FLASHDANCE – the MUSICAL, the Stage Adaptation of the 1983 Hit Film That Defined a Generation, Will Perform at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts on March 4-9
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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 3 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Press Contact: Molly Sommerhalder Phone: 414-273-7121 ext. 399 Email: [email protected] US NATIONAL TOUR MAKES ITS MILWAUKEE PREMIERE AT THE MARCUS CENTER ON MARCH 4-9 TICKETS ON SALE SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8 FLASHDANCE – THE MUSICAL, the stage adaptation of the 1983 hit film that defined a generation, will perform at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts on March 4-9. Tickets will go on sale this Sunday, December 8 at 12:00 pm. Ticket prices range from $30 to $85 and will be available at the Marcus Center box office at 929 North Water Street, Downtown Milwaukee, all Ticketmaster outlets, by visiting MarcusCenter.org or by calling 414-273-7206. Group orders of 10 or more may be placed by calling 414-273-7121 ext. 210 or 213. This engagement is part of the BMO Harris Bank Broadway at the Marcus Center and Broadway Across America-Milwaukee series. With electrifying dance at its core, FLASHDANCE-THE MUSICAL tells the inspiring and unforgettable story of Alex Owens, a Pittsburgh steel mill welder by day and a bar dancer by night with dreams of one day becoming a professional performer. When romance with her steel mill boss threatens to complicate her ambitions, Alex learns the meaning of love and its power to fuel the pursuit of her dream. Joining Jillian Mueller as Alex and Corey Mach as Nick are Alison Ewing as Tess, Ginna Claire Mason as Gloria, DeQuina Moore as Kiki, Jo Ann Cunningham as Hannah, David R. Gordon as Jimmy, Matthew Henerson as Harry and Christian Whelan in the role of C.C. Also joining the company are Erika Amato, Mackenzie Bell, Carleigh Bettiol, Derek Carley, Ryan Carlson, Lynorris Evans, Haley Hannah, Charlene Hoffman, Jarvis McKinley, Doreen Montavlo, Austin Owen, Prominski, Angelo Soriano, Dani Spieler, Lawrence E. Street, Kamille Upshaw, and Blake Zelesnikar. Celebrating its 30th Anniversary, the original Paramount Pictures film was a worldwide smash hit that became a pop culture phenomenon, grossing over $150 million and featuring a Grammy Award-winning soundtrack. FLASHDANCE – THE MUSICAL features a score including the hit songs from the movie, all of which became Top Ten hits on the radio around the world including the Academy Award-winning title song “Flashdance – What a Feeling,” “Maniac,” “Gloria,” “Manhunt,” “I Love Rock & Roll.” In addition to these hits, 16 brand new songs have been written for the stage with music by Robbie Roth and lyrics by Robert Cary and Robbie Roth. Directed and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys, Memphis, The Addams Family), FLASHDANCE features a book by Robert Cary and Tom Hedley (co-writer of the original screenplay with Joe Eszterhas). In addition to the US touring company, a second company will be assembled for the creatively reworked production of FLASHDANCE on Broadway for an open-ended engagement. Flashdance – The Musical will play March 4 through 9 at the Marcus Center. Performances are Tuesday through Thursday at 7:30 pm, Friday through Saturday at 8:00 pm and Sunday at 6:30 pm with matinees Saturday at 2:00 pm and Sunday at 1:00 pm. Creative Bios: TOM HEDLEY (Book, original screenplay for the Flashdance movie). As editor-in-chief of Toronto Life, Tom Hedley turned it into the “magazine of the year” and published, among others, Margaret Atwood,Leonard Cohen, Robertson Davies and won national magazine award for fiction by Alice Munro. He was the youngest ever editor of Esquire Magazine during the magazine’s golden age, working for thelegendary Harold Hayes in New York. During his four-year tenure, he worked with important writersand artists of the time including Tom Wolfe, Michael Herr, Diane Arbus, Jean Genet, William Burroughs, Gay Talese and Robert Coover. He produced a number of celebrated cover-sections including: “The Decline and Fall of the American Avant Garde” in which he commissioned a play by Sam Shepard that was eventually performed at Lincoln Center, Claes Oldenburg’s last happening and a photographic essay on The New Theater by Andy Warhol. He commissioned and published essays by Fedrico Fellini, Francois Truffaut, Michelangelo Antonioni among others, and asked the great directors to direct their own self-portraits. He produced and directed four documentaries for the CBC’s flagship current affairs program and wrote a number of produced screenplays including, among others: Circle of Two, directed by Jules Dassin, starring Richard Burton and Tatum O’Neil, Mr. Patman, starring Kate Nelligan and James Colburn, Double Negative, starring Michael Sarrazin, Tony Perkins and John Candy, Fighting Back, starring Patti Lupone and Tom Skerrit and Flashdance, an international hit which won an Academy Award for best-song and has since become a film classic. He has written screenplays for Barbra Streisand, Michael