Music Theatre of Madison to Stage NINE in July

Music Theatre of Madison (MTM) will present the Tony Award winning musical Nine on July 23 (Preview), 24, 25, 30 (Pay What You Can performance), 31 and August 1. Performances will be held at The Brink Lounge, 701 E. Washington Ave at 7:30pm each evening. Tickets are $20 and available online at www.mtmadison.com or by phone via Brown Paper Tickets at 1­800­838­3006.

Nine is based on Federico Fellini's 8 1⁄2. The musical won multiple Tony Awards in both its 1982 original production and 2003 Broadway revival. The story, with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston and book by Arthur Kopit, is of filmmaker Guido Contini and the women in his life who simultaneously inspire and impede him: His wife, mistress, muse, boss, mother, and more. Haunted by the past and tortured by the present, Contini struggles to create a truly meaningful film while what seems like the whole world watches, waiting for him to succeed...or fail.

"Nine is one of the shows that was always on our shortlist," says MTM Executive Director and founder Meghan Randolph, who directs the production. "It's full of gorgeous music, the story is intriguing, and there are wonderful, layered roles for a variety of women. And it just so happens that the show is opening on the ninth anniversary of MTM's first production in 2006." She adds "NINE is about growth, inspiration, embracing life's difficulties, and creativity as a blessing and a curse. It's a fitting show to close out our first decade."

The musical is directed by Meghan Randolph with music direction by Erin McConnell. Choreography is by Lyn Pilch with Jessica Jane Witham. The cast features Mikhael Farah as Guido Contini, Liz Griffith as his wife Luisa, Leslie Cao as his mistress Carla, Bridget Schwefel as his muse Claudia, and Sarah Blakeslee as his boss Lilianne LaFleur. Also featured are Alyson Barrett (Maria), Rylie Butzbaugh­Patrick (Ilsa), Alaina Carlson (Stephanie Necrophorous), Brittyn Calyx (Renata), Jonah Cutler (Guido at age 9), Emma Jane DeWeese (Heidi), Sami Elmer (Saraghina), Natalie Falconer (Mama Madelena), Jane Hobson (Olga), Jennifer Marsland (Our Lady of the Spa), Anna Maurer (Francesca), Netalee Sheinman (Diana), Juliana Wolnak (Lina Darling), and Alexandra Zulauf (Guido's Mother).

Following the July 31 performance, MTM will hold its sixth annual Miscast concert, where singers perform songs meant for roles they will never play. The concert will be held in the Brink Lounge nightclub space at 10:30pm. Past concerts have featured "Circle of Life" with farm animals, an all female "Cell Block Tango", and other songs ranging from silly to beautiful. This year's concert will feature preview performances of the 10th Anniversary Season.

MTM will finish its 2015 season with a series of readings of new musicals this fall. 2016 will kick off the company's 10th Anniversary Season, featuring the theme "Heart and Music"

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