San Jose Stage Company lands the regional premiere of Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson. The brash and irreverent rock musical, about the country we live in and the leaders we choose, uses a blend of comedy, rebellious theatricality and an emo rock score. Written by Alex Timbers with music and lyrics by Michael Friedman, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson runs now through July 29 and is directed by Rick Singleton. Tickets, which range from $25 - $50, and information can be found at www.thestage.org or by calling the box office at 408.283.7142.
Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson redefines the life of the 7th president of the United States through a filter of glorified teenage angst and rockstar posturing. President Jackson’s tenure in the Oval Office left an indelible mark on the history of the United States and this production portrays the persona of a man we’ve only met in textbooks as a counter-culture icon. Using pop culture vernacular, this musical reshapes the major events that outlined Andrew Jackson’s life and administration: his relationship with first lady Rachel Jackson, the state of populism and the Indian Removal Act. With numbers like Populism Yeah Yeah, The Corrupt Bargain, Rock Star and The Great Compromise, this musical comedy was nominated for two Tony Awards in 2011 and won the 2010 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical.
In office from March 4, 1829 to March 4, 1837, Jackson was a political maverick and his philosophy, and the era in which it was adopted, has since been coined the Jacksonian democracy. His pioneer upbringing in Tennessee and military service on the American Frontier made him a figure that
The Common man could relate to, a point that was proven by his immense popularity with voters. Andrew Jackson prided himself as a man of the people.
In discussing the timing of the play, Artistic Director Randall King stated, “We hoped to attain the rights in time for this year’s presidential election. The muses were generous, and we are thrilled to be able to present Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, the regional premiere of this new break-all-rules musical.”
While referring to the striking parallels Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson shares with modern politics, King noted, “The show makes clear that those in power, like everyone else, make choices based on the times in which they live.” He went on to say, “Above and below the surface, this has been a politically-charged season of theatre at The Stage. Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson portrays the rebellious teenager that America was in the early 19th century. Revisiting the 1820s and 1830s in a rock ‘em and shock ’em musical is a lot of fun to produce and even more fun to watch.”
According to Director Rick Singleton, “I think the challenge is going to be balancing what we know and what we feel about Jackson. I have to admit that Jackson’s activity was pretty unfamiliar to me. Just a face on the twenty and not much else. I sat there when I saw it on Broadway and found that it didn’t really matter where you sat in history class, it is still a real eye opener.” He went on to say, “Politics in this country travels through the centuries in Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, and has been compared to Saturday Night Live with an Off-Broadway twist.”
Rick Singleton directs Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson for The Stage, where he helmed the sold-out runs of Cabaret, Avenue Q and Altar Boyz. His other notable directorial credits for the Company include The Pillowman, I Am My Own Wife, The Diary of
Anne Frank, Urinetown, The Musical and Angry Housewives.
Jonathan
Rhys Williams* returns to The Stage in the title role of Andrew Jackson and Halsey Varady* returns to play Rachel Jackson, the First Lady. The ensemble includes Clarissa Chun, David Colston Corris, Courtney Hatcher, Chanz Kallstrom, Mari Magaloni*, Jon Lee, Allison F. Rich*, Manuel Romero, Martin Rojas Dietrich*, Will Springhorn Jr.*, Jef Valentine and Aaron Wilton*.
* Member of Actors’ Equity Association
The show’s designers include Thierry Chantrel (set)
Michele Wynne (costumes), Selina G Young (lighting) and John Koss (sound).
Performances run Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:30 pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm and Sundays at 2:00 pm.
The Stage is located at 490 South First Street at
William Street in downtown San Jose’s South First (SoFA) area. Tickets, ranging from $25 to $50, are available online at
www.thestage.org or through the Box Office by calling 408.283.7142. Visa and MasterCard are accepted, and discounts are available for groups, students and seniors. The theatre is handicapped accessible.
Founded in 1983, San Jose Stage Company is recognized as The Bay Area's Premiere Off-Broadway Theatre, and known for its devotion to new and cutting-edge work and for its commitment to showcasing high-quality local talent. Now in its 29th Season, SJSC continues to center its operations in this facility and has successfully produced over 138 productions and premiered 44 new works, including 11 world premieres and is acclaimed for maintaining high artistic standards, investing in local talent and supporting the region’s community of working artists while taking artistic risks.
In addition to its core programming, San Jose Stage Company offers five core education and outreach programs and has housed over 200 independent performance groups. San Jose Stage Company is a vital force in the community and has earned a reputation for artistic excellence by providing high-quality, edgy theatrical experiences that engage, educate and provoke audiences. San Jose Stage Company serves an audience base of 30,000 and is recognized as a leader in the arts for a theatre of its size.
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