Stars from NYC, LA and Nashville Set for Dan Fogelberg's New Musical PART OF THE PLAN at TPAC; Cast, Creatives Announced!

K-Squared Entertainment and the Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) have announced the complete cast and creative team for the world premiere of PART OF THE PLAN, a new, original musical written by Kate Atkinson & Karen Harris and scored with the music and lyrics of celebrated singer-songwriter Dan Fogelberg.

Directed by Tony nominee Lynne Taylor-Corbett (Swing!), the show interweaves 20 iconic Fogelberg songs arranged by Grammy Award Winners Victor Vanacore (Ray Charles) and Laurence Juber (Paul McCartney), including "Leader of the Band," "Longer," & "Same Old Lang Syne."

PART OF THE PLAN is set to make its debut at the James K. Polk Theater (505 Deaderick St.) in Nashville, Tennessee on Friday, September 8, 2017, with an official opening date set for Sunday, September 10, 2017. The developmental production will run through Sunday, September 24, 2017.

PART OF THE PLAN is a powerful story that spans three decades and follows the lives of an adopted boy and the teenaged girl who is forced to give him up. While exploring themes of love, loss, renewal, and how everything in life happens for a reason, PART OF THE PLAN brings Fogelberg's music to a new generation as well as to the many die-hard fans who long to hear his music in all forms.

Featuring a mix of talented performers from New York, Los Angeles, and Nashville, the PART OF THE PLAN cast will be led by Broadway's Harley Jay (RENT), Kate Morgan Chadwick (BED), and Nashville's own J.T. Hodges Academy of Country Music nominated artist), along with Jayme Lake (I Love Lucy: Live on Stage) and Daniel David Stewart (Deaf West's Spring Awakening).

Joining them to bring this new story to life will be Chris Roberts, Benjamin D. Hale, Erica Aubrey, Katy Blake, Melinda Porto, Wyatt Rogers, Miles DeMaria, Darian Peer, Euriamis Losada, Megan Murphy Chambers, Joshua Drew Payne, Curt Bonnem, Cameron Gilliam, and Kristin Towers-Rowles.

"The cast and creative team of PART OF THE PLAN brings together the cream of the crop in their respective fields for this new artistic endeavor featuring Dan Fogelberg's most poignant, memorable, and beloved music," says Kathleen O'Brien, TPAC president and chief executive officer. "Kate Atkinson and Karen Harris have worked since 2010 to bring this production to the stage, and we're delighted to partner with them to co-produce this original production and to host the world premiere in Nashville, a town where Dan lived, performed, and wrote some of his most notable works."

PART OF THE PLAN features Drama Desk nominees: scenic designer, Jason Sherwood (The View UpStairs) and costume designer, Loren Shaw (The Mysteries). With lighting design by Broadway's Jason Kantrowitz (Dames at Sea) and sound design by Peter Fitzgerald (Pen & Teller on Broadway), the production will be under the musical direction of Stephen Kummer.

Tickets for PART OF THE PLAN will officially go on sale to the public beginning June 23rd at 10:00 AM CT. For 2017-18 Broadway Season Ticket and Flex Package subscribers, tickets are now available for purchase by calling 615-782-6560 or by clicking here.

For more information on the 2017-18 HCA/TriStar Health Broadway at TPAC series, visit TPAC.org/Broadway or call TPAC Subscriber Services at 615-782-6560 or 800- 410-4216 (outside Nashville). For information on group tickets, call the TPAC Group Sales staff at 615-782-4060.

For more information, visit www.danfogelbergmusical.com, or follow on Facebook: www.facebook.com/DanFogelbergMusicalPartOfThePlan, Instagram: www.instagram.com/potpmusical and Twitter: twitter.com/POTPMusical.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

