Eric Kunze To Lead San Diego's JOSEPH, Previews 9/23

San Diego Musical Theatre has announced that Broadway star, Eric Kunze (Les Mirserables, Miss Saigon, Damn Yankees) will now play the title role of Joseph in the first production of its 2011-2012 season of shows, the San Diego premiere of the Megamix version of, the seven-time Tony nominated musical, JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Tim Rice, musical direction by Don LeMaster, choreography by Johnny Dean Harvey & Chad Everett Allen and directed by Ron Kellum (who starred on Broadway in JOSEPH). JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT will preview on Friday, September 23, 2011 and will open on Saturday, September 24 and run through Sunday, October 9 at the Lyceum Theatre at Horton Plaza, 79 Horton Plaza in downtown San Diego.

With a cast of 25, a youth choir of 18 and a full orchestra, you will journey through biblical Egypt with this hilarious telling of the story of Joseph, his jealous brothers and one extremely loud garment! A colorful tale that spans musical styles from calypso to rock to disco to Bollywood, this worldwide phenomenon penned by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice has been an audience favorite for more than thirty-five years! And now, for the very first time, this revised mega-mix version will blow the roof off the Lyceum Theatre and will truly show off every Technicolor in this most beloved musical Dreamcoat!

Originally produced in 1968 as a 20-minute oratorio performed by children at a private school in London, an expanded version of JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT followed as a record album and was subsequently performed as a full-scale production in London in 1973. JOSEPH... was first performed in the United States in 1976 at the Brooklyn Academy Of Music. It was revived off- Broadway in 1981 in a production starring Bill Hutton and later, David Cassidy and ran for 824 performances. Recent productions have starred Donny Osmond in Toronto and Michael Damian on Broadway. A production for television was filmed in 1999 starring Donny Osmond and Maria Friedman.

ABOUT THE CAST

Eric Kunze (Joseph) A San Diego native, Eric recently won the IRNE award (best actor) for his portrayal of "Joseph" in Boston last year. Mr. Kunze recently starred as "The Man" in the national touring company of Andrew Lloyd Weber's Whistle Down the Wind (IRNE Award) and starred as the title character in the national tour of Jesus Christ Superstar (with Carl Anderson) and here in Redondo Beach last year, earning him an Ovation nomination.

He made his Broadway debut as Marius in Les Miserables (opposite Lea Salonga) and went on to star as Chris in Miss Saigon and then as Joe Hardy in Damn Yankees (with Jerry Lewis). Other Regional (selected): Che in Evita (LA Ovation Nomination), West Side Story (Tony), Into the Woods (the Prince), the title role in Pippin (LA Robbie Award), South Pacific (Lt. Cable) and the title role in the Who's Tommy in Los Angeles. Eric has recently performed with The Vancouver Symphony, Cincinnati Pops, and The Kennedy Center with The Music of Andrew Lloyd Weber, and this coming May with the Detroit Symphony. For more information visit www.erickunze.com

The cast of JOSEPH will also feature: Bethany Slomka as the Narrator, Josh Adamson as Levi-Pharaoh, Ed Hollingsworth as Jacob/Potiphar, Raul Avina as Issachar/Baker, Johnny Fletcher as Simeon, Reggie Hutchins as Gad/Butler, Luke H. Jacobs as Naphtali, Jimmy Keith Latimer, Jr. as Judah , Mike Motroni as Asher, Shaun Tuazon as Benjamin, Tyler Vess as Dan, Dan Windham as Rueben, Zachary Scott Wolfe as Zebulon and Joy Allen, Cassie Bowman, Mollie Esau, Meagan Flint, Elise Harvey, Lauren King, Joanna Louise, Katie McConaughy, Sabrina Olivieri, Juliana Rotta and Melissa Ryan as the Wives.

ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM

Ron Kellum (Director) His 20-year career in the entertainment industry has made him the consummate showbiz professional. Whether performing on the Broadway stage, choreographing celebrity entertainers on a film set, or staging thousands of cheerleaders on a football field - Ron Kellum does it with grace, style and unstoppable, unflappable energy! Within the past year, Ron penned his first book "The Gypsy Survival Guide to Show Business," choreographed the block buster hit movie, "Iron Man 2," starring Robert Downey Jr., appeared on "The Amazing Race," and directed three musicals, "Rent," "Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" and "Smokey Joe's Café." He's appeared on Broadway in "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" and "Chicago" and toured nationally in "Fosse," "Chicago," "Aida," "Dreamgirls," "Beauty and The Beast" and "Smokey Joe's Café."

