SLEEPING CUTIE: A FRACTURED FAIRY TALE MUSICAL Makes World Premiere at Thick House, Now thru 5/11

Sleeping Cutie: A Fractured Fairy Tale Musical with Music by Doug Katsaros and Lyrics / Book by Diane Sampson will have its world premiere in this exclusive Off a Cliff / PlayGround co-production in San Francisco for a limited engagement, running four weeks only.

The show plays today, April 17 - May 11, 2014 - Thurs., Fri., & Sat. - 8:00 pm / Sun. - 2:00 pm.Previews April 17 & 18 (Thurs. & Fri.) Opening Night Sat., April 19 - 8:00 pm.

Synopsis: An erstwhile King of Commerce (think Bernie Madoff) prepares for his inevitable trip from a mansion with a fancy built-in bar to a much smaller room where the bars are vertical. Worried that his beloved daughter, Lucy, will have no one to care for her while he is "away," he signs her up for an on-line dating service. Lucy is horrified. She has other plans - to become a drummer in an indie rock band. She sneaks out at night to attend rock concerts and falls asleep in the middle of the day, much to her clueless father's chagrin. He thinks she has narcolepsy!

Suffice it to say the plot thickens when prospective suitors, including one who is blind, make their appearance and the Father, now incarcerated, begins a correspondence with a mysterious woman. Is the story realistic? No way. This is a musical! With lots of songs and lots of surprises, Sleeping Cutie is a 21st century fractured fairy tale that will leave you smiling.

Sleeping Cutie: A Fractured Fairy Tale Musical is a new musical and modern-day fairy tale in two acts, with music by Doug Katsaros and lyrics/book by Diane Sampson (2010 June Anne Baker Prize), originally commissioned and developed by the playwright incubator, PlayGround, in 2012-13.

The cast includes a stable of well-seasoned Bay Area actors including: Jesse Caldwell*(Father); Luke Chapman (Charlie); Marissa Joy Ganz* (Lucy); Buzz Halsing* (Man 2); Gwen Loeb* (Woman); John Patrick Moore* (Man 1) and Stephanie Prentice* (Mary). This world premiere production is directed by Cindy Goldfield, with music direction by David Aaron Brown. (*Member Actor's Equity Association)

Performance schedule is as follows: Thurs., Fri. & Sat. at 8:00 pm / Sunday at 2:00 pm 4/17 - 5/4/14; Mon. May 5 - 8:00 pm; Sat., May 10 - 2:00 pm; Sun. May 11- 2:00 pm. Shows are at Thick House - 1695 18th St. (Btw'n. Arkansas & Carolina Sts.), SF, CA 94107

Tickets are general admission $30 - $40: $30- Thurs. & matinees & previews (Sat. /Sun.); $32 - Fri.; $35 - Sat.,; $40 - Opening Night (4/19 - Sat.); Thursdays - Pay-What-You-Can at the door, subject to availability. Premium seating available for additional $10. Student pricing is $5 off general admission. Available at http://sleepingcutiemusical.tix.com.

For more information, call 415- 992-6677 or visit http://sleepingcutiemusical.org.

BIOS:

Diane Sampson (Author, Lyricist) has written the lyrics and melodies (and co-written the books) for two previous musicals, Writes and Re-writes and Oh, Progeny! (two Bay Area productions). She has been a member of the PlayGround writers pool for nine years, and under their auspices has written over 50 ten-minute plays. Her short pieces have been staged in venues as far a field as Seattle and Miami. One of them, Undone, was made into a film that was screened as part of PlayGround's 2nd Annual Film Festival in May 2013. Her full-length (non-musical) plays include Charlotte Takes the Plunge and Naked, another PlayGround commission. Her past life included singing in local cabarets, but she doubts that the demise of such once-numerous venues is her sole responsibility!

Doug Katsaros (Composer) is an Emmy-winning composer who has been making some kind of noise for years, conducting, composing, orchestrating, arranging on and off Broadway for shows like Footloose, The Life, Rocky Horror, Altar Boyz, The Toxic Avenger and A...My Name is Alice. He is composing Broadway's upcoming Somewhere In Time and his Orphan Train musical will open at Grand Central Terminal in October 2014. He has written and conducted TV and film scores for Sarah Jessica Parker, Robert Loggia and Sandra Bullock. He has dozens of gold and platinum CDs for artists such as Kiss, Sinéad O'Connor, Gloria Estefan, Frank Sinatra, Todd Rundgren, Rod Stewart, Judy Collins, B. B. King, Marlo Thomas (Grammy), Donny Osmond, Richie Havens, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, Cher, Michael Bolton, and Peter Paul & Mary. He orchestrated Dee Snider's Heavy Metal Broadway tribute, "Dee Does Broadway" and on TV, he garnered an Emmy nomination for his score to "The Tick" and wrote themes for "The Jim Henson Hour," "Mancuso FBI" and the "ABC Sunday Night Movie." He has conducted PBS's "Great Performances" and the Boston Pops. He writes special material for Ringling Brothers Circus, Macy's 4th of July Fireworks and their Thanksgiving Day Parade, winning the Emmy for Best Original Song. He tours the world with Argentinian pianist Raul Di Blasio, who's latest CD, Primavera, he co-produced. He has two grown sons, and lives in NYC with his wife, composer/keyboardist Elise Morris, raising two teenage girls, who now make all the noise. And yes, he is the guy who wrote "By Mennen".

