The Developmental Lab Production of NOW.HERE.THIS. - the newest work from the creators and cast of the legendary musical [title of show], will begin performances on Saturday, June 4 at the Vineyard Theatre (108 East 15th Street), with a special performance to benefit the non-profit theatre company on Sunday, June 19th at 7:00pm.
A limited number of tickets to NOW.HERE.THIS. are available to the public. Tickets for the Sunday, June 19th benefit performance are $125 and include admission to an after party with the artists. Premium tickets are available for $175 and include preferred seating at the performance, admission to the after party and a pre-show toast. Also available are a limited number of $1,000 "co-host packages," which include 4 premium tickets to the pre-show toast, performance and after party, as well as a program credit as "event co-chair," and recognition live at the theatre. Tickets are available to purchase online a t
www.VineyardTheatre.org; by phone at 212-353-0303; or at the
Vineyard Theatre Box Office - 108 East 15th Street.
NOW.HERE.THIS. is written by
Hunter Bell and
Susan Blackwell, with music and lyrics by
Jeff Bowen. NOW.HERE.THIS. is based on a collaboration by
Hunter Bell,
Michael Berresse,
Susan Blackwell,
Heidi Blickenstaff,
Jeff Bowen and
Larry Pressgrove. Musical direction and arrangements are by
Larry Pressgrove. NOW.HERE.THIS. is directed by
Michael Berresse, who along with Mr. Bowen and Mr. Bell won Village Voice Obie Awards for their work on [title of show].
It has been a thrill for The Vineyard to have the cast and creative team behind [title of show] - which The New Yorker called "a joy from start to finish" - return to The Vineyard to develop and launch their newest collaboration, NOW.HERE.THIS. - an original "theatri-concert" that investigates and celebrates living in the present, featuring autobiographical stories, songs, and a multi-piece band. According to Hunter, Jeff, Susan, Heidi, Michael and Larry, "the piece explores what goes down in the space between the past and the future, and how the universe conspires to bring people together." NOW. HERE. THIS. also promises to solve the mysteries of JCPenney plain pocket jeans, middle school talent shows, and the space time continuum.
Vineyard Theatre Labs are developmental productions which are not open for review.
[title of show] -- an enormously popular musical called "delectable entertainment" by The New York Times -- made its Off-Broadway debut at The Vineyard on February 15, 2006, and extended three times before reopening in a commercial Off-Broadway production at The Vineyard from July to October of that year. Two years later, [title of show] realized the dream come true depicted in the musical itself and moved uptown, opening on Broadway in July 2008.
Hunter Bell earned an OBIE Award, a Drama League nomination, and a 2009 Tony nomination for Best Book of a Musical all for the original Broadway musical [title of show]. Other credits include the books for SILENCE! THE MUSICAL, BELLOBRATION! (137th Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus), and VILLAINS TONIGHT! (Disney Cruise Lines). Hunter is a co-creator of the web series the [title of show] show and has developed new works with ABC television, at the O'Neill Center and
Ars Nova.
Susan Blackwell's credits include [title of show] - on Broadway and Off-Broadway at
Vineyard Theatre; THE KID (
The New Group); SPEECH AND DEBATE (The Roundabout); ANON (The
Atlantic Theatre Company),
Working Title and VILNA'S GOT A GOLEM (
American Jewish Theatre), as well as playing Peter Patrone in THE HEIDI CHRONICLES. Television appearances include 'The Sopranos', 'Third Watch', 'All My Children' and various 'Law & Orders'. Films include Margin Call, P.S.: I Love You, Margot at the Wedding, Bun Bun, Changing Lanes, and Night Int. Trailer for the feature film Ten Minutes Older.
Jeff Bowen wrote the music and lyrics for and starred in the Broadway musical [title of show] for which he won an Obie Award, as well as a GLAAD Media nomination and a Drama League nomination. He was awarded the Jim Owles Human Rights Award and was named one of the 100 most influential people in OUT MAGAZINE. He has written music and lyrics for VILLAINS TONIGHT! for the Walt Disney Company , numerous BC/EFA events, the Easter Bonnet competition for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, the Actors Fund 125th Anniversary Gala, the Vineyard Theatre's 25th Anniversary Gala, the 53rd Annual Drama Desk Awards, Broadway in South Africa, and Broadway Bares 18: Wonderland. He has composed music for several shows at P.S. 122 including AVANT-GARDE-A-RAMA IN SPARKLEVISION, HELLO, MY NAME IS AVANT-GARDE-A-RAMA; SPARKLEFEST 2000 at Dixon Place; THE A-TRAIN PLAYS; and the film Boat Mime.