Dan Fogelberg (Music and Lyrics) Born in 1951 in Peoria, Illinois, premiere American singer/songwriter and composer, Dan Fogelberg recorded and released Home Free, his first album, in 1972 with famed Muscle Shoals producer Norbert Putnam. In 1974, Dan released his second album, Souvenirs with producer Joe Walsh, resulting in his first hit single, "Part of the Plan". Over the next thirty years, Dan established a worldwide following of faithful fans, who eagerly awaited his next new album. Between 1972 and 2003, Dan delivered 13 studio albums, two live albums, two greatest hits albums and a 4-CD box set, writing 99% of the songs and playing many or all the instruments himself. His albums generated 21 hit singles and a string of gold and platinum albums. While some of his songs tackled political, spiritual and environmental issues, Dan May be most well-known for the stories he wove of love, loss, and everyday life. His many fans declare that his music represents the soundtrack of their lives. "Same Old Lang Syne", inspired by a chance encounter with a former girlfriend, has become a winter holiday standard. "Leader of the Band", an emotional tribute to his father, has been embraced by generations of sons and daughters. "Run for The Roses" is the unofficial theme for the Kentucky Derby. And his biggest hit, "Longer", has been performed during wedding ceremonies for decades. Sadly, in May of 2004, Dan was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer. He fought valiantly, but ultimately lost his battle, dying on December 16, 2007 at home in Deer Isle, Maine, his wife Jean at his side. In 2009, Jean released Love in Time, the album Dan recorded and self-produced over the last year of his life. In 2010 Jean, Norbert, Irving Azoff, and Chuck Morris began gathering an eclectic group of artists - both current and contemporary - to record tracks for a Dan Fogelberg tribute album, which will be released in November. On August 13th, Dan's birthday, he will be inducted - along with Joe Walsh and Barnstorm and Caribou Ranch - into the Colorado Music Hall of Fame, during a concert at Fiddler's Green, CO, which will be filmed by PBS Soundstage. The DVD will be released in conjunction with the tribute CD on Thanksgiving week. In April of this year, Jean Fogelberg released Dan Fogelberg ~ Live at Carnegie Hall, a double album of Dan's 1979 solo concert at the prestigious Carnegie Hall. And in September of this year, the world premiere of PART OF THE PLAN - a new, Broadway-bound musical featuring the songbook of Dan Fogelberg - will take place at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, in Nashville - the very city where Dan recorded his first album with Norbert Putnam 45 years ago and wrote "Part of the Plan", his first hit single. Dan's music is his legacy, and his legacy lives on.

Kate Atkinson (Bookwriter & Producer). Longtime Dan Fogelberg fan and independent filmmaker and producer, Kate Atkinson conceived the idea of setting Dan's music to an original story, acquired the exclusive stage rights to Dan's catalog, and assembled Part of the Plan's core team, which includes two Grammy-winners - of Paul McCartney and Ray Charles fame - as the musical's arrangers and her writing/producing partner Karen Harris. Kate & Karen's K-Squared Entertainment is lead producing Part of the Plan's world premiere at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC). Prior to this original new musical, Kate created, developed, and produced award-winning documentaries, narrative films and live stage productions. After Part of the Plan's two-and-a-half week run in Nashville, Kate will produce another world premiere in Los Angeles - a live concert of Grammy winner Victor Vanacore's neo-classical arias set to the poetry of Pope John Paul II, to which she secured the rights from the Vatican. An entrepreneur at her core, Kate has also built a successful education company, having taught and mentored hundreds of students over the past 20 years. Holding an MBA from Northwestern University's J.L. Kellogg School of Management in Marketing, Finance, and International Business, as well as undergraduate degrees in Mathematics and Education, Kate is an active member of Women In Film, The Hollywood Film Society, and the Screen Actors Guild.

Karen Harris (Bookwriter & Producer) A multi-Emmy and Writers Guild of America award winner, Karen has spent over three decades in primetime and daytime dramatic television, syndicated and children's programming, variety TV, and on-line series. She has worked for the major networks and studios as a showrunner, script writer, executive producer, and creator of scripted shows. Karen followed her long-time passion into theatre, serving with two non-profit theatre companies as a producer and dramaturge. She is a proud mentor to military veterans, guiding them in writing for screen and television through the Writers Guild Foundation, which ultimately led her to become an Adjunct Professor in the prestigious Film & TV Writing Department at Loyola Marymount University. Karen is thrilled to be partnered with Kate Atkinson in K-Squared Entertainment, and to present "Part of the Plan" as the company's first production. A 2-time Board Member of the WGAW, Karen's also an active member of the Writers Guild of Canada, and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

TENNESSEE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER (Co-Producer). Over three decades, the nonprofit Tennessee Performing Arts Center has welcomed more than 12 million audience members and served more than 1.8 million students, educators, and adults with performances at TPAC, teacher resources, classroom residencies, and enrichment programs. Founded in 1980, TPAC serves several hundred thousand audience members each year with the HCA/TriStar Health Broadway at TPAC series, a variety of special engagements, and the productions of the three resident artistic companies - Nashville Ballet, Nashville Opera, and Nashville Repertory Theatre. For more information, visit TPAC.org.

