Moonbox Productions Announces 2019-2020 Season; ROCKY HORROR, PARADE, and More

Moonbox Productions announces its theatrical line up for the 2019-2020 season. In October, Moonbox kicks-off its season with Richard O'Brien's hilarious cult classic, The Rocky Horror Show, followed in December by Jason Robert Brown's electrifying Broadway musical, Parade. In May, Moonbox rounds out its season with the Tony nominated comedy-drama rock musical, Passing Strange, by singer-songwriter and performance artist, Stew.

Seen by over 30 million theatergoers nationwide, Moonbox Productions brings Richard O'Brien's legendary cult classic, The Rocky Horror Show, back to Boston this fall. Produced by Sharman Altshuler and directed by David Lucey, The Rocky Horror Show opens on October 17th and runs through November 3rd at Le Laboratoire in Kendall Square.

A humorous tribute to the science fiction and horror B movies of the late 1940s through to the early 1970s, The Rocky Horror Show tells the story of Brad Majors and his fiancée, Janet Weiss, who get caught in a thunderstorm with a flat-tire and are forced to seek help at the castle of Dr. Frank 'N' Furter, a transvestite scientist with a manic genius and insatiable libido. Brad, Janet, and Frank' N' Furter's cohorts are swept up into the scientist's latest experiment, a Frankenstein-style monster in the form of an artificially made, fully grown, physically perfect muscle man named Rocky Horror, complete "with blond hair and a tan". The night's misadventures will cause Brad and Janet to question everything they've known about themselves, each other, love, and lust. With an irresistible rock 'n' roll score, The Rocky Horror Show is a hilarious, wild ride, that no audience will soon forget.

In December, Moonbox Productions continues its season with, Parade, the Tony Award-winning musical from the composer of The Last Five Years and The Bridges of Madison County, December 8th - 28th at the Boston Center for the Arts Roberts Theatre. Produced by Sharman Altshuler, directed by Jason Modica with music direction by Catherine Stornetta and choreography by Kira Troilo, Parade is a powerful story with a soaring musical score - an essential experience that no theatergoer should miss.

Based on the true story of a trial that captivated the nation, Parade is the tale of Leo Frank, a Jewish factory-owner transplanted to Georgia and married to a Southerner. When a young girl in his employ is found murdered, Leo's life is swept up by the intense forces of anti-Semitism and sensationalistic journalism in early 20th-century Atlanta. Leo's struggle to maintain his identity in the face of extreme prejudice, his wife Lucille's arc from privileged housewife to empowered crusader for truth and justice, and a region grappling with the complexities of its history, come urgently to life in Tony-winning composer Jason Robert Brown and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Alfred Uhry's modern musical classic. A timeless romance. A gripping legal drama. A story for our tumultuous modern moment, ripped from the headlines of a century ago. Parade offers audiences a chilling and urgent reminder of bigotry's dire consequences.

Moonbox Productions continues its season in May with the production of the comedy-drama rock musical, Passing Strange. Opening on May 8th and running through May 30th at the Boston Center for the Arts Wimberly Theater, Passing Strange is produced by Sharman Altshuler and directed by Arthur Gomez.

From singer-songwriter and performance artist Stew, Passing Strange is a daring musical that takes you on a journey across boundaries of place, identity and theatrical convention. Stew brings us the story of a young bohemian who charts a course for "the real" through sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. Loaded with soulful lyrics and overflowing with passion, the show takes us from black middle-class America to Amsterdam, Berlin and beyond on a journey towards personal and artistic authenticity. Passing Strange isn't your typical rock show, musical or biography. It examines the intersection of life and art, inspiration and creation, race and class. While it doesn't offer easy answers, its willingness to confront hard questions over an electrifying hard-rock score, makes this production one hell of a ride.

Throughout the 2019-2020 season Moonbox will continue its support of local non-profits by partnering with a different non-profit organization for each show, giving them greater visibility and helping them to increase the reach and impact of their work.

"We are all gearing up for an exciting tenth season!" says Producer Sharman Altshuler. "Among the exciting things we have in store is that we will be bringing three brand new faces to the Director's chair this season! In our fall and spring shows, we are thrilled to be presenting two long-time alumni of Moonbox: David Lucey and Arthur Gomez. David Lucey appeared in our very first show Godspell and has worked on many of our shows as Costume Designer and Wardrobe Supervisor. This fall he will be making his Directorial debut with The Rocky Horror Show! Arthur Gomez, who has appeared in the casts of Amadeus and Shipwrecked and Twelfth Night, and who has Assistant Directed two of our productions at the side of Associate Artistic Director Allison Olivia Choat, will be heading up the spring show Passing Strange. And brand new to Moonbox, Boston-trained artist Jason Modica will be joining us in December to direct Parade! Being able to cultivate the work of emerging artists in our community and provide opportunities for them to bring their talents to the forefront is an important part of our mission," says Altshuler. "We are overjoyed to be putting these talented folks at the helm of this season's shows! We are also looking forward to continuing our efforts to increase opportunities for Deaf and Disabled artists, to provide opportunities for new and emerging artists through our Shadowboxer program, and to promote the work of non-profits doing important work in our community! Fasten your seatbelts!" says Altshuler, "It's going to be an amazing ride!"

For more information regarding Moonbox Productions' 2019-2020 season go to www.moonboxproductions.org.

Moonbox Productions was founded in 2011 by Producer/Artistic Director Sharman Altshuler. Based in Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Moonbox is dedicated to supporting local arts and local artists, and to connecting communities to the non-profit organizations that serve them. To fulfill their artistic mission, Moonbox taps the deep well of talent within their own communities to bring top quality theatrical experiences to stages throughout the Greater Boston area. To fulfill their social mission, they partner with a local non-profit organization for each show, giving them visibility on their website and in their promotional materials, as well as giving them access to their audiences in order to raise awareness of their cause, create connections within the community, and increase the reach and impact of their work.

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