Maine State Music Theatre, Fulton Theatre's New Chamber Version of GHOST THE MUSICAL Begins Today

Maine State Music Theatre and Fulton Theatre present the exclusive premiere of the new chamber version of GHOST THE MUSICAL, beginning tonight, June 8, and continuing through June 25.

The romantic and heart-wrenching story features a cast of 10, focusing on the central characters of the original story, with a 10-piece orchestra. New acoustic versions of the songs from the original Broadway production will include, "Unchained Melody," "Here Right Now," "Suspend My Disbelief - I Had a Life," and more.

Adapted from the hit film by its Academy Award-winning screenwriter, Bruce Joel Rubin, GHOST THE MUSICAL follows Sam and Molly, a tech wizard and a gifted potter, whose connection takes a shocking turn after Sam's murder. Trapped between two worlds, Sam refuses to leave Molly when he learns she is in grave danger. He enlists storefront psychic, Oda Mae Brown, whose reluctance clashes hilariously and touchingly with his desperation. With original music and lyrics from multi-Grammy winning pop music icons Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard, GHOST THE MUSICAL will reach into your heart and help you believe in the endless power of love.

GHOST was the highest grossing film of 1990, starring Demi Moore, Patrick Swayze and Whoopi Goldberg. Creator Bruce Joel Rubin received the Academy Award for Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen. It was so beloved by audiences that it also won the People's Choice Award for Favorite Dramatic Motion Picture that same year. However, when the stage adaptation premiered on Broadway in 2012, it did not become the runaway hit that the movie was. After the show closed and went on a national tour, the creative team decided to rework the musical to make it more intimate, so it could once again touch the heart of audiences, the way it did in 1990. Maine State Music Theatre was proud to come on board to help create and, ultimately, produce this new version.

The first draft was presented in a premiere reading at the Fulton in 2014, and has since had numerous revisions before it is now ready to present on the MSMT Pickard Theater stage. Rehearsals began in March, and included Academy Award-winner Bruce Joel Rubin and multi-Grammy Award-winning writer Glen Ballard, who worked with artistic and production teams to recreate the piece. This production will become a licensed version of the show through Theatrical Rights Worldwide, and will be available to be performed by theatres across the country and internationally. A tour of the United Kingdom has just been announced and will use this version created for Maine State Music Theatre.

The production stars Gregg Goodbrod as Sam Wheat and Liz Shivener as Molly Jensen. Goodbrod returns to MSMT where he has previously played Jean ValJean in LES MISERABLES, Radames, Aida, and Jesus, Jesus Christ Superstar. He was an original cast member in the Broadway production of Thoroughly Modern Millie. Other credits include the 1st National Tour Dolly Parton's 9 to 5, and he has appeared at Paper Mill Playhouse, Ogunquit Playhouse, Fulton Theatre and many regional theatre's across the country. Shivener makes her MSMT debut in GHOST THE MUSICAL. She most recently starred as Dorothy Gale in the Fulton Theatre's The Wizard of Oz. She has appeared Off-Broadway in the productions of Hell's Belles and The Underclassman. Other credits include the National Tours of Disney's Beauty and the Beast as Belle and Shrek the Musical as Fiona.

Joining Goodbrod and Shivener is co-star E. Faye Butler as Oda Mae Brown. Butler is the recent recipient of the 2016 Rosetta LeNoire Award and has been awarded six Joseph Jefferson Awards, two Helen Hayes Awards along with many other awards and accolades. She has appeared at theatres across the country including the Goodman Theatre, Steppenwolf, Arena Stage and La Jolla Playhouse.

Rounding out the cast in alphabetical order are; Mike Backes (Carl Bruner), Kyle E. Baird (Subway Ghost/Orlando), Ceasar F. Barajas (Willie Lopez) Jessica Lorion, Janelle McDermoth, Linnaia McKenzie, and Billy Clark Taylor (Hospital Ghost).

The creative team for the production includes Marc Robin (Ghost Director and Choreographer and Fulton Theatre's Artistic Director), David Abbinanti (Orchestrations), Jason Wetzel (Music Director/Conductor), Robert Kovach (Scenic Designer), Beth Dunkelberger (Costume Designer), Paul Black (Lighting Designer), Jacob Mishler (Sound Designer), Katelin Walsko (Props Designer), Mark Johnson (Stage Manager), Amy M. Bertacini (Assistant Stage Manager), Stephanie Dupal (MSMt Managing Director), and Curt Dale Clark (MSMT Artistic Director).

