STAGE TUBE: Watch Preview from New Line Theatre's ATOMIC

New Line Theatre, "the bad boy of musical theatre," now in its 25th anniversary season of adult, alternative musical theatre, presents the regional premiere of the new rock musical ATOMIC by Danny Ginges and Philip Foxman, running June 2-25, 2016, in the company's new home, the Marcelle Theater, the new blackbox theatre space in Grand Center, St. Louis' arts district.

Based on the true story of the Manhattan Project and the creation of the atomic bomb, with book and lyrics by Danny Ginges, and music and lyrics by Philip Foxman, this powerful, provocative rock musical blasts open the doors of this top secret, government-funded program of top scientists tasked with creating the world's first Atomic Bomb.

The New Line cast includes Zachary Allen Farmer as Leo Szilard, Ann Hier as Trude Weiss, Jeffrey M. Wright as Robert Oppenheimer, Reynaldo Arceno as Enrico Fermi, Ryan Foizey as Arthur Compton, Sean Michael as Edward Teller, Victoria Valentine as Mae, and Larissa White as Leona Woods. The show will be directed by Scott Miller and Mike Dowdy, with music direction by Jeffrey Richard Carter, scenic and lighting design by Rob Lippert, costume design by Sarah Porter, and sound design by Benjamin Rosemann.

It's 1939 and the Free World is fighting for its life. Heading the charge is the Hungarian physicist Leo Szilard, a brilliant scientist torn between the woman he loves and his need to beat Germany to the bomb. As the war draws to a climax, ethics, scientific progress, and personal relationships are tested as Leo discovers exactly what he's capable of. This show rips the scab off one of the most difficult questions in our national history. The creation of the bomb was one of the most consequential events in world history, one of the greatest collaboration of human minds ever, and the most lethal weapon ever devised by humankind. It ended World War II when dropped over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing and maiming hundreds of thousands of people. Should we have used it? Should we have built it?

ATOMIC runs June 2-25, 2016, on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings, all at 8:00 p.m., at the new Marcelle Theater, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive, just three blocks east of Grand, in Grand Center. (See the New Line website for directions.) June 2 is a preview. Tickets for mainstage shows are $25 for adults and $20 for students/seniors on Fridays and Saturdays; and $20 for adults and $15 for students/seniors on Thursdays. Tickets are available through MetroTix, 314-534-1111 or MetroTix.com. For other information, visit New Line Theatre's full-service website at www.newlinetheatre.com . All programs are subject to change.

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