Pasadena Playhouse Announces DANGEROUS BEAUTY Cast And Creatives

Pasadena Playhouse (Sheldon Epps, Artistic Director and Stephen Eich, Executive Director), the State Theatre of California, and Tony-nominated director Sheryl Kaller (Broadway's Next Fall and Off-Broadway's Adrift in Macao) announced today Kaller's creative team for DANGEROUS BEAUTY and that Jenny Powers (Broadway's Grease as Rizzo and Little Women as Meg) will star as Veronica Franco. The world premiere musical features book and verse by Jeannine Dominy (Warner Bros' Dangerous Beauty and Fox's The Ghost and Mrs. Muir), lyrics by Amanda McBroom (Pasadena Playhouse's Heartbeats and "The Rose"/Bette Midler) and music by Michele Brourman (TV's The Land Before Time and Universal Studios' The Little Engine that Could) and will be presented in association with Susan Dietz and Tara Smith. Preview performances begin on February 1, 2011, with the official press opening on February 13, 2011, at Pasadena Playhouse (39 South El Molino Avenue). Tickets go on sale to the public on September 30, 2010.

"The development and production of this new musical, which will receive its world premiere at The Playhouse, represents our ongoing commitment to the presentation of new work as an extremely valuable part of our artistic mission at this theatre," said Sheldon Epps, Pasadena Playhouse Artistic Director. "I am very pleased to have these dedicated artists who have given much time and energy to this project - including the leading actress Jenny Powers, the director Sheryl Kaller, the authors, and our producing partners Susan Dietz and Tara Smith - continuing their journey with this inspiring story as we head towards what I know will be a dynamic and rewarding opening night on our stage."

Sheryl Kaller, director of DANGEROUS BEAUTY said, "I feel so fortunate to have gathered a true creative dream team for our world premiere at Pasadena Playhouse. It's nice to be able to mix New York and Los Angeles talents." She added, "The first production I saw at Pasadena Playhouse was the musical Vanities. I walked into the theatre and thought, 'this is the perfect home for Dangerous Beauty.' I profoundly respect Sheldon Epps' artistic vision, and under his and Stephen Eich's tutelage, I feel that our show will soar. Just as importantly, Suzi Dietz' Pasadena homecoming only makes for an incredible creative union."

Kaller said, "Also, I'm thrilled that Jenny Powers will continue the journey with us. Jenny's singing is magnificent, and her acting is honest and smart. She has a profound knowledge of and an emotional connection to Veronica Franco which she will bring to the Pasadena Playhouse stage."

Joining the creative team with Kaller are Benoit-Swan Pouffer, choreography (Artistic Director of the Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre); Fred Lassen, music director (Broadway's South Pacific); Bruce Coughlin, orchestrations (Tony Award-winner The Light in the Piazza); AnnMarie Milazzo, vocal arrangements (Broadway's Spring Awakening and Next to Normal); Ben Butler, additional orchestrations (Sony Classics' Heights); Tom Buderwitz, scenic design (Pasadena Playhouse's Mauritius); Soyon An, costume design (Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance"); Russell Champa, lighting design (Broadway's God Said, "Ha!"); Jon Weston, sound design (Broadway's The Color Purple); Brian Danner, fight director (Furious Theatre Company's Boom); Howie Cherpakov, casting (Broadway's Next Fall); Amy Lieberman, casting (Reprise's How to Succeed...); and Joe Witt, production stage management (The Pee-Wee Herman Show).

Jenny Powers will originate the role of Veronica Franco in DANGERGOUS BEAUTY. She recently won a 2009-2010 Dallas-Fort Worth Theater Critics Forum Award for her role as Sydney Sharp in It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman at the Dallas Theater Center. Other theatre highlights include Gina in Happiness (Lincoln Center); Rizzo in Grease (Broadway); Meg in Little Women (Broadway); Diana Devereaux in Of Thee I Sing(Encores!); Young Phyllis in Follies(Encores!); Alice B. Toklas in Galati and Flaherty's Loving Repeating: A Musical of Gertrude Stein (AboutFaceTheate / MCA); Isabella Andreini in Flaherty and Aherns' The Glorious Ones (Pittsburgh Public); Sondheim's Bounce (Kennedy Center, Goodman); Dangerous Beauty (NYSF&AMTP); A Little Night Music (Chicago Shakespeare); Everything's Ducky (Northlight); Her television credits include: "Mercy," "Law & Order: CI," "Six Degrees," "Nurse Jackie," "All My Children." Jenny has appeared in such films as Confessions of a Shopaholic, Chris Rock's I Think I Love My Wife. She can be heard on the original cast recordings of Bounce, Little Women, Imagine This, Loving Repeating, and Grease: You're The One That I Want.

A full casting announcement will be made at a later date.

DANGEROUS BEAUTY, based on a true story, tells the tumultuous tale of Veronica Franco, a celebrated courtesan/poet of 16th century Venice. Forced to become a courtesan when her family fortune is lost, preventing her from marrying the man she loves, Veronica ultimately embraces the courtesan life because it affords her extraordinary education and access. It is not long before she is the most influential woman in the cultural and political life of her beloved city. As Veronica's star rises, however, Venice is ravaged by war, plague, and the Inquisition. When Veronica finds herself on trial for witchcraft, she realizes that only her personal integrity can save her. DANGEROUS BEAUTY is adapted from the New Regency screenplay The Honest Courtesan written by Jeannine Dominy, released as the film Dangerous Beauty and inspired by the scholarly book The Honest Courtesan by USC Professor Margaret Rosenthal.

DANGEROUS BEAUTY was selected for the 2004 West Coast ASCAP Workshop. In 2005, it was read at the Rubicon Theatre and had a workshop production at Vassar College's New York Stage and Film Powerhouse Theatre Season. In 2006, the production was part of the National Alliance of Musical Theatre's Festival of New Musicals and in 2007 it was chosen to be part of Northwestern University's American Musical Theatre Project.

DANGEROUS BEAUTY will play at the Pasadena Playhouse from February 1 - 27, 2011 with the official press opening on February 13, 2011. Pasadena Playhouse is located at 39 South El Molino Avenue in Pasadena. The performance schedule is Tuesday through Friday at 8:00 p.m.; Saturday at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.; and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Tickets go on sale September 30, 2010. The ticket price range is from $49.00 - $69.00. Rush tickets are available for $15.00 one hour prior to the performance time and are subject to availability. Rush tickets must be purchased at the Pasadena Playhouse Box Office. Tickets are available by calling the Pasadena Playhouse at 626-356-7529 or by visiting the Pasadena Playhouse Box Office, Monday from 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Tuesday - Sunday from 12:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. during non-performance dates and Tuesday- Sunday from 12:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. on performance dates. The box office is closed on holidays. Tickets are available 24 hours online at www.Pasadenaplayhouse.org. Group Sales (15 or more) are available by calling 626-792-8672. For additional information visit www.PasadenaPlayhouse.org.

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