STRANGER THINGS Meets PAN'S LABYRINTH In David Darrow's Coming-of-age Mystery THE PASSAGE

Village Theatre kicks off the third year of the Beta Series with The Passage, a new musical written by David Darrow that will run at Village Theatre's First Stage Theatre in Issaquah from February 15-24, 2019.

Stranger Things meets Pan's Labyrinth in this haunted adventure of a family struggling to save their father. A theatrical gut punch based on author David Darrow's own life, The Passage is an inventive and surprisingly humorous new musical that is as captivating as it is unflinchingly honest. "This show is autobiographical," said Darrow. "Most of it is pulled from my own experiences. My family went through a huge crisis when I was younger, and this show is what came out of that."

After receiving a reading in The Village Originals 2018 Festival of New Musicals, the Beta Series production of The Passage will allow author David Darrow to test the show in front of savvy theatergoers using simple sets and costumes. After each performance, audiences are invited to ask questions and share their feedback with Darrow and director, Brandon Ivie. Rewrites based on this feedback will be used to make changes between performances, meaning no two performances will be exactly the same. Audiences are encouraged to witness the evolution by seeing the performance multiple times. "Some major changes happened just before and during The Festival," said Darrow. "It was so useful to hear the new material read by amazing actors - many of whom will be back for the Beta Series production. I'm just so thrilled to be back in Issaquah."

The show features a cast of some of the most talented artists in the Pacific Northwest including: Alexander Penkov, Jen Taylor (voice of Cortana), Avery Clark (ACT Theatre's The Crucible), Visesia Fakatoufifita (Annie at The 5th Avenue Theatre), Hugh Hastings (Mary Poppins), Danny Kam (String), Joseph Tancioco (In The Heights), Candice Donehoo (Jekyll & Hyde on Broadway), and Allison Standley (Into the Woods). Joining Darrow and Ivie on the creative team are: music director Chris DiStefano, choreographer Jessica Low, orchestrator Thomas Speltz, scenic designer Christopher Mumaw (The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes, Newsies), costume designer Brynne McKeen, lighting designer Robert J. Aguilar (String), and sound designer Natalie Kinsaul.

Monsters lurking. Beasts to fear. And a father in danger. Do you have the courage to venture below? After all, it's just a basement... For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.villagetheatre.org.

The Village Originals program of readings, workshops, and developmental productions represents one of the strongest commitments to new musicals in the nation, developing such musicals as Pulitzer Prize-winner Next to Normal, Tony Award-winner Million Dollar Quartet, Drama Desk Award-winner Cupid & Psyche, Stephen Schwartz's Snapshots, and the Drama Desk Award-nominated It Shoulda Been You, After the Fair, and Making Tracks. Village Theatre is one of the few resident theatres to provide regular opportunities at every step of musical development, from first table reading to full-scale premiere production. Each season, new works are included as part of Village Theatre's five-show Mainstage lineup alongside the classics. Anchored by The Annual Festival of New Musicals and the Beta Series, the Village Originals program is dedicated to the continued growth and evolution of musical theatre, and a determination that the form will remain vibrant and relevant for generations to come.

Based in Issaquah, WA, with operations in Everett, WA, Village Theatre is a leading producer of musical theatre in the Pacific Northwest. Producing entertaining, quality productions since 1979, Village Theatre has grown into one of the region's best-attended theatres, with approximately 20,000 Subscribers and 220,000 projected total attendance each season. Through its Village Originals program, Village Theatre is nationally recognized for its contribution to the development of new musicals, having supported the creation of over 160 new works to date. Village Theatre also takes pride in nurturing tomorrow's audiences through its Youth Education and Outreach programs, KIDSTAGE and Pied Piper, serving over 58,000 young people and their families annually.

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