Tickets onsale now for the WORLD PREMIERE of Michael Elyanow’s LULLABY
/LULLABY, a spirited new play with alternative rock music presented as part of Theater Latte Da’s new work initiative NEXT 20/20. LULLABY features Adelin Phelps as the young mother Cassie; actor, fight director and local band frontwoman Annie Enneking as the fierce, has-been rocker, and bar owner Thea; David Darrow as the mysterious and omnipresent Craig; and celebrated veteran theater, film and television actor best known for his role as James Walsh on the hit television series “Beverly Hills 90210” James Eckhouse as Gabriel.
LULLABY also features the music of national recording artists Garrison Starr, Chris Dallman, and Curt Schneider.
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Performances begin January 13 at the Ritz Theater in NE Minneapolis.
Single tickets and season mini-subscriptions are on sale now at latteda.org
(Minneapolis/St. Paul) Theater Latté Da today announced casting for Michael Elyanow’s spirited new play with alternative rock music LULLABY. Previously performed as a part of Theater Latté Da’s NEXT series, LULLABY is also the first world premiere in Theater Latté Da’s major new work initiative. NEXT 20/20 is a five-year endeavor aimed at developing 20 new musicals or plays-with-music and shepherding many of them to full production. Playwrights’ Center Producing Artistic Director Jeremy B. Cohen will direct with Peter Morrow as music director. Performances begin January 13 at the Ritz Theater (345 13th Avenue NE in Minneapolis). Single tickets and season mini-subscriptions can be purchased at latteda.org or by calling 612-339-3003.
In hopes of learning to play lullabies for her infant son, a widowed young mother seeks guitar lessons from a once almost-famous rocker. As the two very different women bond over tricky chords and haunted pasts, a hilarious and moving story of friendship and forgiveness emerges. Lullaby is a hilarious new play with alternative rock music that’s powerful and absolutely beautiful. In addition to original music from Michael Elyanow, the production features the music of national recording artists Garrison Starr and Christopher Dallman.
Of this world premiere Elyanow offers, “Theater Latté Da is the musical genius place. It’s where the music happens. Having Lullaby produced by TLD gives me the opportunity to have it developed around people who have a deep understanding of how music functions within a story. I’ve seen a lot of TLD’s work and this piece is a different kind of musical that will resonate with their core audience and hopefully expand their reach as well.”
Cohen previously directed Theater Latté Da’s production of Beautiful Thing and has assembled a rock star cast for the production. LULLABY features Adelin Phelps in the role of the young, widowed mother Cassie. Phelps has appeared with Dark and Stormy Productions, Park Square Theatre, Frank Theatre, and Workhaus Collective. Of her work in Dark and Stormy’s production of Drunken City as Melissa, the Star Tribune writes, “The real discovery in “Drunken City” is relative newcomer Phelps, whose character goes from a slight woman just out having a good time to a powerhouse as soon as she hears that things might change.”
The production also features Annie Enneking in the role of the fierce, has-been rocker and bar owner Thea. Enneking is well known for her work as an actor, fight director, and musician and her work has been seen on almost every stage in the Twin Cities over the past thirty years. She is also the front woman and founder of the rock band Annie and the Bang Bang. Local stage sensation David Darrow appears as the mysterious, omnipresent Craig. Darrow has written three musicals and has appeared in several Theater Latté Da productions including Spring Awakening, Beautiful Thing, Our Town, Company, and Into The Woods. He has performed at the Guthrie Theater, Ten Thousand Things, Illusion Theater, and Sandbox Theater. He is also a founding member of 7th Houser Theater.
Phelps, Enneking, and Darrow will share the stage with celebrated veteran theater, film, and television actor James Eckhouse in the role of Gabriel. Eckhouse recently appeared on Broadway opposite Bryan Cranston (of AMC’s hit television series “Breaking Bad” fame) in the Tony award winning play All The Way. Twin Cities audiences will recognize Eckhouse from his work on dozens of films and TV shows, most notably, from his role as family patriarch Jim Walsh on FOX’s original “Beverly Hills 90210.”