Heidi Blickenstaff's Broadway credits include THE ADDAMS FAMILY (Alice Beineke), [title of show] (Heidi), THE LITTLE MERMAID (Ursula), and THE FULL MONTY. Off-Broadway: [title of show] at the
Vineyard Theatre, and MOSIAC (Ruth) with
Primary Stages. Regional productions include FIRST YOU DREAM: THE MUSIC OF KANDER AND EBB at
Signature Theatre, MEET JOHN DOE (
Ann Mitchell) at
Ford's Theatre (Helen Hayes Award) and the West Coast premiere of BAT BOY (Mer
Edith Parker) at Theatreworks in Palo Alto. Heidi has performed in concert at
Carnegie Hall, Feinstein's, Merkin Hall and Joe's Pub.
Michael Berresse is a Tony, Olivier (London), Outer Critics' Circle and Astaire Award nominated actor and an Obie Award winning, Lortel nominated director and choreographer. Broadway productions: [title of show], A CHORUS LINE, THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA, KISS ME KATE, CHICAGO, DAMN YANKEES, FASCINATING RHYTHM, GUYS & DOLLS, CAROUSEL, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. Off-Broadway: [title of show], THE COCOANUTS, FOREVER PLAID, NO, NO, NANETTE, A WONDERFUL LIFE (concert). Michael's film work includes Stephen Spielberg's A.I. and most recently, as Robert Bingham in State of Play. TV: "Law and Order ", "Law and Order: SVU," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," "Great Performances," "Live from Lincoln Center." As a writer, Michael recently co-developed a new script for ABC.
Larry Pressgove - who served as musical director of [title of show] and played the role of "Larry" - was music director for CATS both on Broadway and the National Tour, LES MISÉRABLES (National Tour) and conducted
Colm Wilkinson's last performance of LES MIZ at the National Opera Theatre in Shanghai, China. He was assistant conductor on THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA tour and has music directed various productions at the
Ford's Theatre, the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and
Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. With collaborator
Rachel Lampert, he composed the scores for THE ANGLE OF THE SUN (NYMF 2007) and BED NO BREAKFAST and COMFORT FOOD (Kitchen Theatre, Ithaca NY). For two years, he was artistic director of Metro Theater Company in St. Louis.
One of the nation's leading non-profit theatre companies dedicated to new plays and musicals and bold programming, The Vineyard has consistently premiered provocative, groundbreaking works including the Pulitzer Prize-winning productions of
Edward Albee's THREE TALL WOMEN and
Paula Vogel's HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE,
Tarell Alvin McCraney's WIG OUT!,
The Civilians' THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY,
Nicky Silver's PTERODACTYLS and RAISED IN CAPTIVITY, the
Laura Nyro musical ELI'S COMIN', A BOY AND HIS SOUL, written and performed by
Colman Domingo,
Adam Rapp's THE METAL CHILDREN,
Will Eno's MIDDLETOWN, and most recently the acclaimed production of
Christopher Shinn's PICKED, which the New York Times praised as "a thoughtful new work, drawn with subtlety and sympathy...impeccably observed."
Vineyard Theatre is the recipient of the Tony Award for the musical AVENUE Q and continues as producer of the musical's current production at New World Stages in New York. The Vineyard produced the world-premiere of the musical THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS - recently nominated for 12 Tony Awards - with music and lyrics by
John Kander and
Fred Ebb, book by
David Thompson, with direction and choreography
Susan Stroman - in March 2010 and on Broadway. The Vineyard also produced the musical [title of show] both off and on Broadway.
Mr. Aibel is Artistic Director of the
Vineyard Theatre;
Jennifer Garvey-Blackwell is Executive Director.
Performances of NOW.HERE.THIS. run June 4th through June 19th Mondays and Tuesdays at 7:00pm; Thursdays and Fridays at 8:00pm; Saturdays at 5:00pm and 9:00pm; and Sundays at 3:00pm. On Sunday, June 5 there will be an additional performance at 7:00pm. For more information or to purchase tickets visit
www.VineyardTheatre.org, call 212-353-0303, or visit the
Vineyard Theatre Box Office (108 East 15th Street) Tuesdays through Fridays from 1pm to 6pm.
NOW.HERE.THIS. can be followed on Twitter @TweetHereThis, and the
Vineyard Theatre can be followed @VineyardTheatre.
For more information, please visit
www.VineyardTheatre.org.
Photo Credit: Dirty Sugar Studios
