Directed by Brandon Ivie, who recently helmed the critically embraced Off-Broadway musical Jasper in Deadland, the cast features Billie Wildrick (Scandalous), Jeff Steitzer (Mary Poppins, Inherit the Wind), Matt Wolfe (Scandalous), Eric Gratton, Michele Ankrim, Danny Kam, Brian Lange, Nick Desantis, Bhama Roget, Heather McQuarrie, Krista Curry and Morgan Pate.
Here's how the work is billed: "Howard Barnes is a perfectly average man in his early thirties, until the day that he wakes up to discover that his life has become a musical. Desperate to escape from the show, Howard embarks on a fantastical quest through the realm of musical theatre. Equal parts satire, romantic comedy, and love letter to the American musical, The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes is intended for people who love musical theater, and their spouses who hate it."
Other members of the creative team include choreographer Crystal Dawn Munkers, music director Aaron Jodoin, scenic designer Julia Welch, costume designer Deane Middleton, lighting designer Sean Bagley, sound designer Brent Warwick and props designer Monique Walker.
The Noteworthy Life of Howard Barnes has been developed through readings at the O'Neill National Music Theater Conference and the Human Race Theatre. Additionally, the writers have developed the show during residencies at The 5th Avenue Theatre, Goodspeed Musicals and The Rhinebeck Writers Retreat. Private developmental readings have been presented at the New York Theatre Workshop and Trinity Repertory Theatre. The show was recently named as one of eight new musicals to be presented at the National Alliance for Musical Theatre Festival of New Musicals in NYC this fall.
Read the Playbill.com Brief Encounter with Kooman and Dimond on the musical's development at the O'Neill Conference here. Kooman (music) and Dimond (book and lyrics) received the 2010 Jonathan Larson Grant and are the first recipients of the Lorenz Hart Award. Between them, they have received the Burton Lane Award, the Harold Adamson Award, the KC/ACTF Musical Theatre Award, a NYFA fellowship, an Anna Sosenko Grant, and numerous ASCAP Plus awards. Read more about the duo in Playbill.com's Contemporary Musical Theatre Songwriters You Should Know.
Village Theatre First Stage is located at 120 Front Street N. in Issaquah, WA. For more information and tickets, call (425) 392-2202 or visit VillageTheatre.org.
