NOW. HERE. THIS. Closes Tonight at the Vineyard Theatre

NOW. HERE. THIS. closes tonight, April 28, after playing an extended run at the Vineyard Theatre.

NOW. HERE. THIS. has a book by Hunter Bell and Susan Blackwell, music and lyrics by Jeff Bowen, and is based on a collaboration by Hunter Bell, Michael Berresse, Susan Blackwell, Heidi Blickenstaff, Jeff Bowen and Larry Pressgrove. Vocal arrangements are by Jeff Bowen and Larry Pressgrove. Orchestrations are by Larry Pressgrove and Rob Preuss. Musical direction is by Larry Pressgrove. Howard Joines is Music Coordinator.

NOW. HERE. THIS. is directed and choreographed by Michael Berresse.

NOW. HERE. THIS. marks the return to The Vineyard of the team behind the Obie Award-winning musical [title of show], which premiered at The Vineyard in 2006 and went on to a Tony-nominated Broadway run in 2008. The six original collaborators are back and all delving into life’s big questions with inimitable humor and humanity. The show explores birds, bees, reptiles, early man, ancient civilizations, and outer space. Also, loneliness, friendship, hoarding, hiding, laughing, living and dying. And middle school. And dinosaurs.

The design team for NOW. HERE. THIS. is Neil Patel (scenic design), Gregory Gale (costume design), Jeff Croiter and Grant Yeager (lighting design), ACME Sound Partners (sound design), and Richard DiBella (projection design). Martha Donaldson is Production Stage Manager.

Hunter Bell earned an OBIE Award, a Drama League nomination, and a 2009 Tony nomination for Best Book of a Musical for the original Broadway musical [title of show] on Broadway and Off-Broadway at Vineyard Theatre. Other credits include the books for SILENCE! THE MUSICAL, BELLOBRATION! (137th Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus), and VILLAINS TONIGHT! (Disney Cruise Lines). Hunter is a co-creator of the web series the [title of show] show and has developed new works with ABC television, at the O’Neill Center and Ars Nova.

Susan Blackwell’s credits include [title of show] – on Broadway and Off-Broadway at Vineyard Theatre; THE KID (The New Group); SPEECH AND DEBATE (The Roundabout); ANON (The Atlantic Theatre Company), Working Title and VILNA´S GOT A GOLEM (American Jewish Theatre), as well as playing Peter Patrone in THE HEIDI CHRONICLES. Television appearances include “The Sopranos,” “Third Watch,” “All My Children” and various “Law & Orders.” Films include Margin Call, P.S.: I Love You, Margot at the Wedding, Bun Bun, Changing Lanes, and Night Int. Trailer for the feature film Ten Minutes Older.

Jeff Bowen wrote the music and lyrics for and starred in the Broadway musical [title of show] on Broadway and Off-Broadway at Vineyard Theatre, for which he won an Obie Award, as well as a GLAAD Media nomination and a Drama League nomination. He was awarded the Jim Owles Human Rights Award and was named one of the 100 most influential people in OUT MAGAZINE. He has written music and lyrics for VILLAINS TONIGHT! for the Walt Disney Company , numerous BC/EFA events, the Easter Bonnet competition for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, the Actors Fund 125th Anniversary Gala, the Vineyard Theatre’s 25th Anniversary Gala, the 53rd Annual Drama Desk Awards, Broadway in South Africa, and Broadway Bares 18: Wonderland. He has composed music for several shows at P.S. 122 including AVANT-GARDE-A-RAMA IN SPARKLEVISION, HELLO, MY NAME IS AVANT-GARDE-A-RAMA; SPARKLEFEST 2000 at Dixon Place; THE A-TRAIN PLAYS; and the film Boat Mime.

