Will Pomerantz stages the production, described as a fusion of Weimar cabaret and country-western music inspired by the historical figures Max Beckmann, Franz Marc, Hannah Hoech and Marie Curie. The Blue Flower will run through Jan. 8, 2011, on the Loeb Stage.

Music, lyrics, script and videography are by Jim Bauer, with artwork, story and videography by Ruth Bauer. The piece was previously presented in a developmental run by the Prospect Theatre Company in New York in 2008.

Jenkins (Big River, Mary Poppins) is cast as Max, with Lucas Kavner as Franz, Meghan McGeary as Hannah, Tom Nelis (Enron, Aida) as Fairytale Man, Teal Wicks (Wicked) as Maria and Connor Christiansen and Paul Shafer as Dada men.

Tony Award-nominated and Academy Award-winning composer Stephen Schwartz, Andrew Levine of Flying Machine Productions and Steve Tate of Tate Theatrics produce the A.R.T. production, which is aiming for a New York bow.

The Blue Flower has movement direction by Tom Nelis, music direction by Mark Rubinstein and vocal music direction by Charles Peltz and Dan Rodriguez. The production has set design by Marsha Ginsberg, costume design by Carol Bailey, lighting design by Justin Townsend and sound design by Clive Goodwin.

According to A.R.T., "The Blue Flower takes us on a journey from Belle Époque Paris to the World War I battlefields. As the artist Max Baumann assembles his memories into a spectacular collage, he reveals the story of four friends and lovers trying to make their way through a world in pieces."

Visit AmericanRepertoryTheater. A.R.T. is located at 64 Brattle Street in Cambridge, MA.