Steven Cosson directs the Off-Broadway run, which will officially open Feb. 22 at The Vineyard Theatre. Performances continue through March 15. John Carrafa (Urinetown) choreographs, and Erik James provides music direction.
Using its signature documentary style (seen in Off-Broadway's Gone Missing), New York theatre company The Civilians "explores the growth of the evangelical Christian movement," according to This Beautiful City press notes. The play with music was "drawn principally from interviews The Civilians conducted with people involved with or affected by the mega-church movement in Colorado Springs." Steven Cosson and Jim Lewis are credited as writers with Michael Friedman taking on music and lyrics.
The cast (who conducted those interviews over the course of ten weeks) features Emily Ackerman, Marsha Stephanie Blake, Brad Heberlee, Brandon Miller, Stephen Plunkett, and Alison Weller. Musicians include Chris Biesterfeldt, Benjamin Campbell and Richard Huntley.
Following a successful world premiere at the Humana Festival of New American Plays spring in Louisville, KY, the work played (with the above cast) at Center Theatre Group's Kirk Douglas Theatre in L.A.
The design team includes Neil Patel (set), Alix Hester (costume), David Weiner (lighting), Ken Travis (sound) and Jason Thompson (projection). The Vineyard's current season began with the twice-extended world premiere of Tarell Alvin McCraney's Wig Out! The troupe will also present a lab production of The Burnt Part Boys, featuring a book by Mariana Elder, music by Chris Miller and lyrics by Nathan Tysen, this spring and a main stage show yet to be announced.
Tickets ($60) to This Beautiful City at The Vineyard Theatre, 108 East 15th Street, are available by calling (212) 353-0303. Student rush tickets ($20, limited) are available two hours before the show at the box office (with valid student ID, 2 tickets per ID). For more information visit VineyardTheatre.org.