AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS Announced At New Village Arts

New Village Arts is thrilled to announce the upcoming production of AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS, written by Laura Eason, from the novel by Jules Verne. Directed by NVA Executive Artistic Director Kristianne Kurner, this production will feature original music from San Diego's own Pirate-themed folk-rock band, The Shantyannes (Joseph Freeman and Renee Moreno), with arrangements by Tony Houck, who also serves as Music Director for the production. This is an exciting, witty, and action-packed new adaptation of the classic story.

Eight actors. Sixty characters. Eighty Days. AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS tells the story of the majestically mysterious, fabulously wealthy, heartbreakingly lonely Victorian Phileas Fogg, who has determined, with mathematical precision, that the world can be circumnavigated in 80 days-and he has wagered his entire fortune on it! Joined by his trusty, acrobatic valet, Passepartout, Fogg sets off aboard steamships, locomotives, sleighs and pachyderms. Along the way, he meets the beautiful and self-assured Aouda, who joins him on his voyage, and he is pursued at every step by the unrelenting and bumbling Inspector Fix, who believes Fogg to be a notorious bank robber, and who will stop at nothing to cut his journey short. Will bandits, a herd of buffalo, a storm at sea, and a rogue band of pirates keep him from his impossible task? Find out in this witty, action-packed, family-friendly adventure.

Having recently returned from her own 100-day journey around the world, thanks to an award from the Fieldstone Leadership Network's Claire Rose Sabbatical Program, NVA's Executive Artistic Director Kristianne Kurner directs the production with a focus on the themes of adventure, love, and self-discovery. Kurner is joined by NVA Artistic Associate Tony Houck as Music Director, whose previous NVA Music Direction credits include LEGALLY BLONDE: THE MUSICAL and BUDDY - THE Buddy Holly STORY. Houck has also composed original orchestration of over a dozen songs written specifically for the show by local pirate rock band The Shantyannes (Joseph Freeman and Renee Moreno). Jenna Ingrassia-Knox returns to NVA as Choreographer (previous NVA credits include AVENUE Q and THE SERVANT OF TWO MASTERS), and Trevor Rex joins her as Assistant Choreographer (this is Rex's choreography debut at NVA).

The cast features an ensemble of returning and new NVA performers. Returning performers include Frankie Alicea as Phileas Fogg (CHASING FEAR/2019 Final Draft New Play Festival); AJ Knox as Inspector Fix (THE 1940s RADIO HOUR); Jasmine January as Captain Blossom Von Darius and Others (SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE, AVENUE Q); Alexander X Guzman as Mr. Naidu and Others (AWAKE & SING!); and Rae Henderson as Captain Speedy and Others (SUDS). They are joined by NVA newcomers Audrey Eytchison as Passepartout; Farah Dinga as Mrs. Aouda; and Olivia Pence as Colonel Proctor and Others.

This production will also feature the return of New Village Arts' Mainstage Players program. This unique program for young adults with neurodiversity gives performers an experience with performing in a professional theatre production. Each performance of AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS will feature one of the five Mainstage Players as two different characters. The Mainstage Players program is run by NVA Artistic Associate Samantha Ginn, and the performers are Rachel Ford, Max Lecanu-Fayet, Ethan Marr, Reid Moriarty, and Liam Porter. Ford, Marr, Porter, and Moriarty were featured performers in last season's THE SERVANT OF TWO MASTERS, and they are joined in this production by Lecanu-Fayet.

The design team includes Rosalee Barrientos (Stage Manager), Gerilyn Brault (Dialect Coach), Violet Ceja (Sound Design), Farah Dinga (Fight Choreographer), Becky Goodman (Lighting Designer), Cassie Langan (Properties Designer), Ray Leonard (Projections Designer), Tanya Orellana (Set Designer), and Emily Wilson (Costume Designer). Houck's four-person band includes Kyle Bayquen (Bass), Nobuko Kemmotsu (Drums/Percussion), and Andrew Snyder (Guitar) (Trevor Mulvey serves as the Bass substitute).

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