Kerrigan and Lowdermilk's PARTY WORTH CRASHING to Get Toronto Debut, 3/23

Presented by Bum Chic Productions, an exciting young cast of singer-actors from across Canada will give the Toronto debut of Party Worth Crashing, a concert of contemporary musical theatre songs by Kerrigan and Lowdermilk on March 23, 2014.

The six performers-Alisha Ruiss, Ben Harris, Bryna Weiss, Jon Corkal, Marc Ducusin, and Rachel Resnik-are reuniting after doing the show a year ago in Montreal, where all of them met in the local musical theatre community. Their collective credits include productions of Sondheim, Jonathan Larson, Gilbert and Sullivan, and Kander and Ebb, along with straight plays by Shakespeare and Beckett. Musical direction is by Sean Mayes, who works as a musician, educator, and musical director in the Montreal and Toronto areas, and heads the live band that plays for the show.

All are eager to bring to Toronto the songs of Kait Kerrigan (words) and Brian Lowdermilk (music). Foremost among the new generation of musical theatre songwriters, Kerrigan and Lowdermilk have earned a passionate following through their eight musicals, two iTunes-charting albums, and millions of YouTube hits. Their songs are modern takes on the showtune, ranging from the yearning folk of "My Heart is Split" and the quirky character study of "My Party Dress" to the high-voltage belting of "Freedom" and "Avalanche," and from the string-laden pop of "Two Strangers" to the snarky comedy of "Vegas" and the title song "Party Worth Crashing." Corkal, who sings the best-known number, the love song "Run Away With Me," comments on the "pure honesty and sincerity in both the lyrics and melodies" and the "diversity of their work spanning influences from across the board . . . from standard musical theatre to pop/rock, to country and hip hop."

Kerrigan and Lowdermilk designed Party Worth Crashing as a "do-it-yourself" concert that different groups can tailor to their unique performers. As their website (www.kerrigan-lowdermilk.com) explains, "It's a show about youth, coming of age, and learning lessons. It's about laughing at yourself, and figuring things out on your own. It's about realizing that with the freedom to do anything comes the responsibility to do something."

These messages resonate with the cast. After the Montreal show, three of performers graduated from McGill university-Weiss and Resnik moving onto the Toronto arts scene, and Harris entering the musical theatre programme at The Boston Conservatory. The new production will be the Toronto concert debut for all of the singers but Ruiss, who performed her one-woman cabaret at The Rivoli in 2009. Resnik, a stand-up comedian and clown who will also serve the concert's emcee, describes Party Worth Crashing as a show that speaks to everyone: "No matter what your job, age, gender, or species is, you will be able to relate to all of these songs from some point in your life!"

The show plays for one night only at 3030 Dundas West in the heart of the Junction district. Tickets are available at the door and in advance at www.ticketscene.ca/events/10196.

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