TROLLS to Close July 17, then Tour

TROLLS, a new musical with book and lyrics by Bill Dyer and music by Dick DeBenedictis, will conclude its Off-Broadway run on Sunday, June 17th. TROLLS began previews on May 4th at the Actors Playhouse (100 Seventh Avenue South, between Christopher and Bleecker Streets, in the heart of Greenwich Village), and had its official Opening night on May 19th. Upon the conclusion of this Off-Broadway engagement, TROLLS will have played 17 Previews and 71 regular performances.

Following this Off-Broadway engagement, TROLLS will embark on a national tour, which will include stops in San Francisco, California, Kansas City, Missouri, Boca Raton, Florida, and Rochester, New York.

TROLLS explores the lives of middle-aged gay men who realize that "growing old isn't for sissies." Through song and dance, laughter and tears, these "trolls" not only celebrate a departed friend's life but also rediscover the ability to celebrate their own as they address the universal themes of aging, relationships and the undying kinship of true friends.

Pamela Hall directs TROLLS, with choreography by John Hoshko. The Off-Broadway cast includes Carl Danielsen, Bram Heidinger, Stuart Marshall, Brynn Neal, Dale Radunz, Nick Rafello, James Van Treuren, and Christian Whelan.

Production designers include Matt Maraffi (scenic design) Karl A. Ruckdeschel (costume design) and Graham Kindred (lighting). Carl Danielsen will serve as musical director. DBD Productions, in association with Edmund Gaynes and Pamela Hall present Trolls.

Bill Dyer has written lyrics and special material for television including The Tony Awards, Ziegfeld, The Man and His Women, The Family Holvak, Dorothy, Columbo and for the musical specials and concerts of Mitzi Gaynor, Melissa Manchester, John Denver, Lorna Luft, Ben Vereen and Diana Ross. He has received three Emmy nominations and co-produced the Broadway debut of Sir Derek Jacobi in The Suicide and Get Happy – The Music of Harold Arlen at the Westwood Playhouse in Los Angeles. He has collaborated with composers Billy Goldenberg, Jonathan Tunick and Bob Prince.

Richard DeBenedictis began his career as dance music arranger for such Broadway musicals as Do I Hear a Waltz, Fade Out – Fade In, Bajour and the Lincoln Center revivals of Annie Get Your Gun and Show Boat. In Hollywood, he created the dance music for The Night They Raided Minsky's and served as special consultant for Funny Lady. He also wrote the score for The Earthling, William Holden's last film. He has been honored with nine Emmy nominations for his TV work that includes "Diagnosis Murder," "Matlock," "Father Dowling Mysteries," "Jake and the Fatman," all 38 installments of the "Perry Mason" TV movies, as well as "Columbo," "Murder She Wrote," "Quincy," "Hawaii Five-O," and "The Rockford Files," among many others.

Pamela Hall directed the long-running Off-Broadway musical Picon Pie at the Lamb's Theatre. She was nominated for L.A.'s highest theatre honor, the Ovation Award, for her direction of the Los Angeles premiere of "The Taffetas". Regionally, she has directed the West-Coast premiere of Jeff Daniels' eccentric black-comedy "Shoe Man", as well as "Mr. Allen, Mr. Allen", an original comedy about legendary wit Fred Allen that starred TV's beloved Jack Riley.

Performances of Trolls will be Monday, Wednesday through Saturday evenings at 8:00 PM, Sunday evenings at 7 pm, with matinees Saturdays and Sundays at 3PM. Tickets are $55.00 and are available from Telecharge.com by calling 212-239-6200.