Palo Alto Players to Stage TARZAN This September

Palo Alto Players swings into its 2018-19 season with TARZAN, the action-packed musical adventure based on the Disney animated film and classic novel, Tarzan of the Apes. Written by Tony Award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang (M. Butterly, Chinglish) and featuring a score from Grammy Award-winner Phil Collins, TARZAN is the moving story of the human child, who grows up among the gorillas in the West African rainforest. TARZAN is directed by Palo Alto Players' Artistic Director Patrick Klein with choreography by Claire Alexander, and features a cast of 20 local Bay Area actors. TARZAN runs September 7 - 23 at the Lucie Stern Theater, 1305 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto. For information or tickets, visit paplayers.org or call 650.329.0891.

Washed up on the shores of West Africa, an infant boy is taken in and raised by gorillas who name him Tarzan. Apart from striving for acceptance from his ape father, Tarzan's life is mostly monkey business until a human expedition treks into his tribe's territory and he encounters creatures like himself for the first time. Tarzan struggles to navigate a jungle thick with emotion as he discovers his animal upbringing clashing with his human instincts. Based on Disney's unforgettable animated musical adventure and Edgar Rice Burrough's Tarzan of the Apes, TARZAN features heart-pumping music by rock legend Phil Collins and a book by Tony Award-winning playwright David Henry Hwang. Swinging excitement and hits like the Academy Award-winning "You'll Be In My Heart" as well as "Son of Man" and "Two Worlds" make TARZAN an unforgettable experience for all ages.

"I'm thrilled to be bringing this rarely produced Disney gem to our community. Welcoming families to our theater is a huge priority for Palo Alto Players and part of our ongoing mission to foster future theatergoers, and TARZAN will appeal to both young audiences and the young at heart," says Artistic Director and TARZAN Director Patrick Klein. "Patrons of all ages can expect a tale rich in themes of acceptance and love, staging full of exciting choreography, and all kinds of unexpected theatrical thrills. You take a great story, sprinkle in some Disney (and Palo Alto Players) magic and amazing Phil Collins music, and it's a recipe for an exciting family-friendly theatre experience."

TARZAN is directed by Palo Alto Players' Artistic Director Patrick Klein. Klein began his tenure at Palo Alto Players in 2009 as Technical Director and in 2013 became the company's Artistic Director. He has worked as a scenic designer, stage manager, and actor across the Bay Area, New York City, and the Eastern Seaboard. His Palo Alto Players directing credits include Miss Saigon, Young Frankenstein, Big Fish, Into the Woods, A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine, and most recently, The Man Who Came To Dinner.

Klein directs a cast of 20 local Bay Area actors. The TARZAN cast features:

• Tarzan: Jimmy Mason
• Kerchak: Michael D. Reed
• Kala: Phaedra Tillery
• Young Tarzan: Oliver Copaken Yellin
• Young Terk: Jenika Fernando
• Terk: Daniel Lloyd Pias
• Jane Porter: Jessica LaFever
• Professor Porter: George Mauro
• Mr. Clayton: Gary M. Giurbino
• Ensemble: Kaitlyn Bliven, Suzanna Dinga, Catherine Hsu, Zoey Lytle, John Ramirez-Ortiz, Stacey Reed, Arjun Sheth
• Youth Ensemble: Rylan Aburano, Marlowe Ephron, Jayden Fernando, Grace Hutton

The creative team also includes choreography by Claire Alexander, music direction by Nick Kenrick, scenic design by Patrick Klein and Nikolaj Sorensen, lighting design by Edward Hunter, costume design by Patricia Tyler, make-up and hair design by Gwyneth Price Panos, properties design by Scott Ludwig, sound design by Brandie Larkin, and stage management by Eric Dippel.

Tickets for TARZAN can be purchased online at paplayers.org, by phone at 650.329.0891, or by visiting the Box Office (Tuesday through Friday, 11am - 4pm) at the Lucie Stern Theater, located at 1305 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto. Performances at the Lucie Stern Theater begin on September 8 and continue through September 23, with a paid preview performance on September 7. Performance times are Thursdays at 7:30pm, Fridays at 8pm (9/8 only), Saturdays at 2pm (9/15 and 9/22 only) and 8pm, and Sundays at 2pm, with a special Family Matinee on Sunday, September 16 at 2pm (generously supported by The Woman's Club of Palo Alto). Ticket prices range from $25 to $55. Discounts for seniors, educators, patrons under 30 (including children/students), and military are available for all performances except preview night. Special discounts of 20-25% for groups of 10 or more are also available. Please Note: children under 3 years of age will not be admitted into the theatre.

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