The Adventures of Pinocchio Begins At Univ. of Oklahoma's School of Musical Theatre

Composer/lyricist Neil Bartram and book writer Brian Hill, Drama Desk Nominated authors of Broadway's The Story of My Life are in residency at the Weitzenhoffer School of Musical Theatre at The University of Oklahoma from October 17 to November 6, 2010.

While there they will workshop their new musical adaptation of Carlo Collodi's The Adventures of Pinocchio, an original commission by the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Earlier this year the Weitzenhoffer School engaged the writers to develop a new work based upon the talent of the undergraduate musical theatre majors in the B.F.A. program. Their efforts will culminate in public readings of this new musical in development on November 5 and 6. Paul Christman, Professor of Musical Theatre Performance says, "After having Neil and Brian with us in 2007 presenting a concert of Neil's songs, we are thrilled to have them back sharing their newest script and score as well as working with our students." The cast includes Skyler Adams, Kate Dinsmore, Adrianna Hicks, Daniel Horn, Andrew Koslow, Kristina Love, Emily Luhrs, Brooks Meyer, Chelsea Stavis and Ryan Wood, assisted by Alex Gilbert and Julia West.

Neil Bartram (composer/lyricist) is the composer and lyricist of Broadway's The Story of My Life (four Drama Desk Award nominations including two - Outstanding Music and Outstanding Lyrics), The Nightingale and the Rose, and Somewhere in the World (five seasons at the Charlottetown Festival), all with book writer Brian Hill. In development is Clara's Piano (with director Susan H. Schulman). Neil's awards include a Jonathan Larson Foundation Award, a Dramatist's Guild Fellowship, and as a performer, a Canadian Dora Award. Cast albums include Somewhere In The World and The Story of My Life (PS Classics). He is a member of the Dramatists Guild, ASCAP, and is an alumnus of the BMI Lehman Engel Music Theatre Workshop. His recent project, Not Wanted on the Voyage, debuted in 2010 through the American Music Theatre Project at Northwestern University. For more information please visit www.bartramandhill.com.

Brian Hill (librettist) is an award-winning actor who now devotes his time to writing and directing. For the Stratford Shakespeare Festival he direcTed Gilbert and Sullivan's Patience, and was associate director of Man of La Mancha and Fiddler on the Roof. Brian was associate director of the Toronto, Vancouver and Canadian national companies of Forever Plaid, the U.S. national tour of Sunset Boulevard, and the first national tour of The Sound of Music. For Disney Theatrical Productions he directed the final reading of High School Musical 2, was resident director of The Lion King (Toronto and New York) and associate director of The Little Mermaid. With composer/lyricist Neil Bartram he has written the book for Not Wanted on the Voyage, The Nightingale and the Rose, Clara's Piano, Somewhere in the World (a five season hit at the Charlottetown Festival) and The Story of My Life, which premiered on Broadway in 2009, earning four Drama Desk Award nominations including outstanding musical, outstanding music and lyrics, and outstanding book of a musical. Not Wanted on the Voyage, debuted this past summer, produced by the American Music Theatre Project at Northwestern University.

The Weitzenhoffer School of Musical Theatre (producer) is named for Tony Award winner A. Max Weitzenhoffer, a leading independent theatrical producer for over 30 years on Broadway and the West End. Weitzenhoffer's gift to the School of over $5 million - the largest individual endowment of any musical theatre program in the country - puts the School at the forefront of musical theatre training in America. The unique degree program offers a select group of talented students musical theatre training in a conservatory atmosphere along side a dynamic and exciting liberal arts university. Previous new works produced by the School include- Ordinary Days by Adam Gwon; Love, NY by Michael Ruby and Rob Rokicki; On Common Ground by David Austin (prod. w/ Lyric Theatre Oklahoma); Ethan Frome by Michael Ruby and Adam Gwon; Star of the Heart Land by Tom Stuart (prod. w/ Lyric Theatre Oklahoma); I Want My 80's Musical! by Tom Stuart (prod. w/ Lyric Theatre Oklahoma); Lily & Lily by Mark Bramble, Billy Stritch and Mark Waldrop (prod. w/ Goodspeed Musicals); The Great Unknown by Jim Wann and William Hauptman (prod. w/ Dodger Productions); Jack by Will Holt and Tom Sawyer (prod. w/ the Schubert Organization). For more information please visit www.ou.edu/finearts/musicaltheatre.

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