Jackson, David Geffen, Jean-Paul Goude, Sean Penn, among others. In 2001 he completed a three-year period in London as an editor and publisher of Duckworth, the venerable publishers of Virginia Woolfe and D.H. Lawrence. His titles were generally well received and garnered both awards and books-of-the-year status in leading British journals and newspapers. He also created a new imprint called Duck Editions. Tom Hedley received the Humanitas Prize 2002 award as executive producer of the movie Iris, directed by Richard Eyre, starring Judi Dench, Jim Broadbent and Kate Winslet. The film won any number of international awards, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe and a BAFTA Award. He is currently President of The Hedley Media Group LLC in New York City. He will both write and direct The Last Laugh, an independent film centered around the 1980’s comedy scene in Los Angeles. ROBERT CARY (Book and Lyrics) is the director of the feature films Ira and Abby, Save Me, and Anything But Love. Ira and Abby received the Audience Favorite award following its premiere at the 2006 Los Angeles Film Festival and was released by Magnolia Pictures in 2007; Save Me, which premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival and was released in the US 2008. Robert is also the director and co-writer of Anything But Love, starring Andrew McCarthy, Isabel Rose and Eartha Kitt, released by Samuel Goldwyn in 2003. Anything But Love appeared in over a dozen film festivals internationally, and received numerous audience and jury awards. In addition to his film work, Robert is co-book writer with ZZ Top of the musical Sharp Dressed Man, directed by Andy Fickman and the lyricist and co-librettist of Palm Beach, produced in 2005 by the La Jolla Playhouse and directed by Des McAnuff, and he is also the co-author and lyricist of musical adaptations of The Thomas Crown Affair and Heartbreakers, both commissioned by MGM On Stage. ROBBIE ROTH (Music and Lyrics). Robbie Roth's music has been heard on stage, screen, and radio all around the world. His songs have graced the Billboard charts in America, and appeared on record alongside Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, Johnny Cash, and many others. His work has been featured on “Good Morning America,” NBC's “Last Comic Standing,” and in a number of films and documentaries. Robbie is most often hired to write and produce for established and upcoming recording artists. In the theatre world, Robbie has been hired as composer on a number of new musicals, and has written and produced records for Tony Award® nominee, Gavin Creel. SERGIO TRUJILLO (Director and Choreographer) Broadway: Choreographed the 2010 Tony Award® winning Best Musical Memphis (OCC Award, Astaire and Drama Desk Award Nominations); 2006 Tony® and Olivier Award winning Best Musical Jersey Boys (Olivier, Drama Desk, Dora, OCC Award nominations.); The Addams Family; 2010 Pulitzer Prize winning Next to Normal; All Shook Up, Guys and Dolls (Astaire Award nomination) and Leap of Faith. Off Broadway: Saved (Playwrights Horizon, Lucille Lortel Nomination); The Capeman, Romeo & Juliet (Public); A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Kismet (Encores!); Salome (NYC Opera). Regional: The Wiz, Zhivago (La Jolla); Mambo Kings; The Marriage of Figaro (L.A. Opera); Chita and All That Jazz. International: Disney’s Tarzan (World Theatre Award Nomination); West Side Story, The Sound of Music (Stratford); Peggy Sue Got Married (West End); Kiss Me, Kate (Japan). TV: Judging and choreographing on “So You Think You Can Dance: Canada” (CTV), “Broadway: The American Musical” (PBS), “The 14th American Comedy Awards” (ABC), “Triple Sensation” (CBC). Ovation Award for Empire: A New American Musical and four Dora Award nominations in Canada. Upcoming: Director/Choreographer: Havana; First National Tours: Memphis, Next to Normal and The Addams Family. JILLIAN MUELLER (Alex Owens). What a dream come true this is! Last seen in the first national tours of Memphis and American Idiot. Broadway: Bye Bye Birdie, two holiday seasons of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. TV: “A Gifted Man” (CBS). Much gratitude to Sergio, Kaitlin and the whole Flashdance team for trusting and believing in me! Love to Erin and everyone at CESD, Liz and Aimee for being the best. And of course my wonderful, supportive parents and brother. Twitter: @ jillimueller COREY MACH (Nick Hurley). Broadway: Hands on a Hardbody, Godspell. National Tours: Wicked, Rent. Regional: Pippin (Pippin), Harold & Maude (Harold), I Love You Because (Austin), Chess (Anatoly). NYC Readings: Newsies, Circus in Winter (with Sutton Foster). Proud alum of Baldwin- Wallace. Special thanks to Sergio, Stewart Talent, Kaitlin at Tara Rubin, and (of course) the Fam. coreymach.com GINNA CLAIRE MASON (Gloria) is so excited to be on tour with the Flashdance family! Some favorite regional credits include Thoroughly Modern Millie (Millie), Grease (Sandy), and Hairspray (Shelley). Thank you to Mom & Daddy Claire, Brudder, Bubby, Benny Boo Boo (her 3 wonderful brothers!), and her handsome, supportive husband, Eric.