The Restoration's Critically Acclaimed Album CONSTANCE Moves Towards a Theatrical Adaptation, 8/21 & 23

The critically acclaimed narrative album Constance by The Restoration takes its first steps towards becoming a theatrical adaptation this summer as a concert version of the album is presented under the direction of Chad Henderson in Trustus Theatre's Premieres Festival. Performances will be August 21st and 23rd at 8:00pm. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at www.trustus.org. Premieres packages may be purchased for $50, and include a ticket to all three Premieres events. Packages must be purchased by calling the Trustus box office at (803) 254-9732.

When The Restoration released their first album Constance in 2010 it was met with much praise from South Carolina fans and critics. Award-winning theatre director Chad Henderson became a devoted fan of the album at that time, and contacted The Restoration's Daniel Machado about adapting it for the stage. The project remained in the artists' future plans until finally the Premieres Festival made the production a possibility by providing support and a venue.

Now Constance will take its first steps towards becoming a fully staged production as The Restoration and a cast constructed by Henderson will take the stage for a concert performance of the album. Much-loved actors from Columbia's musical theatre community will embody Constance and the three generations of characters that impact her.

The Restoration's Constance is a multi-generational cautionary tale, told through historical fiction. Set between the late 1800s and 1930s in Lexington, South Carolina, Constance focuses on the fictional Constance Owen, an unrealized musical prodigy born to poor cotton farmers several years after the American Civil War. Her eventual union with Aaron Vale, a carpenter and musician of mixed race from Chicago, and the birth of their son, Thomas, plants a seed of discriminative hate in the surrounding community, bringing about the bankrupting of her family by the affluent Palmers, the related death of her husband, and the burying of her creative aspirations. Years later, Thomas' nihilistic vengeance against the Palmers sets off a cataclysmic series of violent events, as the South and the rest of the world plunge into the Great Depression.

Constance boasts the talents of many well known musical theatre artists including Trustus Company Member Vicky Saye Henderson as Constance, Kyle Collins as Aaron Vale, Chip Stubbs as Jacob Owen, G. Scott Wild as Col. John Palmer, Avery Herndon as Thomas Vale, and Andy Bell as Henry Stamp. These cast members join an all-star ensemble to bring chills to audiences hearing this music for the first time, while creating new experiences for those who are already fans or familiar with the 2010 recording.

"The goal of this project is to gauge how the story translates when actors are playing and singing the characters from the album," said Chad Henderson. "Our hope is that this concert performance will interest audiences in further development of this story into a new musical. It's a new goal of mine to create new theatrical works in Columbia, and this is a great way to get started!"

The Restoration's Constance can be experienced August 21st and 23rd at 8:00pm on the Thigpen Mainstage. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online at www.trustus.org. Premieres Packages may be purchased for $50, and include a ticket to all three Premieres events (The Black Man...Complex, The Restoration's "Constance", & Fest 24). Packages must be purchased by calling the Trustus box office at (803) 254-9732.

Trustus Theatre is located at 520 Lady Street, behind the Gervais St. Publix. Parking is available on Lady St. and on Pulaski St. The Main Stage entrance is located on the Publix side of the building.

For more information or reservations call the box office Tuesdays through Saturdays 1-6 pm at 803-254-9732. Visit www.trustus.org for all show information and season information.

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