New Musical THE CHOCOLATE SHOW! to Begin Performances Off-Broadway, 2/1

The world's tastiest new musical will have its premiere this winter in NYC. The Chocolate Show!, arriving just in time for Valentine's Day, will begin performances on Saturday, February 1 with an official opening night set for Friday, February 14 at the 47th Street Theatre, 304 West 47th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues. Featuring book and music by Alan Golub & Laura Goldfader, lyrics by Mr. Golub, The Chocolate Show! is directed by Dan Foster, choreographed by Grady McLeod Bowman and under the music direction of Jeffrey Klitz, who also provided the musical arrangements and orchestrations. Tickets for The Chocolate Show! are $39.50 - $59.50 and can be arranged online at www.ticketcentral.com or by calling 212.279.4200 or at the TicketCentral Box Office located at 416 West 42nd Street. The 47th Street Theatre box office (304 West 47th Street) will open one hour before each performance.

On the final night of her reign as World Queen of the Cocoa Bean, the glamorous, often eccentric and hilariously unpredictable Cookie Conwell fulfills her lifelong dream of hosting "The Chocolate Show!," where she must choose her successor. Who will be the next to wear the solid chocolate crown? How will Cookie handle the transfer of power? And, oh yeah, is chocolate really bad for dogs? These pressing questions and more are answered in this 90-minute, mouth-watering musical comedy celebrating the world's favorite obsession. Join Cookie and the fabulous Chocolate Layer Players for this joyful and delicious theatrical event filled with thoroughly catchy songs, hilarious comedy sketches, audience participation (volunteer-only) and, of course, lots of chocolate. And, while everyone LOVES chocolate, The Chocolate Show!will be most appreciated by chocoholics age eight and up. The Chocolate Show! is produced by Golly Gee Productions LLC. Casting to be announced.

LAURA GOLDFADER (Book & Music) has a diverse musical background, having worked in film, popular music, and the world of contemporary classical music, for which she has received numerous commissions. After being music coordinator for Michael Bennett's last two shows, she became inspired to someday write for the theatre. She studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, the Boston Conservatory of Music, graduated from Bennington College, and earned her Master's degree from the Yale School of Music. She is an alumnus of the BMI-Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop and a member of the Dramatists Guild. Laura is very happy to be married to a chocoholic.

ALAN GOLUB (Book, Music, Lyrics) has worked with such artists as Donald Fagen, Michael McDonald, Boz Scaggs, Phoebe Snow, and Sir Tim Rice. He composed the score to an award-winning short film, Revenge of the Occupant, and has written commercial music for numerous companies including Zales Diamonds and Major League Baseball. A graduate of Dartmouth College, Alan continued his musical studies at the London College of Music. He is an alumnus of the BMI-Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop, where he met his choco-musical collaborator, and is thrilled to be pursuing his lifelong dream of someday playing softball in The Broadway Show League.

Dan Foster (Director). NY/regional directing credits include Stones in his Pockets, 4000 Miles, Sunday in the Park with George, Murderers, Mary's Wedding, Love Song, After All, Rabbit Hole, Infertility..., Twelfth Night, Boston Marriage, and the world premiere of The Molly Maguires. Recent projects include The Festival of Broadway in Tasmania and Sydney, Australia, The Women in the World Summit for The Daily Beast, and Seven starring Meryl Streep. Internationally he has directed at London's Donmar Warehouse, Gran Teatre del Liceu, in Barcelona, and Theatre Estradi, Moscow. Mr. Foster was a member of the Circle Rep Directing Lab and is a co-founder of Hudson Stage Company. As an actor, he appeared in the Broadway production of City of Angels, off-Broadway in Cymbeline, the Chicago production of Baby (Jefferson Award nomination, Best Actor), and on TV in "The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys," "Against the Law," "Lemon Sky," and "All My Children."

Grady McLeod Bowman (Choreographer) served as the Associate Choreographer on Dogfight at Off-Broadway's Second Stage Theatre as well as Assistant Director/Associate Choreographer on The Great American Mousical at Goodspeed Opera House. As choreographer, his work has been seen at the NY Fringe Festival, Gateway Playhouse, Northern Stage, Cape Fear Regional Theatre, andUNC School of the Arts. He has been seen on Broadway in Billy Elliot, South Pacific, Wonderland, and The Pirate Queen, as well as on tour with Fosse and Pilobolus Dance Theater. Assistant Artistic Director/Associate Choreographer of Mark Stuart Dance Theatre and founding faculty member of The Performing Arts Project.

Jeffrey Klitz (Arranger/Orchestrator, Music Director). Broadway Conductor/Music Director: Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Guys and Dolls, Lennon, Hot Feet, Song and Dance, On Your Toes. Other Broadway: Chicago, Grand Hotel, and Stardust. Joseph Jefferson Award, music direction: The House of Martin Guerre. Music Director/Pianist (selected): Judy Collins, Tyne Daly, Christine Ebersole, Joanna Gleason, Joel Grey, Paulo Szot, Tommy Tune, Lari White, Chip Zien. Producer/Arranger/Orchestrator (selected): NY Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, Disney, Paul McCartney's MPL Music Publishing. Film/Television (selected): arrangements/orchestrations for Lucas, One Life to Live, All My Children; conductor on The Late Show with David Letterman, Fox Sports 1, America's Got Talent. Yale graduate.

The Chocolate Show!, a tasty new musical, will begin performances at the 47th Street Theatre (304 West 47th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues) on Saturday, February 1 at 8pm. The schedule will be as follows: Saturdays at 2pm & 8pm; Sundays at 3pm. Please note: there will be additional Sunday evening performances on February 2 and 9, both at 7pm; and one Friday evening performance on February 14 at 7pm, marking the show's official opening night. Tickets are $39.50-$59.50 with premium seats at $79.50 (all incl. $1.50 service charge) and can be arranged online at www.ticketcentral.com or by calling 212.279.4200 or at the TicketCentral Box Office located at 416 West 42nd Street between 9th and 10th Avenues. The 47th Street Theatre box office (304 West 47th Street) will open one hour before each performance. There will be a limited number of $26.50 student tickets available daily at the TicketCentral Box Office (not the 47th Street Theatre Box Office) for that day's performance(s) only. Valid student ID required for tickets which are cash-only. For more information, please visit www.TheChocolateShowMusical.com.

To post a comment, you must register and login.