Theater Latté Da is an award-winning Twin Cities musical theater company that combines music and story to illuminate the breadth and depth of the human experience. The company seeks to create new connections between story, music, artists and audience by exploring and expanding the art of musical theater.
MICHAEL ELYANOW (playwright) is grateful to have two plays produced in the Twin Cities in 2016, as Pillsbury House will be staging The Children in September. Recent theatre productions: Robyn Is Happy at The B Street Theatre; The Children at The Theatre @ Boston Court (2013 GLAAD Award winner, published in TheatreForum Magazine); The Idiot Box at Open Fist and Naked Eye theatres (published by Samuel French). A Lasting Mark, commissioned by Hartford Stage, was part of Manhattan Theatre Club’s Reading Series. Michael has developed TV pilots with ACME Productions, Tagline Pictures and more.
JEREMY B. COHEN (Director) is entering his fifth season as the Producing Artistic Director at the Playwrights’ Center and previously served as the Associate Artistic Director/Director of New Play Development at Hartford Stage from 2003 to 2010, where he also directed several premieres. Other directing credits include productions at Centerstage, Alliance, Alley Theatre, Goodman, Dorset Theatre, Steppenwolf, McCarter, Theater J, Victory Gardens, Actors Theatre of Louisville, George Street Playhouse, Kansas City Rep, Repertory Theatre of St Louis, New Victory, Open Fist, Theatre Latté Da, and Royal George; workshops at O’Neill Playwrights’ Conference, New York Stage & Film, Pasadena Playhouse, Denver Center, New Harmony, Bay Area Playwrights Festival and Woolly Mammoth. As Founding Artistic Director of Naked Eye Theatre Company in Chicago, Cohen developed/directed more than 20 plays, including several premieres. He has received numerous directing awards, an NEA/TCG Directors Fellowship, and a Northwestern University grant for his play 12 Volt Heart. Last Season he directed the World Premiere of Brahman/I (Mixed Blood), and Wild With Happy (Centerstage), as well as a new musical Off-Broadway by award-winning singer/songwriter Jonatha Brooke called My Mother Has Four Noses, and recently directed the World Premiere of Joe Waechter’s Lake Untersee (Workhaus Collective/Illusion Theatre).
FACT SHEET:
LULLABY
A World Premiere Play With Music by Michael Elyanow
Directed by Jeremy B. Cohen
Music Direction by Peter Morrow
Featuring: David Darrow, James Eckhouse, Annie Enneking and Adelin Phelps
Performance Dates: Wednesday, January 13 – Sunday, February 7, 2016
Venue: Ritz Theater (345 13th Avenue NE Minneapolis, MN)
Tickets: $23- $37
In hopes of learning to play lullabies for her infant son, Cassie, a widowed, young mother seeks guitar lessons from Thea, the strong-willed, local, has-been, celebrity rocker turned bar owner. Together the high-spirited, unlikely duo engages in a tug-of-war discovering the true meaning of friendship while reconciling their haunted pasts. LULLABY is a hilarious new play with alternative rock music that’s powerful and absolutely beautiful.
Performance Dates and Times:
Wednesday, January 13 at 7:30 PM (Preview)
Thursday, January 14 at 7:30 PM (Preview)
Friday, January 15 at 7:30 PM (Preview)
Saturday, January 16 at 7:30 PM (Opening Night)
Sunday, January 17 at 2:00 PM (Director’s Dialogue)
Wednesday, January 20 at 7:30 PM
Thursday, January 21 at 7:30 PM (Post-Show Discussion)
Friday, January 22 at 7:30 PM
Saturday, January 23 at 7:30 PM
Sunday, January 24 at 2:00 PM (Post-Show Discussion)
Wednesday, January 27 at 7:30 PM
Thursday, January 28 at 7:30 PM (Post-Show Discussion)
Friday, January 29 at 7:30 PM
Saturday, January 30 at 7:30 PM
Sunday, January 31 at 2:00 PM (Post-Show Discussion)
Wednesday, February 3 at 7:30 PM
Thursday, February 4 at 7:30 PM (Post-Show Discussion)
Friday, February 5 at 7:30 PM
Saturday, February 6 at 7:30 PM
Sunday, February 7 at 2:00 PM
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