Goodspeed's New Musical THE THEORY OF RELATIVITY Begins Tonight

Goodspeed Musicals continues its commitment to innovative, original new works with the engaging musical The Theory of Relativity. Populating the world of The Theory of Relativity is a fresh-faced cast of talented and passionate actors who will bring an inspiring level of truth and energy to the musical. This dynamic musical from the writers of The Story of My Life will run from tonight, May 7, through May 31 at The Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, Conn.

This unconventional new musical by Drama Desk Award nominees Neil Bartram and Brian Hill is a joyous and moving look at our surprisingly interconnected lives. Through a seemingly unrelated collection of songs, scenes and monologues, The Theory of Relativity introduces a compelling array of characters experiencing the joys and heartbreaks, the liaisons and losses, the inevitability and the wonder of human connection. Whether you're allergic to cats, in love for the first - or tenth - time, a child of divorce, a germaphobe, or simply a unique individual, you're sure to find yourself in this fresh new musical!

The cast will include Jennifer Apple, who won the Audience Award for Best Actress in the Lookingglass Theatre's production of Intimacy, and Robert Ariza, who recently performed in the one-night-only benefit performance of I AmHarvey Milk at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall. Jane Bruce, who performed as Emily in the '13 National Tour of Elf, and Victoria Cook who appeared in Into the Woods in NYC's Central Park have also joined the cast. In addition, Goodspeed is pleased to welcome back Michael Browne and Michael Coale Grey, who were first seen in The Theory of Relativity at Goodspeed's Festival of New Musicals last January. Also lending their talent to the production will be Kurt Hellerich, another up-and-coming young actor, who played Agador in St. Louis Rep's A Comedy of Errors, andCaitlin Houlahan, most noted for her role as Jane in NBC's Peter Pan Live!.

Gizel Jiménez will make her Goodspeed debut, having previously played Rosalita in the First National Tour of West Side Story. Kyra Maureen Kennedy, who played Sara in the regional premiere of Murder Ballad at Playhouse Square, and Mack Shirilla, who played the titular role in Casa Mañana's Huck Finn, are also cast. Joining them will be Keith Potts, who played Lucy, the beautiful stranger in the 2012 Festival of New Musicals show Not Wanted on the Voyage and Erin Kommor who played Diane in Come From Away, part of Goodspeed's 2013 Festival of New Musicals.

The Theory of Relativity features Music and Lyrics by Neil Bartram and Book by Brian Hill. The two have collaborated extensively in the past, most notably on The Story of My Life, which was produced at The Norma Terris Theatre in 2008 before making the trip to Broadway where it was nominated for four Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Musical, and won a Barrymore Award for Outstanding Ensemble. Bartram and Hill's musical Not Wanted On The Voyage was part of Goodspeed's 2012 Festival of New Musicals and received a developmental production atNorthwestern University's Barber Theatre as part of the American Music Theatre Project. The pair are currently developing musical adaptations of Disney's famous Bedknobs and Broomsticks and Ray Bradbury's cult classic Something Wicked This Way Comes for the stage.

Mr. Bartram's additional work includes music and lyrics for Clara's Piano (Stratford Festival), Somewhere in the World (five seasons at the Charlottetown Festival) and The Nightingale and the Rose, and scored productions of Romeo and Juliet, Timon of Athens and A Midsummer Night's Dream. His adaptation of Carlo Collodi's The Adventures of Pinocchio was commissioned by Chicago Shakespeare Theater for their 2011 season.

Mr. Hill, a recipient of the Jonathan Larson Award and the Dramatists Guild Fellowship, will also serve as Director for The Theory of Relativity. He has worked as an actor, director and writer across Canada and the United States. Brian currently serves as Resident Director for Broadway's The Lion King and was Associate Director of The Little Mermaid on Broadway. As an actor, he spent three seasons with the Shaw Festival where he received a Dora Award for Outstanding Performance as Frankie in the original Canadian cast of Forever Plaid. For the Stratford Festival, he directed Gilbert and Sullivan's Patience and was associate director of Susan H. Schulman's acclaimed productions of Man of La Mancha and Fiddler on the Roof.

The Theory of Relativity will feature Set and Costume Design by Dane Laffrey, who is best known for his work as costume designer for Bad Jews at Roundabout Theare Company, Disgraced at the Lincoln Center Theatre, and The Other Place at MCC Theatre. Mr. Laffrey has also designed costumes and sets for Playwright's Horizon, 2econd Stage Theatre, The Vineyard Theatre, Cherry Lane, New World Stages, MCC Theatre, SoHo Rep & P73, The Joyce Theatre, Red Bull Theatre, Keen Company, Rattlestick, and many others. He has received a Drama Desk Awards nomination and several Hughes Design Awards nominations.

Lighting Design will be by Jennifer Schriever, who also created the lighting for John Leguizamo's Ghetto Klown, which was performed on Broadway and filmed for HBO. Her Off-Broadway credits include American Hero at Second Stage, A Second Chance at the Public Theater, Stuffed and Unstrung for Union Square, and An Evening Without Monty Python at Town Hall. Sound Design will be by Goodspeed's Jay Hilton, who is in his 30th season at Goodspeed.

Daniel Green will serve as Music Director. Most recently, he was Associate Conductor and played keyboard for Rocky on Broadway. Past playing and conducting credits include Big Fish, Matilda, Peter and the Starcatcher, The Addams Family, and Wicked. Mr. Green is also a composer and lyricist. His work has been performed by such artists as Mandy Gonzalez, Jeremy Kushnier, Alexandra Socha, and Morgan Karr. Casting for The Theory of Relativity was done byPaul Hardt of SH Entertainment.

The Theory of Relativity will run tonight, May 7 - May 31, 2015. Curtain times are Wednesdays at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 pm, Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., Fridays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 3:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and Sundays at 2:00 pm and 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available through the Goodspeed Box Office (860.873.8668), open seven days a week, or on-line at www.goodspeed.org. For show highlights, exclusive photos, special events and more, visit us at goodspeed.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

For 30 years, The Norma Terris Theatre has been Goodspeed's home for developing fresh, innovative, and original new musicals. These new works have been developed in Chester, Conn., before they've moved on to Broadway, Off-Broadway, National Tours, and other Regional Theatres. Because this is a developmental theatre, the show can change on a day-to-day basis. New scenes are added, songs are moved, costumes are changed, dialogue is tweaked -- all based on audience response and feedback.

Under the leadership of Executive Director Michael Gennaro, Goodspeed Musicals is dedicated to the preservation, development, and advancement of musical theatre. Goodspeed produces three musicals each season at theGoodspeed Opera House in East Haddam, Conn., and additional productions at The Norma Terris Theatre in Chester, Conn., which was opened in 1984 for the development of new musicals. The first regional theatre to receive two Tony Awards (for outstanding achievement), Goodspeed also maintains The Scherer Library of Musical Theatre and TheMax Showalter Center for Education in Musical Theatre. Goodspeed gratefully acknowledges the support of United Airlines, the official airline of Goodspeed Musicals, and official auto sponsor Hoffman Audi. Goodspeed is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development with support from the Connecticut Office of the Arts.

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