Griffin Theatre to Launch 2014-15 Season with New, Intimate Staging of TITANIC, 10/18-12/7

Griffin Theatre Company will launch its 2014-15 season with a new, intimate version of the Tony Award-winning Best Musical TITANIC, with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston (Nine, Phantom), book by Peter Stone (Woman of the Year, 1776), new orchestrations by Ian Weinberger, directed by Scott Weinstein (Griffin Theatre's Spelling Bee, Chicago Shakespeare Theater's Seussical) and music direction by Elizabeth Doran (Timeline's Juno). TITANIC will play October 18 - December 7, 2014 at Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago. Casting will be announced shortly.

Tickets go on sale Friday, August 1, 2014 at www.theaterwit.org, in person at the Theater Wit Box Office or by calling (773) 975-8150. The press opening is Sunday, October 26 at 7 pm. Griffin Theatre's full 2014-15 season, including two additional productions, will be announced shortly.

Chicago will be the first major U.S. city to experience this newly reworked, intimate musical telling of the passengers -- first, second and third class -- aboard the ill-fated luxury liner Titanic in the nights leading up to the ship's fatal encounter with an iceberg in the North Atlantic in 1912.

The original Broadway Titanic earned five 1997 Tony Awards including Best Musical. In 2012, original Broadway cast member Don Stephenson developed a new chamber version of the musical -- a scaled down production using 20 actors to play all of the roles (instead of 45) and new orchestrations designed to make the score sound as if it was being played by the ship's band. Material previously cut from the original Broadway production was put back into the show and existing material was reordered and reassigned. The new intimate version of Titanic opened in July 2012 at The Hangar Theatre in Ithaca, NY followed by an off West End production at London's Southwark Playhouse in July 2013, which earned multiple awards. The production was scheduled for a six-week, pre-Broadway engagement at Toronto's Royal Alexandra Theatre during the summer of 2014 followed by a Broadway opening in the fall of 2014 -- however, it was announced that both engagements were postponed due to a lack of available Broadway theatre space for the 2014-15 season.

Performances will play Theater Wit, 1229 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago. Previews: Saturday, October 18 at 7:30 pm, Sunday, October 19 at 3 pm, Thursday, October 23 at 7:30 pm, Friday, October 24 at 7:30 pm and Saturday, October 25 at 7:30 pm. Press performance: Sunday, October 26 at 7 pm. Regular run: Thursday, October 30 - Sunday, December 7, 2014. Curtain Times: Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 pm; Sundays at 3 pm.

Tickets: Previews $28; Regular run $38; Students and seniors $30; Group discount: $33 for groups of ten or more. Tickets go on sale Friday, August 1, 2014 at www.theaterwit.org, in person at the Theater Wit Box Office or by calling (773) 975-8150.

CREATIVE TEAM:

Scott Weinstein (Director) returns to the Griffin Theatre after having directed the company's The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. He is the Co-Artistic Director of Buzz22 Chicago where he directed the Midwest premiere of She Kills Monsters as part of Steppenwolf Theatre's Garage Series. Recent credits: Seussical at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Other credits include A Doll's House, the Midwest premiere of Residue (Buzz22 Chicago); All-American (Redtwist); Miles Away at the side project; the world premieres of Baristas (New York International Fringe Festival) and Ampersand (Bloomington Playwrights Project); and the first full productions of Murder For Two (Adirondack Theatre Festival, Hangar Theatre, 42nd Street Moon). Scott is the recipient of a Berkshire Theatre Festival Directing Fellowship and a Stage Directors and Choreographers Observership. He is currently the Associate director for the National Tour and Chicago productions of Million Dollar Quartet and has assistant or associate directed at Chicago Shakespeare, Pasadena Playhouse, Cleveland Playhouse and many more. Scott is an associate member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society and a graduate of Northwestern University.

Elizabeth Doran (Music Director) Previous credits include Juno (Timeline Theatre) Kiss of the Spiderwoman (Boho Theatre), A Grand Night for Singing (Mercury Theater), The Gifts of the Magi and A Catered Affair (Porchlight Musical Theatre) and Some Enchanted Evening (Theo Ubique/Fox Valley Rep), as well as collaborating with Doug Peck on The Jungle Book (Goodman Theatre and Huntington Theatre, Boston) and Porgy and Bess (Court Theatre). She holds a BM degree from Northwestern University.

The production team for TITANIC includes: Joe Schermoly (scenic design).

Established in 1988 and celebrating its 26th season, the mission of the Griffin Theatre Company is to create extraordinary and meaningful theatrical experiences for both children and adults by building bridges of understanding between generations that instill in its audience an appreciation of the performing arts. Through artistic collaboration the Griffin Theatre Company produces literary adaptations, original work and classic plays that challenge and inspire, with wit, style and compassion for the audience. For additional information, visit www.griffintheatre.com.

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