NCTC To Present THE STORY OF MY LIFE

NCTC will present the San Francisco Premiere of The Story of My Life by Brian Hill and Neil Bartram. The show will run from January 20, 2012 through February 26, 2012: Wednesday
through Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 2pm. All performances will take place at The New Conservatory Theatre Center (Walker Theatre), located at 25 Van Ness Ave., near Market St. in San Francisco. Tickets are $25-$45 each, and are available at the NCTC Box Office (415) 861-8972, or online at www.nctcsf.org.

The Story of My Life follows the friendship of Alvin and Thomas, two men from a small town. These lifelong friends are reunited after Alvin’s mysterious death. In the abstract world of his mind, Thomas struggles to write Alvin’s eulogy while recounting the many turns their lives have taken since meeting as children. Alvin searches through the manuscripts and stories in Thomas’ mind to lead him on a journey of remembrance - of their differences and of Alvin’s struggles to be accepted as “different.” Through music and song, these two friends recount their adventures, explore their past dissonance, and ultimately discover what is at the base of every strong friendship - Love.

Neil Bartam is the composer and lyricist of The Story of My Life (which received four Drama Desk Award nominations), The Nightingale and the Rose, and Somewhere in the World, which ran for five seasons at the Charlottetown Festival. Each of these projects was completed in collaboration with writer Brian Hill. Their adaptation of Carlo Collodi's The Adventures of Pinocchio was commissioned by Chicago Shakespeare Theater for their 2011 season. Neil and Brian’s musical Not Wanted On The Voyage received a developmental production at Northwestern University’s Barber Theatre as part of the American Music Theatre Project under the direction of Amanda Dehnert. Clara’s Piano was developed at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival under the direction of 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). Neil is a member of the Dramatists Guild, ASCAP, and is an alumnus of the BMI Lehman Engel Music Theatre Workshop.

Brian Hill, formerly an award-winning actor, 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. He 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 and lyricist Neil
Bartram he has written the books 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 Adventures of Pinocchio, which was commissioned by Chicago Shakespeare Theater for their 2011 season. The Story of My Life, which premiered on Broadway in 2009, earned four Drama Desk Award nominations including outstanding musical, outstanding music and lyrics, and outstanding book of a musical.

Director Dennis Lickteig (director) recently directed Parade for Palo Alto Players. Past directing projects include The Busy World is Hushed, Anita Bryant Died for Your Sins, The Sugar Witch, Thrill Me, Farm Boys, Theatre District, and Harvey Milk –The Musical at New Conservatory Theatre Center; The Story of My Life at Contra Costa Theatre; Do I Hear A Waltz? at Mountain View Players; Thoroughly Modern Millie and The King and I at Broadway By the Bay; A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Sunday in the Park with George, and Anything Goes with Contra Costa Musical Theatre; Closer Than Ever and A Little Night Music at Hillbarn Theatre; Hello, Dolly at Diablo Theatre Company; and The Boys from Syracuse with 42nd Street Moon. As Artistic Director for Peninsula Center Stage, Lickteig directed Company, Camelot, Brigadoon, Candide, West Side Story, and The Sound of Music.

Joe Simiele (musical director) most recently worked on White Christmas at Diablo Theater Company. Simiele has also had the pleasure of working on Chicago, Big River and The Story of My Life with Contra Costa Civic Theater and All Shook Up, and I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change at Tri-Valley Repertory Theater. Simiele also works closely with the Castro Valley Theater Academy.

The Story of My Life features an ensemble of two accomplished actors. William Giammona (Thomas) was recently seen at the New Conservatory Theatre Center in Waiting for Giovanni, The Busy World is Hushed, and The Sugar Witch. Giammona has also been seen in Chicago at Hillbarn Theatre, Hello, Dolly! at Diablo Theatre Company, and The Boys from Syracuse at 42nd Street Moon. Coley Grundman (Alvin) has appeared in Titanic at Stage 1 Community Theatre in Newark, California. He was also seen in Destry Rides Again, Coco, and Pardon My English at 42nd
Street Moon, Ragtime at Alameda Civic Light Opera and Shopping! The Musical at the Shelton Theatre.

During the run of the show, theatre lovers can enjoy a plethora of special events: 
Low-cost previews take place on Friday, January 20; Saturday, January 21; Sunday, January 22;
Wednesday, January 25; Thursday, January 26 and Friday, January 27.
Press Night will take place on Friday, January 27.
Opening Night will take place on Saturday, January 28.

A Free Onstage Insight discussion will be taking place after the Sunday Matinee performance on February 5.

New Conservatory Theatre Center has been in operation for thirty years in San Francisco. Under founding Artistic Director Ed Decker, the theatre has grown to become the only theatre in the nation offering a full season centered on theatrical work for youth and the Queer and Allied community. The theatre’s mission is to champion innovative, high quality productions and educational theatre experiences for youth, artists, and the queer and allied communities to affect personal and societal growth, enlightenment, and change. New Conservatory Theatre is
known for its gay-positive productions, its foundational anti-bullying work with youth, and its welcoming environment for new and emerging local artists.

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