Heidi Blickenstaff’s Broadway credits include The Addams Family (Alice Beineke), [title of show] (Heidi), THE LITTLE MERMAID (Ursula), and THE FULL MONTY. Off-Broadway: [title of show] at Vineyard Theatre, and MOSIAC (Ruth) with Primary Stages. Regional productions include FIRST YOU DREAM: THE MUSIC OF KANDER AND EBB at Signature Theatre, MEET JOHN DOE (Ann Mitchell) at Ford´s Theatre (Helen Hayes Award) and the West Coast premiere of BAT BOY (MerEdith Parker) at Theatreworks in Palo Alto. Heidi has performed in concert at Carnegie Hall, Feinstein´s, Merkin Hall and Joe´s Pub.

Michael Berresse is a Tony, Olivier (London), Outer Critics’ Circle and Astaire Award nominated actor and an Obie Award winning, Lortel nominated director and choreographer. Broadway productions: [title of show], A CHORUS LINE, THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA, KISS ME KATE, CHICAGO, DAMN YANKEES, FASCINATING RHYTHM, GUYS & DOLLS, CAROUSEL, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF. Off-Broadway: [title of show], THE COCOANUTS, FOREVER PLAID, NO, NO, NANETTE, A WONDERFUL LIFE (concert). Michael’s film work includes Stephen Spielberg’s A.I. and most recently, as Robert Bingham in State of Play. TV: "Law and Order,” "Law and Order: SVU," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," "Great Performances," "Live from Lincoln Center." As a writer, Michael recently co-developed a new script for ABC.

Larry Pressgove served as musical director of [title of show] both on Broadway and Off-Broadway at Vineyard Theatre and played the role of “Larry.” He was music director for CATS both on Broadway and the National Tour, LES MISÉRABLES (National Tour) and conducted Colm Wilkinson´s last performance of LES MIZ at the National Opera Theatre in Shanghai, China. He was assistant conductor on THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA tour and has music directed various productions at the Ford´s Theatre, the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis and Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. With collaborator Rachel Lampert, he composed the scores for THE ANGLE OF THE SUN (NYMF 2007) and BED NO BREAKFAST and COMFORT FOOD (Kitchen Theatre, Ithaca NY). For two years, he was artistic director of Metro Theater Company in St. Louis.

One of the nation´s leading non-profit theatre companies dedicated to new plays and musicals and bold programming, The Vineyard has consistently premiered provocative, groundbreaking works including the Pulitzer Prize-winning productions of Edward Albee´s THREE TALL WOMEN and Paula Vogel´s HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE, , Nicky Silver´s PTERODACTYLS and RAISED IN CAPTIVITY, the Laura Nyro musical ELI´S COMIN´, Gina Gionfriddo’s AFTER ASHLEY, Tarell Alvin McCraney´s WIG OUT!, The Civilians´ THIS BEAUTIFUL CITY, A BOY AND HIS SOUL, written and performed by Colman Domingo, Adam Rapp´s THE METAL CHILDREN, Will Eno´s MIDDLETOWN and Christopher Shinn's PICKED. Earlier this season, the Vineyard premiered Nicky Silver’s THE LYONS with Linda Lavin and Dick Latessa, which begins performances on Broadway at the Cort Theatre on April 5, and also premiered Zayd Dohrn’s OUTSIDE PEOPLE, a co-production with Naked Angels. Still to come this season is a developmental lab production of the new musical THE LANDING with music by John Kander and book and lyrics by Greg Pierce, featuring David Hyde Pierce.

The Vineyard produced the world-premiere of the musical THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS – with music and lyrics by John Kander and Fred Ebb, book by David Thompson, with direction and choreography Susan Stroman – in March 2010 at The Vineyard and then on Broadway. Vineyard Theatre is a recipient of the Tony Award for the musical AVENUE Q and continues as producer of the musical´s current production at New World Stages in New York. The Vineyard also produced the musical [title of show] both off and on Broadway.

Douglas Aibel is Artistic Director of the Vineyard Theatre; Jennifer Garvey-Blackwell is Executive Producer; Sarah Stern is Co-Artistic Director; and Rebecca Habel is Managing Director.

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For more information about NOW. HERE. THIS., visit www.vineyardtheatre.org.