Eugene O’Neill Theater Center continues the celebration of its 25th anniversary summer season with their Music Theater Conference. Three new musicals — Embarrassments, Avenue Q and Lil Budda — will be presented Aug. 3-18 at their Waterford, Connecticut home.
Embarrassments, with book by Laurence Klavan, music by Polly Pen and lyrics by Klavan and Pen, explores the story of writer Henry James' longing to be a playwright. The cast includes Tamra Hayden, Lauren Mufson, Peter Samuel, Erica Schroeder, Henry Stram, Steven Sutcliffe, Marc Vietor and Lynne Wintersteller. Performances will play in the Rufus & Margo Rose Theater Barn Aug. 3, 4 and 8.
Avenue Q, featuring book by Jeff Whitty, Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx with music and lyrics by Lopez and Marx, centers on New York City locale where puppets and humans discuss love, money, race and jury duty. Q's cast includes Stephanie D'Abruzzo, Jordan Gelber, Amanda Green, Ann Harada, Rick Lyon, Lara MacLean and John Tartaglia. Performances play in the Dina Merrill Theater Aug. 10, 11 and Aug. 15-17.
Lil Budda, with book and lyrics by Stephanie Jones, music by Janice Lowe, follows a music-video dancer's journey through stardom to find enlightenment. The cast features Robert Scott Daye, Matt Farnsworth, Nathan Lee Graham, Anika Larsen, Jillian Lindsey, Anika Noni Rose and Jason Wooten. Performances at the Barn will play Aug. 17 & 18.
The O’Neill also gives audiences an invite behind the curtain of the process with “Making Musicals” Aug. 7 & 14 at the Barn. The creators of Embarrassments and Avenue Q will be on hand Aug. 7. The makers of Avenue Q will return Aug. 14 with the Lil Budda creators. The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center was founded in 1964 and based in Waterford, CT. Programs at the Center include the Puppetry Conference, Playwrights Conference, Critics Institute, Music Theater Conference and the National Theater Institute. The Monte Cristo Cottage, O'Neill's childhood home, is also owned and operated by the group.
For tickets to events at the O’Neill Theater Center, call the box office at (860) 443 1238. For more information, visit their website at www.oneilltheatercenter.org.
— by Ernio Hernandez