GHOST THE MUSICAL will begin with previews on Wednesday, June 8, with the official opening on Thursday, June 9. Single ticket prices range from $46 - $77, with Student Rush available. Maine State Music Theatre performs at the Pickard Theater on the Bowdoin College campus located at 1 Bath Road, Brunswick, Maine. For more information or to purchase tickets call 207-725-8769 or visit www.msmt.org.

ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM:

Bruce Joel Rubin (Book & Lyrics) won an Academy Award for his original screenplay, GHOST. The film was also nominated for Best Picture. He has written numerous other screenplays including Jacob's Ladder, Deep Impact, Stuart Little 2, The Last Mimzy, The Time Traveler's Wife and My life, which he also directed. He is currently working with his son Ari on a TV series for the Syfy channel.

Dave Stewart (Music & Lyrics) A multimedia entrepreneur, Dave Stewart is recognized as one of the most respected and accomplished talents in the music industry today. Beyond his creative work as a musician, Stewart is a renowned producer, writer, and known for his astute business acumen. He was recently named one of the 100 Most Creative People in Business by Fast Company magazine.

Stewart's career spans more than 25 years and more than 100 million album sales. With Eurythmics partner Annie Lennox, Stewart delivered ingenious pop/rock hits such as "Here Comes the Rain Again," "Who's That Girl?,'' "Would I Lie to You?," "Missionary Man" and "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)." In 1999, the duo was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Brits.

One of the most sought-after writers and music producers, Stewart has crafted songs for and collaborated with the likes of Bono, Bryan Ferry, Gwen Stefani, Tom Petty, Katy Perry, Joss Stone and Sinead O'Connor, and has recently co-written and co-produced Stevie Nicks' seventh albuM. Stewart has shared the stage with everyone from B B King, U2 and Eric Clapton to Bruce Springsteen, Mick Jagger and Bob Dylan. Together with Mick Jagger, he wrote and produced the score for Alfie, starring Jude Law, which won the pair a Golden Globe for Best Original Song.

Stewart has won Best British Producer four times and Best British Songwriter five times, as well as numerous Grammy, MTV and European awards. His solo album, recorded in Nashville's infamous Blackbird Studio, was released in May 2011.

Glen Ballard (Music & Lyrics) Six-time Grammy award winner Glen Ballard is one of popular music's most accomplished producers/songwriters and arrangers. He has sold more than 150 million records worldwide, and has worked with a diverse array of the finest singers and artists in the business, from Aretha Franklin to Van Halen and Aerosmith to Michael Jackson.

One of Ballard's biggest successes involved chart-topping, multi-platinum album "Jagged Little Pill" (33 million worldwide, four Grammys, including Album of the Year) which Ballard co-wrote and produced for Alanis Morissette, and was named Best Album of the Decade (1990s) by Billboard magazine.

Ballard has most recently had success writing hit songs for film, including the Grammy-winning and Oscar-nominated "Believe" for Polar Express, "Ordinary Miracle" for Charlotte's Web, and "A Hero Comes Home" for Beowulf. Ballard's newest chapter of this vast musical legacy is his recent work in musicals.

Marc Robin (Director, GHOST THE MUSICAL) is thrilled to continue his 7th year as Artistic Director of Fulton Theatre. He has staged over 350 productions across the country at such theatres as Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, Walnut Street Theatre, Theatre Under the Stars in Houston, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Utah Shakespeare Theatre, Steppenwolf, and Drury Lane Theatre in Chicago. He works extensively in the summers at Maine State Music Theatre and still has the pleasure of directing at the Marriott Theatre in Chicago where he has been employed in various capacities over the past 30 years.

His work has been awarded and nominated by several different organizations including 3 Barrymore Nominations (Philadelphia), 2 Carbonell Nominations (Florida), A Black Theatre Award for Direction (Chicago), 13 After Dark Awards for Direction and Choreography (Chicago), Lifetime Achievement Award from Light Opera Works (Chicago); 28 Broadway World Nominations (Chicago, Maine, and Pennsylvania) winning the Best Director Award for the Fulton's Gypsy and Venus in Fur and the Best Choreography Award for LES MISERABLES, he has been the honored recipient of 16 Joseph Jefferson Awards (Chicago) and 56 Jefferson Nominations, making him the most awarded individual and the most nominated in the Jeff Awards' 65 year history.

Pictured: World Premiere of GHOST at the Fulton Theatre in Lancaster, PA. From Left to Right: Curt Dale Clark, Bruce Joel Rubin, Glen Ballard, Marc Robin, Stephanie Dupal, Dave Stewart.

To post a comment, you must register and login.