Shootouts, smallpox and scalpings – growing up on the American Frontier could be killer! Hoping to kick some British butt and bitch-slap the Spaniards, thirteen-year old Andrew Jackson joins the Army and grows up to become America’s first populist president and the country's greatest rock star since George Washington. Yes, It's the early nineteenth century, the Age of Jackson, and America's seventh President is creating the Democratic Party, driving the Native Americans West, doubling the size of the country, and wearing the tightest jeans in politics. With music and lyrics by Michael Friedman and a script by Alex Timbers, this rowdy blend of outrageous comedy, anarchic theatricality and an infectious emo rock score overflows with insightful, comic parallels to our dysfunctional politics today, right from the show's aggressive opening number, "Populism, Yea Yea!"
New Line has assembled an all-star cast of veteran New Liners, including John Sparger (Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Johnny Appleweed, Evita) as Jackson, with D. Mike Bauer, Stephanie Brown, Brian Claussen, Mike Dowdy, Zachary Allen Farmer, Amy Kelly, Nicholas Kelly, Todd Micali, Taylor Pietz, Sarah Porter, BC Stands, and Chrissy Young. Almost half this cast also appeared in last season's critically acclaimed monster hits Cry-Baby and High Fidelity. Scott Miller directs Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson and Justin Smolik leads the New Line Band. Amy Kelly designs costumes, with Kenneth Zinkl designing lighting, Scott L. Schoonover designing the set, and Donald Smith designing sound.
The show got rave reviews from the press in Los Angeles and New York, comparing it to The Daily Show, Monty Python, Duck Soup, Assassins, Avenue Q, and South Park.
New Line Theatre is a professional company dedicated to involving the people of the St. Louis region in the exploration and creation of daring, provocative, socially and politically relevant works of musical theatre. New Line Theatre was created in 1991 at the vanguard of a new wave of nonprofit musical theatre just starting to take hold across the country. The company has given birth to several world premiere musicals over the years and has brought back to life many shows that did not do well in their original New York productions. Altogether, New Line has produced 67 musicals and 5 concerts of theatre songs since 1991. New Line Theatre was recently given its own entry in the latest edition of the prestigious Cambridge Guide to American Theatre. For more about New Line, go to www.newlinetheatre.com/contact.html.
BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON runs Sept. 27-Oct. 20, 2012, on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings, at 8:00 p.m., at the Washington University South Campus Theatre (formerly CBC High School), 6501 Clayton Road, just east of Big Bend. Sept. 27 is a preview. Tickets are on sale now through all Metrotix outlets, including the Fox Theatre and the Edison Theatre at Washington University, or by calling 314-534-1111. This show contains adult content and adult language. For more information about the show, visit http://www.newlinetheatre.com/bbajpage.html
Photo credit: Jill Ritter Lindberg
John Sparger as Andrew Jackson
John Sparger as Andrew Jackson
John Sparger and The cast of New Line Theatre's "Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson."
The Politicians in New Line Theatre's "Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson" -- From left to right, Zachary Allen Farmer as John Quincy Adams, BC Stands as John Calhoun, Mike Dowdy as James Monroe, Nicholas Kelly as Henry Clay, and Brian Claussen as Martin Van Buren.
The Politicians in New Line Theatre's "Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson" -- From left to right, Zachary Allen Farmer as John Quincy Adams, BC Stands as John Calhoun, Mike Dowdy as James Monroe, Nicholas Kelly as Henry Clay, and Brian Claussen as Martin Van Buren.
The women of New Line Theatre's "Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson." From left to right, Sarah Porter, Taylor Pietz, Chrissy Young, Stephanie Brown
The women of New Line Theatre's "Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson." From left to right, Sarah Porter, Taylor Pietz, Chrissy Young, Stephanie Brown
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