re-developed it for the stage in an effort to more fully realize the material's potential through the theatrical development process. The show received its first reading in April 2006 as part of TheatreWorks' new works festival," according to AMTP notes.

The American Music Theatre Project (AMTP) is a new initiative at Northwestern University, under the leadership of Artistic Director Stuart Oken and Executive Director Dominic Missimi. AMTP is dedicated to nourishing the vitality of American music theatre through the development and production of new musicals by music theatre's leading artists; increasing opportunities for education and training with Northwestern's theatre, dance and opera programs; and initiating a broad range of interdisciplinary research projects.

AMTP was introduced in May 2005 by Northwestern University's School of Communication, in collaboration with the School of Music, Kellogg School of Management, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences and the Graduate School. Seed funding for this initiative was provided by prominent Northwestern alumnus and respected Hollywood writer, producer and television, film and theatre director Garry K. Marshall and his wife Barbara.

AMTP's ultimate goal is the establishment of a permanent Center for the American Music Theatre on Northwestern's Evanston campus. The center would expand upon the work of AMTP, as well as introduce new programs, including an annual summer festival of new musicals.

For Asphalt Beach tickets and more information on AMTP, visit www.amtp.northwestern.edu.