New York Premiere of DISTANT THUNDER - A New American Musical Comes to A.R.T./New York Theatres Next Month

Amas Musical Theatre has announced the cast and creative team for the Off-Broadway premiere of Distant Thunder: A New American Musical, the first mainstream Indigenous musical in New York City, with book by Lynne Taylor-Corbett and Shaun Taylor-Corbett, music and lyrics by Shaun Taylor-Corbett and Chris Wiseman, with additional music by Robert Lindsey-Nassif and Michael Moricz, and directed and choreographed by Lynne Taylor-Corbett. Previews begin at the Mezzanine Theatre at A.R.T./New York Theatres 502 West 53rd Street (10th Avenue & 53rd Street) on Wednesday, September 25th at 7:00pm with an official opening on Thursday, October 3 at 7:00pm. Performances will continue through October 27, 2024.

In Distant Thunder, a child is taken from his Blackfeet tribe and returns as a young attorney with an opportunity that unwittingly sets off a firestorm. Pop-rock merges with Native drumming and dancing, fusing cultures in this ultimately joyful first-of-its-kind musical.

“When Lynne Taylor-Corbett told me years ago that her son Shaun was working on a contemporary musical based on an amalgam of true events that take place on the Blackfeet Reservation, I immediately knew it was a perfect fit for Amas Musical Theatre,” says Donna Trinkoff. “Shaun began his quest for identity at the age of 14 when he found a mentor in Darrell Robes Kipp, founder of the Cuts Wood School on the Blackfeet Reservation, who dedicated his life to preserving Pikuni language and culture. He encouraged Shaun to tell his story, and the seed was planted. The show deals with real life issues happening in Browning, Montana and across Indian Country with a score that fuses Native and pop music in a unique way that has not been experienced before. Now is the time to bring this show in its full glory to audiences in New York City and from here to the larger arena of American Musical Theatre around the country.”

The cast for Distant Thunder is Jeff Barehand, Spencer Battiest, Aubee Billie, Xander Chauncey, Bonale Fambrini, Brent Florendo, Chava Florendo, Angela Gómez, Irma-Estel LaGuerre, Johnlee Lookingglass, Glenn Stanton, Michelle Rios, Sampwe Tarrant, Shaun Taylor-Corbett, and Chelsea Zeno.

The creative team is Regina García (Scenic Design), E.B. Brooks and Younghawk Bautista (Costume Design), Anthony Pearson (Lighting Design), Ben Selke (Sound Design), James Woods (Music Director), Michael Moricz (Musical Supervision/Arrangements), Brian Lawton (Associate Director/Choreographer), Josh Iacovelli (Properties), Peter Feuchtwanger (Production Supervisor). Amber Johnson is the Production Stage Manager. Casting is by Stephanie Klapper Casting. Cultural Consultant is Brent Florendo and Blackfeet advisors are Smokey and Darnell Rides At The Door.

Distant Thunder is presented by Amas Musical Theatre in association with Tall Tree Productions, Butler Tibetts, Paula Chaiken & Joe Kraus, Rand Fishkin & Geraldine DeRuiter, Paula Grosch & Mike Wardell, Willette & Manny Klausner, Isaac Koyfman and Tanya Scott, Richard & Sally Opper, Phoenix Theatre Company, Patricia Ripley and Butch Grier/Ripley-Grier Studios, Terry Schnuck, Andrew & Julia Wang and Jeff & Liesl Wilke.

The performance schedule will be as follows: Tuesday-Friday at 7pm, Saturday at 3pm and 7pm, and Sunday at 3pm. Tickets are $39-$49 ($79 premium) - All previews are $35 - and can be purchased online at www.amasmusical.org or by calling 212-563-2565.