SEE ROCK CITY AND OTHER DESTINATIONS to Make UK Debut at the Union Theatre, Aug 15-30

For the first time, the critically acclaimed off-Broadway musical See Rock City and Other Destinations, will be introduced to the UK for a two-week strictly limited run at the Union Theatre. Previews start on Friday 15 August and press night on Tuesday 19 August at 7.30pm, it was announced today. On sale now.

See Rock City and Other Destinations is a contemporary musical about connections missed and made at tourist destinations across America: A wanderer believes his destiny is written on rooftops along the North Carolina Interstate, a young man yearns to connect with intelligent life in Roswell, New Mexico, a woman atThe Alamo steps out of the shadow of her grandparents' idealized romance to take a chance on love, three estranged sisters cruise to Glacier Bay to scatter their father's ashes, two high school boys face unexpected fears in the Coney Island Spook House and terrified bride-to-be ponders taking the leap... over Niagara Falls. With a score that incorporates pop, rock, folk and more, each story builds on the last to create a vivid travelogue of Americans learning to overcome their fears and expectations in order to connect and reach their dreams.

See Rock City & Other Destinations, with music by Brad Alexander and book & lyrics by Adam Mathias received the 2011 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book, six Drama Desk nominations including Outstanding Music, the Richard Rodgers Award from The American Academy of Arts and Letters, and the Jerry Bock Award from The BMI Foundation. In 2008 the National Alliance for Musical Theatre presented See Rock City & Other Destinations as part of their annual New Musical Festival and in 2010, it premiered off-Broadway at the Duke Theatre on 42nd Street. Now it is coming to London for the first time in a brand new production for a strictly limited two-week run.

Casting includes Richard Dawes (Little Me), Laurel Dougall (Elegies For Angels, Punks and Raging Queens), Barney Glover (Footloose), Ricky Johnston (The Last Five Years, Spirit Of The Dance), Kris Marc-Joseph (Violet), Kathleen Larken (Les Funky Bitches Fantastique), Joshua LeClair (The Baker's Wife), Alex Lodge (Rags The Musical), Georgia Permutt (Meet Me In St Louis), Neil Stewart (Chess),Nancy Sullivan (The Fastest Clock in the Universe, Beautiful Thing, Les Miserables), Sinead Wall (The Return of the Soldier), Rebecca Withers (Applause).

See Rock City and Other Destinations' UK premier will be directed by Graham Hubbard with musical direction by Matt Ramplin and Lighting Design by Tom Boucher. It is produced by Aria Entertainment & Szpiezak Productions.

DETAILS:

FRIDAY 15 AUGUST - SATURDAY 30 AUGUST 2014

THE UNION THEATRE: 204 UNION STREET, SE1 0LX

Performances: Tuesday - Saturday at 7.30pm, Saturday & Sunday at 2.30pm

Tickets: All £16

Box Office: www.uniontheatre.biz / 020 7261 9876

ON SALE NOW

BIOGS

Graham Hubbard | Director

Graham trained at LAMDA (Evelyn Laye Award) and was an actor for fourteen years before moving into directing.

Associate Director London: Sweeney Todd (West End /Broadway/National tour), Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (Palace), The Sound of Music (London Palladium), Amadeus (Wilton's Music Hall), Mack and Mabel (Criterion). Director: The Blue Remembered Hills (New Diorama), For New Rep Theatre (St Leonard's, Shoreditch), The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Caucasian Chalk Circle (Peter Brook award nomination 2012), The Spring Tide (Old Red Lion, Best Director nomination 2013, BroadwayWorld UK),What The Ladybird Heard (International tour for Kenny Wax), Impotent (Lion and Unicorn), Applause, Bright Lights Big City, City of Angels (Bridewell), Is There Life After High School?(Cochrane Theatre/ Guildford Conservatoire), Just So/Jane Eyre (Christchurch), Children Of Eden (Bournemouth), Venus, Mars and Chocolate Cake/ Just So (Edinburgh Festival), Time and the Conways (Italia Conti), Carnival(CSSD), Robin Hood (E15),Company/Saturday Night (Arts Ed), My Favourite Year (LIPA), A New Brain/ Pippin (BSA), Into The Woods (Urdang), The House Of Barnarda Alba (LSC), Guys And Dolls (ASL),Reflections, Grease (Mountview), B-Movie (Lee Productions), What's New Pussycat, Best Friends and Butterflies (LSMT), Creatures of the Night (Jermyn Street), Only The Brave (New Theatre, Cardiff). Graham is artistic director for the Salvation Army on their annual charity concert at the Royal Albert Hall.