Cindy Goldfield (director), an award-winning director, is pleased to be involved with SleepingCutie. Other directing/choreography credits include: As Thousands Cheer, Once in a Blue Moon, Finnian's Rainbow, The Roar of the Greasepaint-The Smell of the Crowd and most recently, SNOOPY!!! for 42nd Street Moon. She has also directed for The Willows Theatre, CUBIT Productions, The Dance Palace and numerous corporate shows around the world. Ms. Goldfield is also a two-time recipient of both the Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle and the Dean Goodman Choice awards for acting. Her regional theatre credits include The Mystery of Edwin Drood (title role) (Center REPertory Company); Spring Awakening and Bill W. and Dr. Bob (San Jose Repertory Theatre); Another Midsummer's Night (TheatreWorks); Brimstone,Moon over Buffalo, and Merrily We Roll Along (The Willows Theatre); Oliver! (Broadway by the Bay); Moving Bodies (Marin Theatre Company); Crimes of the Heart (Playhouse West);OMFG! (world premiere- ODC); Texas Chainsaw Manicurist and Cowardly Things (New Conservatory Theatre Center); Mack & Mabel (42nd Street Moon); and D'Arcy Drollinger'sScalpel! (Brava!). NY credits include Drollinger's Project:Lohan, and Mr. Irresistible, with music by Christopher Winslow, at La MaMa E.T.C. In Spring 2014 she will star in the SF production of Mr. Irresistible. Ms. Goldfield also enjoys a thriving voice-over career and the collaboration of Goldfield& Koldewyn with the inimitable original Cockette - Scrumbly Koldewyn.

David Aaron Brown (Music Director) is a Bay Area-native music director, composer, and pianist. He was most recently seen tickling the ivories as Arnie in The Speakeasy presented by Boxcar Theatre. Favorite musical credits include Spamalot (Conductor/Pianist, 6th Street Playhouse), 'Tis Pity She's A Whore (Composer/Pianist, Bigger Than a Breadbox) andParade (Asst. MD/Pianist, Trinity Rep).

Jesse Caldwell* (Father) has worked at many local theatres including A.C.T., TheatreWorks, CenterREP, Shotgun Players and TheatreFirst. Moon, He holds a B.A. in Drama from Tufts, an M.F.A. in Acting from Stanford and a J.D. from the U. of Georgia. Jesse is a proud member of Actors Equity Association.

Luke Chapman (Charlie) is proud to be a part of his first PlayGround show. Last seen as Claude in Hair (Coastal rep), Luke has performed all over the bay area. SF Playhouse, 42nd Street Moon, Hillbarn, Ray of Light, and DTC.

Marissa Joy Ganz* (Lucy) is a Native New Yorker Triple Threat who has been performing since the age of 4. Marissa originated the role of Susan in the World Premiere/1st National Broadway Tour of Disney's High School Musical. She was also seen on the National Tour ofThe Boy Friend directed by Julie Andrews. European Tours: Hair and The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber. Regional: Paper Mill Playhouse, Goodspeed Opera House, Pittsburgh CLO, Atlanta TOTS. A recent transplant, Marissa has been directing/choreographing throughout the Bay. Much love to my Family, friends and Brent. www.MarissaJoyGanz.com

Buzz Halsing* (Man 2) is a Bay Area native, performing in companies throughout Northern CA and beyond. Regional credits include Odysseus (Ensemble) at A.C.T., The Music Man (Harold Hill) at Stockton Theater Co., November (Pres. Chucky Smith) at Ross Valley Players, Hairspray (Wilber Turnblad) at The Mountain Play, Mill Valley, and various roles at 42nd St. Moon in San Francisco. Buzz is a proud member of Actors Equity.

Gwen Loeb* (Woman) has been a company member with PlayGround for 13 years and is honored to have been a part of this world premiere musical since its first workshop. Some of Gwen's Bay Area productions include: A Bright New Boise, The Arsonists, and Trojan Women at Aurora Theatre Company, Truffaldino Says No and World In A Woman's Hands at Shotgun Players, and the upcoming Pride & Prejudice at Livermore Shakespeare.

John Patrick Moore* (Man 1) has worked with Central Works (Artistic Associate), Marin Theatre Company, The Magic Theatre, 42nd Street Moon, The Shotgun Players, and CenterRep. In NYC with NYMF and Expanded Art's Free Shakespeare in the Park(ing) Lot.

Stephanie Prentice* (Mary) is thrilled to be working with PlayGround! Credits include appearances with Shotgun Players, SF Playhouse, and Shakespeare at Stinson. Stephanie lives in Danville with her husband and two young children. She is also a member of the voice faculty at Santa Clara University.

Jim Kleinmann (Producer) co-founded PlayGround in 1994 and has served as Artistic Director since 1996. For PlayGround, he has provided artistic and administrative leadership for the past 20 seasons, developing PlayGround's unique array of new playwright and new play incubator programs, including Monday Night PlayGround, the Best of PlayGround Festival, the full-length play Commissioning Initiative, the New Play Production Fund, and most recently the PlayGround Film Festival. He is a veteran arts administrator with more than 20 years of experience, including stints leading Traveling Jewish Theatre, Smuin Ballet and Berkeley Symphony, and received his MFA from the Yale School of Drama.

PlayGround (Co-Producer) is the Bay Area's leading playwright incubator. Founded in 1994, PlayGround creates community by nurturing collaboration between early career playwrights and established professional directors and actors. Led by co-founder and Artistic Director Jim Kleinmann, PlayGround has developed more than 700 short plays by 190 Bay Area writers and, since 2002, has commissioned and developed 50 new full-length plays and musicals, including The Tale of the Sleeping Cutie. PlayGround is the producer of the Monday Night PlayGround staged reading series at Berkeley Rep and the Best of PlayGround Festival, the Bay Area's largest annual showcase for local writers. For more information, visit www.playground-sf.org.

Pictured: Jesse Caldwell and Marissa Joy Ganz in SLEEPING CUTIE: A Fractured Fairy Tale Musical by Diane Sampson and Doug Katsaros. Photo by Maurice Kamins.

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