Cast And Creative Announced For ROSE'S WAR Premiering At The RAVE Theater Fest

The cast and creative team are now complete for Todd Allan, Peter B. Allen, Doug Katsaros, and Mathayu Warren-Lane's new musical ROSE'S WAR, an official selection to be premiered as part of the inaugural season of the RAVE Theater Festival. The production will open on August 16th at the LATEA Theater at the Clemente.

Leading the Production are Co-Director Todd Allan and Co-Director/Choreographer Francesca Harper (The Color Purple). They are joined by Music Director Nygel D. Robinson, Dramaturg Jack DePalma, and designers Lauren Petty and Shaun Irons of AutomaticRelease (Projections), Itohan Edoloyi (Lighting), Nancy Mayer Allan (Costumes), and Graham Johnson of FiveOhm Production (Sound). Dailey-Monda Management serves as General Manager.

The cast includes Nina Attinello, Sean Fletcher, Roderick George, Gavin Gregory, LaTrisa Harper, Gabriella Kessler, Steffanie Leigh (War Paint), Alex Lugo (RENT 20th Anniversary Tour), Jace Reinhard (Kinky Boots), Alan Safier, Alexis Sims, Maya Thomas, Aurora Watts-Esquibel, and David Webb. Traci Bargen is stage manager with Jamil Chokachi, Julia Everitt, Quincy Confoy, Marissa Maislen, and Eriko Iisaku assisting the production.

Rose's War is a WWII era interracial musical love story set mostly in Harlem and New York nightclubs, but also in war torn London. Singer-songwriters Rose and Danny fall in love right before Danny flies off to bomb the Germans. As the war takes its toll on Danny, Rose struggles against discrimination in the music business. The love between Rose and Danny is threatened by separation, infidelity, and racism during and after the war, as they fight for their story to have a happy ending.

ROSE'S WAR opens at the LATEA Theater at the Clemente (107 Suffolk St) on August 16th at 4pm. Performances follow on August 18th at 8:15pm, August 20th at 4pm, August 21st at 8:45pm, and August 22nd at 4pm. More information can be found at www.RaveTheaterFestival.com.

ROSE'S WAR is produced by Rick Feldman, Victoria Williamson, The Francesca Harper Project, and Love and War Development LLC. For more information on the production and its creators, please visit www.RosesWar.com.

TODD ALLAN (Book, Lyrics, Co-Director, Co-Producer, ROSE'S WAR) THEATRE: Astaire Awards (Consulting Producer), "Women on Fire" (Director 6 videos Royal Family). TELEVISION: Writer, Producer, Director for comedy series developed with Fox TV Studios, Sony Television, ICA Tahiti, Columbia Television, "Ewoks, The Battle for Endor" (Assistant Director ABC Television/Lucasfilm Ltd); "Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton's Christmas Special" (Associate Producer CBS Television). FEATURES: Columbia Pictures' "Alien Toybox" (developed as Producer with Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich.); NJB Productions Toyko "Norma Jean" (Writer); "Deep in the Heart" (Co-writer, Co-producer developed with Franklin Schafffner & Barry Spikings). COMMERCIALS: Over one hundred as Director, clients from Japan, Germany, Italy, England, Canada & U.S. Addie Awards, Andy Awards, Clios, Mobius Awards, Lions from the Cannes, and London International Advertising Awards. Producer and/or Assistant Director on over 50 spots. MUSIC VIDEOS: Producer and Assistant Director on projects for Lionel Ritchie, Jermaine Jackson, Julio Iglesias and Diana Ross.

FRANCESCA HARPER (Co-Director, Co-Producer, Choreographer) is an American dancer and choreographer. Harper was named a scholar of the arts in the Presidential Scholars Program in 1987. She studied at the School of American Ballet and the Joffrey Ballet School and went on to become the principal dancer in William Forsythe's Ballet Frankfurt from 1994-1999. She was a ballet consultant for the film Black Swan and has appeared as a dancer in the television series Boardwalk Empire. In 2005, she founded the non-profit dance company The Francesca Harper Project. Long Island University honored her with a Living History award during Black History Month in 2013. Francesca has also performed in several Broadway productions including Fosse, All Shook Up, and The Color Purple. She starred as Helene opposite Molly Ringwald in a national tour of Sweet Charity in 2007, and in Judith Jamison's role in a revival of Sophisticated Ladies in 2009. She also premiered her critically - acclaimed one-woman show at the 2002 Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival. As a choreographer, she has choreographed works for The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ailey II, Tanz Graz, The Ailey School, and her own company, The Francesca Harper Project. The Francesca Harper Project has performed at La Biennale di Venezia, Holland Dance Festival, Harkness Dance Festival, Central Park Summerstage, New York City Center, Harlem Stage, and many other venues.

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