Matt Ramplin | Musical Director: Matt trained in music performance and composition at Cardiff University and the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Since graduating, Matt has been working in London as a freelance musical director and arranger. Previous credits include: West-End: Rags (Lyric Theatre). Off West-End: [Title of Show] UK Premiere (Edinburgh), When Midnight Strikes (Gatehouse), Meet Me in St Louis (Landor), Privates on Parade (Greenwich Theatre), Claus: A New Musical (Landor), Company(RCSSD), RCSSD MA Graduate showcase 2013 (RCSSD), The Kitchen European Premiere (RCSSD) Touring & Provincial: The Jewish Legacy (UK Tour), Anything Goes (Chichester University), Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (Porthcawl Grand), Christmas Crooners: A Rat Pack Christmas (UK & Ireland Tour), Privates on Parade (UK Tour). Workshops & Development: The Woman in White (RUG), Anthony Newley: The Fool Who Dared to Dream (Palace), Bumblescratch: A New Musical (Network Theatre), The Golden Age (Etcetera Theatre),Claus: A New Musical (RCSSD). In addition to his work as a musical director, Matt has taught at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, Arts Ed and the London Theatre School and regularly works as an arranger and orchestrator for Royal Caribbean, P&O and Thompson cruise lines. www.mattramplinmusic.co.uk

Katy Lipson for Aria Entertainment - Producer Katy Lipson of Aria Entertainment has been recognized by the Stage One charity for new producers as one of the country's most promising young producers. Katy's diverse experience in the arts includes the­atre producing, working as a musical director, accompanist, vocal coach, composer and piano/vocalist.

She created Aria Entertainment in 2011 and has gone on to produce the Best Little Whorehouse In Texas (Union), the West End charity Gala performance of Children Of Eden(Prince Of Wales) starring Gareth Gates, Russell Grant and Kerry Ellis, the West End revival of The Mystery of Edwin Drood, starring former Coronation Street actress Wendi Peters and Edward Reid and Living The Dream One Song At A Time (Edinburgh Fringe and Scottish tour) which won the Radio Forth Award for 'Best Fringe Show'.

She produced a UK Tour revival of the musical The Secret Garden in collaboration with Knockhardy Pro­ductions, which toured to venues such as Buxton Opera House. She also produced the World Premiere of Sleeping Arrangements, a new musical by Chris Burgess, based on the novel by Sophie Kinsella (author of Confessions Of A Shopaholic) and the off-Broadway musical The Road To Qatar, which was nominated for an MTN award at the 2013 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. She produced the revival of the musicalWhen Midnight Strikes at Upstairs at the Gatehouse in London, to critical acclaim. She was also General Man­ager and Associate Producer on Cinderella: Boom or Bust!, a charity pantomime at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and Lorca's Blood Wedding at The Courtyard Theatre.

She was delighted to have secured a Grant For The Arts to present a season of new musicals at The Lan­dor Theatre entitled From Page To Stage this year, where she presented 8 new works of musical theatre which are now undergoing further development. She also produced The Jewish Legacy, which premiered in Radlett last year and is touring venues during 2014.

Katy recently produced RAGS the musical in Concert for one night only at The Lyric Theatre in the West End in aid of CENTREPOINT and is currently producing Marry Me A Little at The St James Studio. For more information on Aria Entertainment visit: www.aria-entertainment.com.

Ilai Szpiezak for Szpiezak Productions - Producer - Ilai Szpiezak started his career as a dancer and teacher of Israeli Dancing in 2006, rapidly moving into choreography and direction of performing troupes and artistic organisations in Argentina, where he is originally from. He moved to London in 2011, hired as the Dance Development Manager of the Israeli Dance Institute, where he has been responsible for teaching, directing and organising annual classes, workshops and concerts in London and around the UK.

Ilai is frequently hired as an organiser/instructor of dance seminars in different countries around Europeand the UK, combining his expertise in dance and education and his passion for producing.

In 2013 he opened Ilaidance, his Event Entertainment company offering a new concept in shows and productions for private and corporate functions. The company has already produced two shows: CHAZAK!and Showtime, offered creative services to a wide range of clients and created a lineup of bespoke productions to come for 2015. Ilai is expanding his productions to theatre with the creation of Szpiezak Productions and See Rock City and Other Destinations marks its debut as a company. Previous productions include: Confessions of a Rabbi's Daughter at Etcetera Theatre, Accidental Festival at the Roundhouse and Upstairs at the Gatehouse, Assistant Producer for AfterParty A Capella at the St. JamesStudio, Funk Da Cirque 'Soultrip' for CircusFest at The Roundhouse.

He is currently undertaking his MA in Creative Producing at the Royal Central School of Speech & Drama.
For more information on Ilaidance, visit: www.ilaidance.co.uk.

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