Lynne Taylor Corbett (Director/Choreographer) has been nominated for Tony Awards and a Drama Desk Award for Broadway's Swing!, and received Drama Desk and Lortel nominations for My Vaudeville Man and Wanda's World. She directed and choreographed Cougar the Musical, and KICK! Off-Broadway which was nominated for an OBA. Regional shows include Unexpected Joy at Wellfleet, Tintypes at Hartford Stage and The Old Globe, Opal at George Street Playhouse and the Lyric Theatre, Flight of the Lawnchair Man for the Goodspeed Opera House, Hats in Chicago and Girl's Room starring Donna McKechnie and Carol Lawrence in New York and Los Angeles. Her choreography can be seen in feature films Footloose and My Blue Heaven and in Disney's stage show, Aladdin, at the Hyperion Theatre at Disneyland. She adapted and directed The Lion King for Disney's production in Hong Kong. Her dance works have been commissioned by New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Hubbard Street Dance Company, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Carolina Ballet and numerous companies throughout the world. Broadcasts of her work have been seen on Live from Lincoln Center, Live from the San Francisco Opera House and on UNC TV. Distant Thunder, a musical set on the Blackfeet rez, written by Lynne and son, Shaun Taylor-Corbett, will be part of Oregon Shakespeare's Lab this summer.

VICTOR VANACORE (Arranger) Grammy winner Victor Vanacore has been at the nexus of popular music for more than 25 years as a composer, arranger, conductor and pianist with a long history of collaborations with some of the biggest names in entertainment, including Ray Charles, Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Natalie Cole, Elton John, George Benson, Dave Koz, Willie Nelson, and others. Victor has served as Musical Arranger for the Jackson Five, Musical Arranger and Conductor for The Fifth Dimension, Musical Director for Johnny Mathis' world tour, and Musical Director for Barry Manilow. Victor enjoyed a close relationship with musical icon Ray Charles, and from 1990 until Ray's passing in 2004, Victor served as his Musical Director, Arranger, and opening act. Ray's only platinum album, "Genius Loves Company," features Victor's arrangements of Ray's duets with Willie Nelson, Elton John, and Michael McDonald. Victor won a GRAMMY for his arrangement of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," Ray's duet with Johnny Mathis. Victor studied at the Berklee College of Music and recently received an Alumnus Recognition Award as one of Berklee's 50 most influential Alumni in music. He's a member of ASCAP, AFTRA, NARAS, the Society of Composers and Lyricists, and the American Society of Music Arrangers and Composers.

LAURENCE JUBER (Guitar Arranger) First recognized as lead guitarist in Paul McCartney's Wings, Laurence has released two dozen solo albums. His solo guitar version "The Pink Panther Theme" earned him a Grammy and his version of "Stand By Me" was featured in a national TV. As a studio musician, he can be heard on recordings from artists as diverse as Dan Hicks, Seal and Sylvie Vartin. TV/Film studio credits include: "Home Improvement", Dirty Dancing, Good Will Hunting and Pocahontas. Juber co-composed the soundtrack of the award-winning video game Diablo III and, with his wife Hope, the scores to Gilligan's Island: The Musical, A Very Brady Musical and It's The Housewives!

Jason Sherwood (Set Designer) is a Drama Desk Award nominee, a Lucille Lortel Award nominee, and an American Theatre Wing Henry Hewes Design Award nominee. Recent designs include THE CHAINSMOKERS on "Saturday Night Live", New York Theatre Workshop, NY Fashion Week, The Old Globe, the stage adaptation of Frozen for Disney Creative Entertainment, the Culture Project, NY Stage and Film, the Denver Center, Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre, the Alliance, Goodspeed Musicals, Portland Center Stage, Bucks County Playhouse, and many others. His work has been profiled in the New York Times, American Theatre Magazine, and LiveDesign Magazine. He is an NYU graduate.

Loren Shaw (Costume Designer) NEW YORK: Sojourners, Her Portmanteau (New York Theater Workshop, NY), Sojourners (Playwrights Realm, NY), The NY Mysteries, Restoration Comedy, These Seven Sicknesses (The Flea Theater, NY), Ludic Proxy, The Golden Dragon (Play Company, NY), Alice's Rock n' Roll Adventure, Ivy and Bean, Mr. Chickee's Funny Money (The Atlantic Theater, NY), Charles Francis Chan Jr's Exotic Oriental Murder Mystery (NAATCO, NY). REGIONAL: A Period Of Animate Existence (Pig Iron Theater, PA), Head Over Heels (Oregon Shakespeare Festival, OR), Taming Of The Shrew (Shakespeare Company, DC), Busytown The Musical (The Children's Theater, MN). Nominated for Outstanding Costume Design for the 2013 and 2014 Drama Desk Awards.

Jason Kantrowitz (Lighting Designer) Broadway shows include: Dames at Sea, [title of show], Dame Edna, Tru, Starmites, Radio City Christmas Spectacular. NYC Ballet: Seven Deady Sins, Mexico City productions: Billy Elliot, Young Frankenstein, Peter Pan, Sweet Charity, The Producers, Fiddler on the Roof, Joseph. US Touring shows include: The Phantom of the Opera, Fiddler on the Roof, Annie. International productions include: Olympic figure skating show Stars On Ice, The Syringa Tree (London), Caravan (Argentina). Theme Parks: Fantasmic!, Finding Nemo, Festival of the Lion King, Playhouse Disney, Voyage of the Little Mermaid, Shamu. As a Creative Producer Jason has created over 30 spectacular shows for major global entertainment companies, delighting millions of people annually.

