FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 18, 2017 Contact: Andrew Leshovsky [email protected] 612-767-5646 office THEATER LATTÉ DA ANNOUNCES THE CAST OF SONDHEIM’S HILARIOUS, THOUGHT-PROVOKING ASSASSINS Considered Stephen Sondheim’s most controversial musical, ASSASSINS provides a glimpse into the psychology of America’s four successful and five would-be presidential assassins. ASSASSINS features Tyler Michaels as the Balladeer/Lee Harvey Oswald, Dieter Bierbrauer as John Wilkes Booth, and Shinah Brashears as Lynette "Squeaky” Fromme. CLICK HERE FOR PROMOTIONAL PHOTOS Performances begin February 7 at the Ritz Theater. Single tickets go on sale January 2; season tickets are on sale now at latteda.org or 612-339-3003. (Minneapolis/St. Paul) Theater Latté Da announces casting for the comedic and provocative musical ASSASSINS. Winner of 5 Tony Awards including Best Revival of a Musical, Assassins lays bare the lives of nine individuals who assassinated or attempted to assassinate the President of the United States, in a one-act historical "revusical" that explores the dark side of the American experience. From John Wilkes Booth to Lee Harvey Oswald, writers Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman, bend the rules of time and space, taking us on a nightmarish roller coaster ride in which assassins and would-be assassins from different historical periods meet, intersect, and goad each other to harrowing acts in the name of the American Dream. Theater Latté Da Artistic Director Peter Rothstein directs the production with Music Director Jason Hansen. Performances begin February 7 at the Ritz Theater (345 13th Avenue NE in Minneapolis). Single tickets go on sale January 2; season tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at latteda.org or by calling 612-339-3003. Set in an old-time carnival, Theater Latté Da invites patrons to arrive early and enter into an immersive experience with an hour-long pre-show carnival on stage. Audiences are encouraged to interact with the cast, enjoy food and drink, play vintage carnival games, and win prizes. A multiple Tony Award-winning theatrical tour-de-force, Assassins combines Stephen Sondheim’s signature blend of intelligent lyrics and stunning music with a panoramic story of our nation’s culture of celebrity, and the violent means some will use to obtain it. Bold, original, disturbing, and alarmingly funny, Assassins has been called “the most controversial musical ever written.” “I was inspired to do Assassins in our 20th season by the political discourse over the past 18 months. In our last election, both ends of the political spectrum focused their messages on how government has failed the American people,” says Rothstein. “Sondheim gives us powerful portraits of people who feel so disenfranchised from the American promise that they turn towards violence. Doing Assassins now provides us with a way to ask the question: How might we pull ourselves and each other back from that kind of personal and political brink?" Jason Hansen music directs Sondheim’s masterpiece. Collaborating with Latté Da is not new to Hansen, who has arranged and directed past productions including Aida and Into the Woods. “In Assassins, Sondheim conjures music from different periods in American life and allows them to refract and collide in such a powerful way. Audiences will hear American folk songs, Sousa-style marches, and the gospel sound of a late 1800’s tent revival. Plus, the whole musical is set inside a carnival, so aspects of the score even allude to turn-of-the-century circus and carnival music.” Peter Rothstein has assembled an all-star cast including Tyler Michaels as the Balladeer and Lee Harvey Oswald. Michaels has appeared in multiple Theater Latté Da productions including Peter and the Starcatcher, Sweeney Todd, and Cabaret. Dieter Bierbrauer, a Latté Da favorite (Oliver, Company), stars as John Wilkes Booth. Shinah Brashears (Latté Da’s GYPSY!, Into the Woods) is Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme. Eric Morris makes his Latté Da debut as Giuseppe Zangara. He was most recently seen in Old Log Theater’s Million Dollar Quartet. Several other cast members will make their return to Theater Latté Da’s most-anticipated production of the season. Sara Ochs (Man of La Mancha, Sweeney Todd) is Sara Jane Moore/Emma Goldman; Jim Detmar (Cabaret, Spring Awakening) as Samuel Byck, Rodolfo Nieto, who recently returned from the national tour of All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914, is Leon Czolgosz, Evan Tyler Wilson, (All is Calm, Sweeney Todd) is John Hinkley. Ben Dutcher (All is Calm, Master Class) is featured as Charles Guiteau. Matt Riehle (Man of La Mancha, C.) is the Proprietor. Mario Esteb (GYPSY!) is Billy. ASSASSINS features scenic design by Eli Schlatter, costume design by Alice Fredrickson, and lighting design by Marcus Dilliard. 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. www.latteda.org FACT SHEET: ASSASSINS Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Book by John Weidman Directed by Peter Rothstein Music Direction by Jason Hansen Featuring: Dieter Bierbrauer,* Shinah Brashears,* Jim Detmar,* Ben Dutcher,* Mario Esteb, Tyler Michaels,* Eric Morris,* Rodolfo Nieto, Sara Ochs,* Matt Riehle, Evan Tyler Wilson Dates: Wednesday, February 7 – Sunday, March 18, 2018 Venue: Ritz Theater (345 13th Avenue NE, Minneapolis MN 55413) A multiple Tony Award-winning theatrical tour-de-force, Assassins combines Stephen Sondheim’s signature blend of intelligent lyrics and stunning music with a panoramic story of our nation’s culture of celebrity and the violent means some will use to obtain it. The musical provides a glimpse into the psychology of America’s four successful and five would- be presidential assassins. Bold, original, disturbing, and alarmingly funny, Assassins has been called “the most controversial musical ever written.” Performance Dates and Times: Wednesday, February 7 at 7:30 PM (Preview) Thursday, February 8 at 7:30 PM (Preview) Friday, February 9 at 7:30 PM (Preview) Saturday, February 10 at 7:30 PM (Opening Night) Sunday, February 11 at 2:00 PM (Post-Show Discussion) Wednesday, February 14 at 7:30 PM Thursday, February 15 at 7:30 PM (Post-Show Discussion) Friday, February 16 at 7:30 PM Saturday, February 17 at 2:00 PM Saturday, February 17 at 7:30 PM Sunday, February 18 at 2:00 PM (Post-Show Discussion) Wednesday, February 21 at 7:30 PM Thursday, February 22 at 7:30 PM (Post-Show Discussion) Friday, February 23 at 7:30 PM Saturday, February 24 at 2:00PM Saturday, February 24 at 7:30PM Sunday, February 25 at 2:00PM (Post-show Discussion) Wednesday, February 28 at 7:30PM Thursday, March 1 at 7:30PM (Post-show Discussion) Friday, March 2 at 7:30 PM Saturday, March 3 at 2:00PM Saturday, March 3 at 7:30 PM Sunday, March 4 at 2:00 PM (Post-Show Discussion) Wednesday, March 7 at 7:30 PM Thursday, March 8 at 7:30 PM (Post-Show Discussion) Friday, March 9 at 7:30 PM Saturday, March 10 at 2:00 PM Saturday, March 10 at 7:30 PM Sunday, March 11 at 2:00 PM (Post-Show Discussion) Wednesday, March 14 at 7:30 PM Thursday, March 15 at 7:30 PM (Post-Show Discussion) Friday, March 16 at 7:30 PM Saturday, March 17 at 2:00 PM Saturday, March 17 at 7:30 PM Sunday, March 18 at 2:00 PM ### .