STAGE TUBE: Meet the Cast of WTF's TEN CENTS A DANCE
By: Nicole Rosky Aug. 15, 2011
The American premiere of John Doyle's Ten Cents a Dance opens today on the Williamstown Theatre Festival (WTF) Main Stage. The refined production of the new Rodgers and Hart musical, which Doyle first conceived at England's Watermill Theatre, marks the first time a new musical has ever been presented on WTF's Main Stage. Ten Cents a Dancewill be the final presentation on the Main Stage for the 2011 Season at WTF, running August 11, 2011 through August 28, 2011 and opening August 12, 2011 at 7:30 p.m.Ten Cents a Dance is a co-production with McCarter Theatre Center. Performances at McCarter Theatre Center begin September 9, 2011.
Prepare to be bewitched and beguiled by Ten Cents a Dance, a new musical conceived by Doyle, who applies his signature style of engaging a company of actor-musicians to bring to life the extraordinary music of Rodgers and Hart. Crooner Johnny wistfully recalls his lifelong love affair of chorus girl Miss Jones, who is embodied by five women, each portraying a different stage of her life. As Johnny and Miss Jones take "Manhattan" under a "Blue Moon" while "Falling in Love with Love," you can't help but think "Isn't it Romantic?" - even if sometimes "The Lady is a Tramp." These and so many other unforgettable songs - filled with infatuation, longing, and enchantment - will sparkle like a glass of champagne on a sexy summer evening. "All you need is a ticket, come on big boy, ten cents a dance."
Artistic Director Jenny Gersten states, "What John Doyle and the actors are creating is beyond a typical book musical. I think people are tempted to put this show into some kind of category like ‘revue' or ‘song cycle,' but because the actors are playing the instruments as part of the performance, it's giving an entire other nuance to the songs and a layer of narrative."
The creative team includes music direction by Mary-Mitchell Campbell,Scott Pask (Scenic Design), Ann Hould-Ward (Costume Design), Jane Cox (Lighting Design), and Dan Moses Schreier (Sound Design/Composer). Robert Meffe is the Associate Music Director, Dontee Kiehn is the Movement Consultant and Eileen Kelly is the Production Stage Manager.
Ten Cents A Dance is the recipient of a 2011 Edgerton Foundation New American Plays Award and is presented with generous support from James & Virginia Giddens.
Tickets for the 2011 Williamstown Theatre Festival season are on sale now and can be purchased online at www.wtfestival.org, by phone at (413) 597-3400 or in person at the '62 Center for Theatre and Dance, 1000 Main St. (Route 2), Williamstown, MA 012 67. New curtain times for all Main Stage and Nikos Stage shows are as follows: Tuesday - Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Saturday & Sunday at 2:00 p.m. For more schedule details, visit www.wtfestival.org.
The Williamstown Theatre Festival brings award-winning actors, directors, and playwrights to the Berkshires, engaging a loyal audience of both residents and summer visitors. A WTF season covers a broad range of theatrical endeavors, revisiting classic plays with exciting new productions on its Main Stage, developing and nurturing bold new works on the Nikos Stage, and offering audiences a rich array of cultural events including Free Theatre, Late-Night Cabarets, readings, workshops, and educational programs like the Greylock Theatre Project-a program for children in neighboring North Adams. While best known for its acclaimed productions, WTF is also home to unparalleled training and professional development programs serving new generations of aspiring theatre artists and managers. WTF was honored with the Tony Award for Outstanding Regional Theatre in 2002 and The Commonwealth Award for Achievement in 2011. The Festival welcomes Jenny Gersten as its new Artistic Director for the 2011 season.
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