Ron is the Senior Producer for e2k Sports, a leading entertainment company. He has co-directed the NFL United Way half-time show and he is the Co-Executive Director of the NFL Pro Bowl Cheerleaders. He is the leading motivational/team building coach in the industry. He has worked with pro teams for the NFL & NBA (San Francisco Forty Niners, San Diego Chargers, Boston Celtics, LA Lakers, LA Clippers) in addition to countless colleges and high schools.

JOHNNY DEAN HARVEY (Choreographer) Has produced award-winning choreography both nationally and abroad for themed-entertainment, corporate, regional and national Theater Productions and international spectaculars. His career highlights include: Opening and closing ceremonies for the Special Olympics, a spectacular outdoor stadium event featuring over 400 performers and gymnasts as well as celebrities Billy Crystal, Kirk Franklin, Sugar Ray, Shirley Ceasar and Stevie Wonder; Opening Ceremony of the 2000 Goodwill Games featuring incredible acrobat-to-aerial performances; Tokyo DisneySea's Mystic Rhythms, featuring 20 performers that cover air, land, fire and water, a first of its kind, underwater-to-air-aerial pas de deux, a collaboration with longtime creative partner Chad Allen is still the number one rated show by audiences at TDS since its opening in 2001; Kinetix at BuschGardens Europe, an outdoor summer song, dance and acrobatic extravaganza featuring thirty acrobats from across China. Other international shows include: Universal Studios Osaka's first anniversary Hollywood premiere parade; Hong Kong's 1998 Chinese New Year's Parade and Fiesta; Japan's Mysterious Epocas at Parque Espana, a one of kind multi-media spectacular set against the Arabian desert, Saudi Arabia's Centennial Celebration boasted 5,000 performers, mountainside video projections, fifty live animal performers, including camels and wild Arabian horses and climaxed in a thirty minute orchestrated firework display, SeaWorld's BaySide Ski Jam, an action-packed water ski thrill show, Shamu Rocks, a high energy rock-n-roll nighttime killer whale show and One Ocean, a daytime multi-sensory celebration of life underneath the sea which premiered this summer at all three Sea World Parks. A truly international director his work has appeared before audiences in all but one continent, including nine countries, working with performers that span every corner of the globe.

CHAD EVERETT ALLEN (Choreographer) Based in Los Angeles, his twenty-year dance career includes film, television, theater, corporate entertainment, opera, special events and award shows. He has worked with industry giants such as the Jackson family, Smokey Robinson and Gladys Knight, Dick Van Dyke, Rosie O'Donnell, Toni Braxton, Reba McEntire, Bette Midler and Prince. As a choreographer his work expanded into live events and themed entertainment shows, opening three of the largest theme parks in the world; Universal Studios Islands of Adventure, Disney's California Adventure Steps in Time and Tokyo DisneySea's Mystic Rhythms. Mystic Rhythms, a dance, aerial, aquatic spectacle, rated the number one show at TDS since it's opening in 2001, marked the beginning of his long-time creative collaboration with Johnny Dean Harvey. Other collaborations include Kinetix at BuschGardens Europe, featuring thirty gymnasts from across China in an outdoor rock and roll summertime show and Saudi Arabia's Centennial Celebration, a mesmerizing multi-media stadium event featuring live animals and a cast of thousands. He has staged work for the world famous Los Angeles Opera including last season's Le Nozze di Figaro; working with international directors, designers and movement artists. His award winning choreography has been seen by audiences both nationally and abroad including winning the 2003 Ovation Award for Best Original Choreography for his collaboration with New York choreographer/director Sergio Trujillo for the musical Empire. Chad's recent work with Sea World Entertainment includes the Worlds of Discovery multi-park development at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai and this summer's premiere of their newest killer-whale show One Ocean.

JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT features an award-winning design team. The lighting design is by Stephen Terry. The sound design is by Larry Esau. The Stage Manager is Tarin Hurstell.

ABOUT THE SCHEDULE AND PRICING

JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT will preview on Friday, September 23 at 8pm and will open on Saturday, September 24 at 8pm and run through Sunday, October 9, 2011 at the Lyceum Theatre at Horton Plaza, 79 Horton Plaza in downtown San Diego.

Performances are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm; Sundays at 2:00 pm.

Ticket prices range from $30 - $60. Children 12 and under receive a 50% discount. Discounts are also available for Seniors/Military/Students and Groups. For ticket reservations, please visit www.sdmt.org or call 1-858-560-5740.

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