NOT WANTED ON THE VOYAGE Plays At The Barber Theatre 7/29

"Not Wanted on the Voyage," a new musical by Broadway writers Neil Bartram and Brian Hill ("The Story of My Life") featuring a design team including Tony Award-winning designer, Eugene Lee, enters its second weekend of developmental performances this Thursday. The production makes use of spectacle and illusion to create the fantastical, anachronistic world of Canadian writer Timothy Findley's acclaimed novel.

Presented by the American Music Theatre Project (AMTP) at Northwestern University, "Not Wanted on the Voyage" is a provocative new musical about an ordinary family thrust into extraordinary circumstances when they become the only survivors of the end of the world. Findley's novel, from which the musical was adapted, uses the events from the biblical Great Flood as the stepping stone for telling this modern story of one family's epic journey.

"The production needs to invent a fantastical, timeless world in which this modern story can take place," says award-winning director, Amanda Dehnert. "Illusion and spectacle create moments of surprise and connection for the audience, and they allow us to realize the more epic moments of the family's voyage in thrilling, visually innovative ways."
Illusion consultants Jim Steinmeyer and Jeff Grow advised on the design of magic elements performed by actor Andrew Howard who plays family patriarch and self-proclaimed amateur magician, Dr. Noyes. Steinmeyer, the acclaimed illusion designer who developed the concept behind David Copperfield's landmark illusion in which he made the Statue of Liberty disappear, has long-advised Dehnert on the use of magic in her theatrical productions. New York-based magician Jeff Grow, traveled to Chicago to teach Howard how to perform an elaborate magic act within the show.

"Working with Jeff was thrilling," says Howard, a recently graduated senior at Northwestern. "The technical skill that goes into even the simplest tricks was surprising, exciting and incredibly challenging. But now I can produce a light bulb out of thin air, and you can bet I'll be using that at parties."

The illusion design elements combine with a revolving platform stage amidst projections, soaring vocals, and stunning backdrops. The production makes use of onstage rain and fire, and Eugene Lee's barn wood set sits in a moat of water.

"The production is epic" says AMTP producing director, Heather Schmucker. "We make it rain in the theatre, we burn down a barn, and we have a magic show within the show. Not to mention the age-old theatre saying, ‘Never work with animals or children.' We've got both."

The design team includes Chicago favorites Josh Horvath (sound), Melissa Torchia (costumes), Lee Fiskness (lights) and Mike Tutaj (projections). They join creative team members who include Harlem-based movement artist, Maija Garcia; Broadway music director, David Holcenberg; and orchestrator Christopher Jahnke ("The Toxic Avenger" and Broadway's "Legally Blonde")

Writers Bartram and Hill will be in residence throughout the August 8 run of the show, continuing to work with Dehnert and the cast to make script changes to the piece. AMTP's development process affords writers the opportunity to continue to rehearse and develop the piece for the duration of its performance run.

Performances will take place at 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays (with the exception of a Saturday, Aug. 7 performance that will be held at 2 p.m.) and at 2 p.m. Sundays, from July 16 through Aug. 8, in the Ethel M. Barber Theater, 30 Arts Circle Drive, Evanston campus.

A video trailer for "Not Wanted on the Voyage" showcasing the show's design can be seen at www.notwantedonthevoyage.com.

Tickets for performances now through August 8 are $30 for the general public; $27 for seniors 65 and older, Northwestern faculty and staff and area educators and administrators; and $10 for full-time students. Additional discounts are available for groups of 15 or more. Tickets may be purchased through the TIC Box Office at (847) 491-7282 or online at www.notwantedonthevoyage.com.

Information on upcoming productions in the 2010 Summer Music Theatre Festival season is available at www.tic.northwestern.edu.

About the American Music Theatre Project
The American Music Theatre Project (AMTP) brings together the nation's leading artists in music theatre to work in collaboration with Northwestern's faculty and students. Since its inception, AMTP has been committed to the development and production of new musicals by leading professional artists. The program's partnership with Northwestern University provides a rich, safe and multidisciplinary environment for new works to thrive. The program's collaboration with professional artists affords unparalleled opportunities for Northwestern's students and faculty to be intimately involved in the creation of new work. This commitment was part of the original vision of AMTP's founders, Stuart Oken and Dominic Missimi, who conceived the program as both a haven for professional creative teams looking for space, time and resources to develop adventurous new work, and as a vibrant arena for education and academic engagement.

Artist Profiles

To view profiles of the show's creative team, visit www.notwantedonthevoyage.com.

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