TL;DR: THELMA LOUISE; DYKE REMIX to Release Original Cast Recording This Week

 Following a run at Diversionary Theatre in San Diego, the award-winning musical TL;DR: THELMA LOUISE; DYKE REMIX will release an Original Cast Recording. 

The show starts with T and L driving their convertible off the edge of a cliff and into a fantasy-driven, irreverent, queer, rock musical – where strong female characters don’t “always gotta die.” With full-on Riot Grrl aplomb, the Kickass Band helps T and L find the queer happy ending they deserve. Dubbed “90-minutes of gay fun” in its World Premiere at Diversionary Theatre in May 2024, the celebrated cast from that production performs on the Original Cast Recording available on Spotify, Apple Music, and all other platforms starting October 11, 2024. The release of the album follows the release of a single, the opening number “Why Do Strong Female Characters Always Gotta Die?”, in July 2024 to celebrate San Diego Pride. 

The cast recording features Broadway’s Sara Porkalob, star and creator of the celebrated Dragon Cycle, and Sophia Araujo-Johnson, as the titular “L” and “T,” respectively. The Band includes Faith Carrion as “Henrietta”, Lyric Boothe as “Marie”, Steph Lehane as “Cubby” and MG Green as “Blazer” with additional vocals from E. Renée Gamez, who served as the production’s Music Director. Broadway guitarist Tim Basom (Dear Evan Hansen), drummer Dan Berkery (Lempicka) and bassist Jeff Koch also contribute to the album, with composer Brandon James Gwinn rounding out additional instruments and production.

TL;DR had an illustrious road to its World Premiere production that yielded this album. Writers EllaRose Chary and Brandon James Gwinn conceived of the show as residents in Ars Nova’s Uncharted program, then developed the musical further at The Tank’s PrideFest,  Rhinebeck Writers Retreat (where they were selected for the Triple R Residency) and at the O’Neill National Music Theater Conference Incubator Residency. TL;DR won the Richard Rodgers Award, was featured at the NAMT Festival of new musicals, has received multiple Frank Young Fund for New Musical grants, and was named an Honorable Mention for the Relentless Award. 

TL:DR; THELMA LOUISE; DYKE REMIX has book and lyrics by EllaRose Chary (she/hers) and music and lyrics by Brando(n) James Gwinn (he/they). Brandon and Ella are an award-winning writing team specializing in stories that take a fresh look at the queer community with cutting-edge music. They’ve been commissioned and produced by The Civilians at Encores! Off-Center at City Center and Joe's Pub, 54 Below, Theatre C, The Tank, UArts’ Polyphone Festival, All For One Theater, Prospect Theater, Millikin University and more. They’ve been in residence at Roundabout Theatre, Bucks County Playhouse, Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre and Catwalk Institute. As Dramatists Guild Fellows, they’ve been featured many times by the Guild and The Dramatists Guild Foundation, including in The Dramatists Magazine. Their Grammy considered studio album Place and Time, released in 2021, has an all-star Broadway cast and was featured in The Advocate. They have an upcoming, star-studded concert at 54 Below on November 17, 2024 featuring songs from their new musical THE SPELL OF RED RIVER to benefit Abortion Care Tennessee. Brandon is repped by WME, Ella is repped by CAA. You can learn more about them and follow their work at www.brandonandella.com. 

TL;DR: THELMA LOUISE; DYKE REMIX Original Cast Recording is produced, mixed and mastered by Brandon James Gwinn at Teddy and the Fig Music. It was recorded at Signature Sound in San Diego, CA (engineered by Patrick Mellon) and at Second Story Sound in New York City (engineered by M.P. Kuo).

The World Premiere Production of TL;DR: Thelma Louise; Dyke Remix was produced in 2024 by Diversionary Theatre, San Diego, California, Jenny Case, Executive Director & Stephen Brotebeck, Interim, Artistic Director with additional support from Rob Granat & Al Mazure, Colleen Kendal & Georgia Griffiths and Bill & Judy Garrett. www.diversionary.org 

TL;DR: Thelma Louise: Dyke Remix was presented at the National Alliance for Musical Theatre’s Festival of New Musicals in 2021. www.namt.org