Virginia Stage Company to Present Pre-Broadway Run of FROG KISS, 1/15-2/3

In a magical World Premiere, Virginia Stage Company will present the new pre-Broadway musical Frog Kiss, January 15-February 3, 2013 at the Wells Theatre in downtown Norfolk, Virginia. "Once Upon a Town," a series of whimsical events designed to delight and engage the community, will complement the musical.

Frog Kiss is the saucy 'n swinging musical with book and lyrics by Charles Leipart and music by Eric Schorr. Princess Clementine, a beautiful and bookish princess, is determined to turn her frog into a prince to save her kingdom. Clementine's scheming sister Hortense, jealous frog damsels and celestial Tao masters are among the colorful characters in this playful adult tale. The musical is based on the novella The Frog Prince, A Fairytale for Consenting Adults by Stephen Mitchell.

Dress Rehearsal for Frog Kiss is open to the public on Sunday, January 13 at 7:00 pm with a donation of $15. Preview performances are at 7:00 pm on Tuesday, January 15 and at 8:00 pm on Wednesday & Thursday, January 16 & 17 with all seats just $25. Opening Night will be Friday, January 18 at 8 pm, with complimentary champagne toast and light dessert.

Tickets may be purchased through Ticketmaster by calling 800-982-2787, at any Ticketmaster outlet, at the VSC box office, or online at www.vastage.com. Group discounts for 10 or more are available by calling Janelle Burchfield at 757-627-6988 ext. 358. Regular performances run Tuesdays at 7:00 pm, Wed./Thur./Fri. at 8:00pm, Saturdays at 4:00 pm and 8:00 pm, and Sundays at 2:00 pm through February 3. Tickets range $25 to $55.

Through "Once Upon A Town," Norfolk residents, businesses and visitors will be invited to "Imagine More!" as the city is transformed into a fantastical version of reality. Temporary mini-murals of fairytale-inspired doors, windows, gargoyles and more will appear in downtown Norfolk windows and on walls and exteriors. A widely distributed Kingdom of Norfolk map will highlight partnering restaurants and attractions offering themed events and specialty food items.

Featured events include Fairytale Fridays glass-blowing demonstrations at The Chrysler Museum Glass Studio, and the Flash Fairytale contest co-sponsored by the Muse Writers Center. The community can also participate by re-creating themselves as fairytale frogs in the "Go Frog Yourself" animated character online application, available at www.gofrogyourself.com. Complete details on "Once Upon A Town" are available at www.vastage.com

Celebrated producers Tamara Tunie (Producer of Broadway's Spring Awakening, Magic/Byrd and August Wilson's Radio Golf) and Susanne Adamski (The Mountaintop), chose VSC for the Frog Kiss premiere based on the successful run of the Bruce Hornsby musicalSCKBSTD at VSC in February 2011.

"This GEM of a show has long been something I thought extremely fresh and special. Ken Roberson's direction, Lorna Ventura's choreography and the musical direction, supervised by Zane Mark, along with Daryl Waters Orchestrations, (Tony Award winner for MEMPHIS), have taken Mr. Leipart and Mr. Schorr's delightful theatrical tale to a whole new level!" said Tunie. "I have put together an amazing team of Broadway designers to present a show on the level of any Broadway Musical. I'm so proud to have shepherded this piece along, and now, to partner with Virginia Stage Company in order to premiere it in a perfect setting at the jewel box of a theatre, The Wells! Norfolk is in for a real treat and all who see it can say, "We saw it first!"

VSC is also pleased to announce James Beaman has recently joined the cast of Frog Kiss in the role of King Frederic. James performed the role of Sir Robin in the first national tour of Month Python's Spamalot. Directing Frog Kiss will be Kenneth L. Roberson, choreographer for the 2004 Tony Award-winning Avenue Q and director/choreographer for a host of other stage and film projects. Roberson will head a creative team featuring a wealth of Broadway and stage talent, detailed at www.vastage.com

Now in its 200th anniversary year, The Frog Prince was published in a fable collection by The Brothers Grimm in December 1812.

Virginia Stage Company is Hampton Roads' only fully professional resident theater company, serving an annual audience close to 80,000. Since its founding, Virginia Stage Company has made significant contributions to the quality of life in Hampton Roads: presenting more than 190 plays through more than 3,700 performances; revitalizing and renovating the historic Wells Theatre; providing educational programs for students of all ages; and preserving the legacy of live theater for future generations. Seasonal support for VSC's 34th Season is provided by Norfolk Southern Corporation. For more information, visit www.vastage.com.

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