Live & In Color Presents the World Premiere of WITH BELLS ON! The Musical at Theatre Network

Live & In Color produces the world premiere of WITH BELLS ON! The Musical at Theatre Network.

WITH BELLS ON! The Musical received it's world premiere at Mainstage at The Roxy in Edmonton, Canada on December 5th, 2023. This exciting new holiday musical features a book by Tommy Newman & Devanand Janki, music and lyrics by Tommy Newman and based on the play by Darrin Hagen (courtesy of Guys in Disguise). For this production, Theatre Network teamed up with Mary J. Davis & MBL Productions, as well as the creative new works incubator Live & In Color.

The show's development history has American roots with Live & In Color. WITH BELLS ON! The Musical was developed at Live & In Color's 2021 September retreat at the historic Bingham Camp located in Salem, CT and was the first musical the be presented at the camp after the 2020 COVID-19 shutdown. The piece was performed on the camp lawn to a small, socially-distanced audience. The musical went on to receive a sold-out concert in December of 2021 at the Green Room 42 in New York City.

The world premiere at Theatre Network features Zachary Parsons-Lozinski (aka Lilith Fair) in the role of Natasha, a 7-foot-tall drag queen, and Thomas Jones as Ted the accountant. At the helm is director/choreographer Devanand Janki, returns to his hometown of Edmonton for this production.

On Christmas Eve, amidst a tumultuous divorce and a string of bad luck, Ted heads to the roof to end it all. However, his plans take an unexpected turn when he finds himself trapped in the elevator with Natasha, who has crafted the Ultimate Christmas Queen Pageant Outfit. As this unlikely duo collaborates to escape, the fate of Ted's plan and Natasha's dream of becoming the "Christmas Queen" hangs in the balance.

For Director Devanand Janki, this festive piece has been a gratifying journey: "Bringing 'With Bells On! The Musical' to life has been a journey of rediscovery and joy. This production is not just a show, but a celebration of the resilience of the human spirit. Amidst the challenges we've all faced, it's a reminder of the power of connection, love, and understanding. We're honored to present this heartfelt story, which resonates with so many, especially in these times. Our hope is that audiences will find a piece of themselves in this musical and leave the theater with a renewed sense of hope and togetherness."

This hilarious and heartwarming musical will be lighting up the Mainstage at The Roxy from December 5 to 23, 2023, playing Tuesday - Saturday at 8PM and Sundays at 2PM. For more info visit theatrenetwork.ca.

Live & In Color is a creative incubator for new plays and musicals bound for commercial success, with a core mission of diversity and inclusion in all aspects of the theater industry for underrepresented artists. Live & In Color offers a range of development opportunities including readings, workshops of new work, and paid commissions in New York City and beyond. Our most sought after opportunity is a one-week workshop experience in the solitude of Salem, Connecticut where two new pieces are developed at the historic Bingham Camp every fall. Their work was most recently seen Off-Broadway with the premiere of Little Girl Blue: The Nina Simone Musical. Join the mission at liveandincolor.org. With Bells On! The Musical was developed at Live & in Color in 2021. 

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