The Rockae and Honor are the eight and ninth Mills musicals produced by the Off-Off Broadway company; both shows are in collaboration with director Cara Reichel.
The Rockae, a new rock musical adapted from Euripides' play The Bacchae, opens the season on Sept. 15 and runs through Oct. 14 at the Hudson Guild Theatre (441 West 26th Street).
In February 2008, Prospect will present Jim and Ruth Bauer's new musical The Blue Flower at the West End Theatre in the Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew (263 West 86th Street).
The season will conclude with the world premiere of a new musical entitled Honor, "which transplants Shakespeare's As You Like It to Japan," and which will be presented beginning in April 2007 at the Hudson Guild Theatre.
Here are the Prospect shows at a glance:
"Pent-up King Pentheus takes on Dionysus and his frenzied female fans when the god of wine and theatre returns to Thebes. Get ready for moshing Maenads and thrashing catharsis in this rock musical adaptation of Euripides' classic, The Bacchae. Drama Desk-nominated writer Peter Mills fuses the intensity of heavy metal with the violence of ancient Greek tragedy. The Rockae will be presented as a partner event of the 4th Annual New York Musical Theatre Festival."
"Experience a rush of pure sensation within the restless memories of artist Max Baumann on this exhilarating, Dada-inspired romp through pre-WWI Paris, the Great War, and Weimar Germany. Sensuous characters, striking video projections, and inventive music from Jonathan Larson Award-winning composer Jim Bauer create an intricate and enthralling collage that resonates with the unfolding history of the 21st century. The Blue Flower is a new musical theatre piece created by the husband/wife team of musician Jim Bauer and visual artist Ruth Bauer, who have developed the piece in New York over the last several years under the auspices of such programs as the HERE Arts Center's Artist Residency Program, The Public Theater's 'New Work Now' Festival, the ASCAP Foundation's Musical Theatre Development Program, and the New York Musical Theater Festival in 2004."
"As You Like It is transplanted to feudal Japan in this passionate tale of romance and the redemption of family honor, told through action-packed martial arts choreography, elegant lyrics, and an intricate score. In the tradition of Illyria, Prospect's resident writers once again forge an accessible Shakespearean adventure for modern-day audiences." *
Prospect Theater Company is a non-profit organization, founded in 1998 by five graduates of Princeton University, "in order to allow a diverse group of emerging theatre professionals to work together in pursuit of artistic excellence and innovation," according to compnay notes. "Known both for its development of new musicals and its engaging interpretations of classic plays, Prospect strives to build bridges between artists and audiences, and to connect theatre's present to its past — in order to build its future."
Prospect is offering a full season subscription at the affordable price of $33, which includes one ticket to each of the three shows during the first two weekends of the run. A $50 subscription saves subscribers money while providing the greatest flexibility of dates, including one ticket to each of the three productions at any time during the run provided space is available.
For more information visit www.ProspectTheater.org.
