New Musical MUSEUM OF BROKEN RELATIONSHIPS Among Lineup for 2016 Aspen Theatre Festival

Theatre Aspen announced that tickets are on sale for the second annual Aspen Theatre Festival. The new musical The Museum of Broken Relationships was selected for the second annual festival, with a performance of the new work scheduled for Thursday August 25th at 7 pm. Tickets are $33 and can be purchased at TAtix.co.

The Museum of Broken Relationships has a book and lyrics by David H. Bell (Hot Mikado), music and lyrics by Daniel Green, and will be directed byScott Evans. The musical was one of three selected for the prestigious O'Neill Festival and the same creative team will continue to develop the show in Aspen.

Director Scott Evans said "There's something powerful about the Museum that resonates with me-the idea that objects from past relationships hold emotional weight, and that unburdening ourselves of those things can provide not only personal catharsis, but also a pathway into stories that create a shared human experience. I think that's at the core of what the Museum is all about, and what David and Dan capture so beautifully in their work."

Evans added, "What makes the Aspen Theatre Festival particularly exciting is the flexibility of the process combined with an exceptional support structure, which is invaluable when developing a complex original work like this. In addition to collaborating with actors of the highest caliber and a chance to test out the material in front of an audience, we can take a few days for a mini writers' retreat, or try alternate scenes and songs, or explore different approaches to staging-all with dramaturgical support from the senior staff at Theatre Aspen. It's the perfect scenario to make substantive discoveries about the piece, and hopefully achieve greater clarity and resonance in the storytelling."

The stars of The Museum of Broken Relationships are Erin Davie (starring roles in Broadway's Grey Gardens, Sideshow) and Colin Hanlon (Modern Family, RENT, Submissions Only), both of whom took part in the O'Neill Festival. They will be joined by current Mamma Mia! cast members Mark Price, Margot Moreland, Dane Agostinis, Jim Ballard, Jeffrey Correia, Marcus Shane, Amber Carson, Chavon Hampton and Brianna Barnes, and new company members Olivia Oguma (Broadway's LES MISERABLES, Mamma Mia), Marco Robinson and Jessica Kahkoska.

The Aspen Theatre Festival, launched with the generous support of Barbara and Franklin Carson, originated in 2014 with a workshop presentation ofAlice By Heart, by Duncan Sheik and Steven Sater, the creative team behind Spring Awakening. The goal of the festival is to offer both emerging and established writers the opportunity to develop new work in a professional and inspiring environment, while experiencing all that Aspen has to offer.

Composer Andrew Butler, whose Finn the Fearless was part of the first Annual ATF, said, "Theatre Aspen's incredible staff, facilities, resources and community helped us to accomplish in a linchpin two weeks, a feat that we've been working toward for years. Theatre Aspen has no doubt set a bar against which we'll measure future development of our work, both in terms of what an institution brings to the table, and in what it inspires us to bring. We're forever grateful!"

At the Colorado Theatre Guild (CTG) Henry Awards in July, Theatre Aspen won 8 Henry Awards, the most of all nominated theatres in the state, for its 2015 season, which featured Cabaret, Peter and the Starcatcher and Other Desert Cities. In addition to Outstanding Musical, and Outstanding Lead Actor, the organization won the most coveted prize of Outstanding Season by a Theatre Company.

For further information contact Theatre Aspen at 970-925-9313 or visit www.theatreaspen.org.

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