Peter Fitzgerald (Sound Designer) recent Broadway credits include: Sylvia, Penn & Teller on Broadway, You're Welcome America and Speed-the-Plow. Past Productions: Camelot and My Fair Lady (New York Philharmonic 2007/08), The Wiz (La Jolla Playhouse), Movin' Out, Ring of Fire, La Cage..., Victor/Victoria, City of Angels, Gypsy, Falsettos, The Capeman, The Will Rogers Follies, Swing!, Minnelli on Minnelli Dream, The Threepenny Opera, The Odd Couple, M. Butterfly, Stones in His Pockets, The Beauty Queen of Leenane and A Thousand Clowns. Mr. Fitzgerald is the president of Sound Associates, Inc.

Harley Jay (Sean) was recently seen by over 12 million people in "Grease Live!" on FOX as Reginald, the glee club band leader & as part of the singer/dancer ensemble. He also appeared on Broadway: Rent (Mark Cohen) as well as the National Tours: Rent and Miss Saigon (Chris). Recently, Harley's band has shared stages across the country opening for Rick Springfield, Wilson Phillips, Marc Broussard, American Idol winner Kris Allen, Eddie Money, Jana Kramer & The Gin Blossoms. www.HarleyJay.com

J.T. Hodges (Jake) an ACM-nominated artist from Fort Worth, Texas who broke into the Country music scene with his Billboard Hot Country charting debut "Hunt You Down." Jake has scored several top ten singles since with the songs "Goodbyes Made you Mine", "Ray Bans" a top 5 record, "Sleepy Little Town, and his new song "Dance Right Here". Hodges has toured and with the likes of Eric Church, Miranda Lambert, Eli Young Band, Matchbox Twenty and Toby Keith. In 2013 Hodges starred in Finding Christmas, on the Hallmark Channel. The movie became the #1 rated movie of the week and cemented a rave re tad view for Hodges from the New York Times. Most recently, Hodges can be seen starring alongside Colin Odonaghue ("Once upon a Time") in the independent film "The Dust Storm".

Kate Morgan Chadwick (Rebecca) credits include: Holly in the World Premiere of BED by Sheila Callaghan (2017 Stage Raw Award for Best Lead Actress in a Play), Lindsay in the World Premiere of Bad Apples (ACT Seattle and Circle X in LA) for which she received Ovation and LA Weekly Theater Award nominations, Samantha in the World Premiere of Nobody Loves You (The Old Globe), Frenchy in the B'way Nat'l tour of Grease, and Ali in Mamma Mia! (Las Vegas). Stupid Kids (The Red Room), and Perfect Harmony (Theatre Row). TV: "Swedish Dicks", "Shameless", "Major Crimes", "Happy Endings", "Whatever, the web series". Film: Bump, Imprints, Plea and the Coen Bros' Hail, Caesar! B.A. in Theatre from Fordham University.

Jayme Lake (Josie) is thrilled and honored to be a part of the world premiere of Part of the Plan! What a gift it is to be able to share the stage with my husband, Harley Jay in fabulous Nashville! I was last here performing in the First National Tour of I Love Lucy: Live on Stage at TPAC! Thank you to Karen, Kate, Kathleen, Lynne and all of the shows supporters who have had a hand in making this a reality! Lots of love to my family for their never ending support! @jaymelake www.jaymelake.com

Daniel David Stewart (Hirsch) recently made his Broadway Debut in the critically acclaimed Deaf West Production of Spring Awakening in the role of Ernst/Piano. Recent feature film roles include Oliver Gingerfield in Kids Vs. Monsters and Willis in The Sound Of Magic. Other films include Incident(s) At Paradise Bay, The Hair Cut, Last Seen, and Reverie. Television credits include: "KC Undercover", "The Middle", "Cougar Town", "The Goodwin Games", "Man Up!", "Miss Mustard Glade" and "Off The Record". Select professional theatre credits include: David Cromer's Our Town (The Broad Stage), Phaeton in Metamorphoses (Ensemble Theatre Company), Pete in the Burnt Part Boys (Third Street Theater), Little Miss Scrooge (Rubicon Theatre Company), Dominic in Belfry, Denny in Sixty Miles To Silverlake, The Lion In Winter and The Field (Theatre Banshee). Daniel is a graduate of the Second City Conservatory Program, and was a founding member of the improv group known as "The Brigade".