A new family-friendly stage musical, Barbie Live! In Fairytopia, in which the famed Mattel doll makes her theatrical stage debut playing "a beautiful flower fairy who longs to have wings," launches on a tour this spring under the direction of Broadway and regional director Eric Schaeffer.
The non-Equity production will visit the Palace Theatre in Columbus, OH (April 1-2), Auditorium Theatre at Roosevelt University in Chicago (April 11-16), the Wang Center in Boston (April 19-23) and Uihlein Hall at the Marcus Center in Milwaukee (May 19-21), among other venues.
Schaeffer (Broadway's Putting It Together, London's Witches of Eastwick) stages this original musical, which has book and lyrics by Susan Di Lallo (That's Life, Iron Curtain and Once Upon a Time in New Jersey) and music and lyrics by Robbie Roth.
Helen Hayes Award winner James Kronzer is the scenic designer. Tony Award nominated costume designer Gregg Barnes (Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Flower Drum Song and Side Show) wraps the perfect figure of Barbie (who plays "Elina"), as well as flying fairies, in his designs.
Barnes said in statement, "I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to design for Barbie — she is a fashion phenomenon. It is a great honor to bring to life the fantasy and grandeur that she inspires among all ages." The stage production — billed as Barbie's live theatre debut — is inspired by the March 2005 direct-to-video movie "Barbie Fairytopia."
In the show, "Elina embarks on a musical adventure to save her beloved fairyland," according to production notes. "Traveling on the back of a colorful butterfly to magical places, she meets new people who test her courage and teach her the value of true friendship. Families will be enchanted by Barbie and all of her friends from the movie as they sing, dance and fly through the air! Can a wingless fairy save all of Fairytopia?"
Schaeffer is the respected artistic director of Signature Theatre in Arlington, VA. He has worked with designer Kronzer on a number of productions. Both men are winners of the Helen Hayes Award, the highest honor in the professional theatre community in Washington, D.C.
For more information the Live Nation-produced tour of Barbie Live! In Fairytopia, visit www.broadwayacrossamerica.com.
